On this fine, sunny, spring day, Kim Thorburn and I birded northern Whitman County. After dipping on the White-faced Ibis on Saturday, I decided to have another go at finding that target bird. Before searching for the Ibis, we?checked out the town of Lamont, and found a migrant SWAINSON'S THRUSH and a WILSON'S WARBLER.?Upon arrival at the Glorfield Wetlands (west of Rock Lake), we were greeted by calling SORA, VIRGINIA RAIL, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, MARSH WREN, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDs. After scanning through the tall marsh grasses for about ten minutes, an OSPREY sailed off a power pole and and glided over the marsh. Suddenly, a flock of over a dozen LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERs, and WILSON'S PHALAROPEs flushed. Fortunately, a lone WHITE-FACED IBIS flushed out as well. The Ibis quickly disappeared back into the thick grasses, but we did see it again briefly walking into the open.

My second county lifer was waiting for us at Rock Lake. From the public parking lot, there was a feeding flock of mixed WILSON'S PHALAROPEs, AMERICAN AVOCETs, BLACK-NECKED STILTs, a GREATER YELLOWLEGSs, CALIFORNIA GULLs, and three loafing FORESTER'S TERNs (a long term county target bird for me). All of these birds hanging out on the near-shore, rocky shoals. We had crippling scope views of the terns perched on the rocks, as well as flying over the lake (after being flushed by a NORTHERN HARRIER). The terns then flew off to the southwest and vanished.?

As we were leaving, an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN cruised into the inlet. There was an immature BALD EAGLE and a TURKEY VULTURE present too.

A late morning check of Steptoe Butte, netted us a half dozen TOWNSEND'S WARBLERs, WESTERN TANAGER -3, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE -1, YELLOW WARBLER -2, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER - 14, NASHVILLE WARBLER -1, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER -1, HOUSE WREN -6, and HERMIT THRUSH -3.?

Back in Spokane County, we visited Phileo Lake, and were rather surprised to see two TRUMPETER SWANs in the southwest corner (where we had previously seen the ROSS'S GOOSE back on 4/26/12). A contingent of BLACK TERNs were skimming the lake, but no white terns were to be seen there today.

Yours in Spokane,

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA