Subject: [Tweeters] Fishing and Birding on the Yakima River
Date: May 21 12:46:50 2013
From: Blair Bernson - blair at washingtonadvisorygroup.com


Taking advantage of lowered water levels and
beautiful weather, we floated the Bristol to Thorp
Bridge stretch of the Yakima River yesterday
starting around 11:00 a.m. and getting off the
river at 6:00 p.m. Fishing was great (catching
not as great) and birds were constant companions
many in full song. We were not able to see many
of the birds - buried in foliage, watching our
flies on the water anyhow and the movement of the
boat, but many were seen and lots of singers were
identified.

Highlights were the large number of Black Headed
Grosbeaks, variety and number of warblers, Western
Tanagers, Lazuli Buntings, Spotted Sandpipers
flying, bobbing and calling always in view, Red
Tail fly over with snake hanging from beak and
Osprey flyover with large trout in talons, a
single Lewis's Woodpecker plus hundreds of Cliff
Swallows catching the millions of caddisflies and
returning to their cliff nests.

Black Headed Grosbeak - at least 15 and possibly
three times that many.
Western Tanager - at least 6 and possibly 3 times
that many
Lazuli Bunting - at least 3 and probably many more
Yellow, Yellow Rumped, MacGillivray's, Nashville
and Orange Crowned Warblers. Several of each
clearly indentified and more than 30 in total
heard throughout the day.
Spotted Sandpipers - almost always around us so
the possibility of double counting was there - I
am certain there were at least a dozen.
Lewis's Woodpecker flyover.
Bank Swallows flying in and out of their nests in
the riverbank, joining the hundreds of Cliff
Swallows, 25+ Violet Green Swallows, and both
Rough Winged and Barn Swallows. (We did not note
any Tree Swallows, but they may have been present.)

Getting stuck for 90 minutes as blasting work was
done on I-90 was a downer, but otherwise a great day.

--
Blair Bernson
Edmonds