Hi tweets,

Just gotta share some of what we saw yesterday at the Cle Elum Ponds, Wanapum St. Park, Huntzinger Rd, and Birder's Corner. Highlights of the day:

Cle Elum was buzzing with RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. We've seen them there before, of course, but never in such great numbers.

Also seen were three or four GRAY CATBIRDS, two MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, several YELLOW WARBLERS, a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, a large flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS, many, many BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, one WARBLING VIREO, one WESTERN TANAGER, one WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and a beautiful OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. The Olive-sided was probably our biggest surprise. We must've hit a good migration moment.

At Wanapum and Huntzinger, we encountered several ROCK WREN, some appearing young-ish, with still a bit of soft downy/fluffiness just below the breast, one CANYON WREN, AMERICAN PIPIT, several WILSON'S WARBLERS, CEDAR WAXWINGS, another WESTERN TANAGER, and RED-NECKED GREBES in the Columbia River.

"Birder's Corner" at Frenchman Hill and Dodson Rd. had 10 or so NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. On Dodson Rd., before we got to Birder's Corner, we checked some of the wetlands and small ponds and found enough mudflats to score some GREATER YELLOWLEGS, KILLDEER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.

We also made a brief stop at Potholes St. Pk, where we saw one GREAT EGRET, several RING-BILLED GULLS and quite a few WESTERN GREBES.

The reliable SAY'S PHOEBE was present at Gingko St. Park.

There was still one OSPREY to be found, just south of Ellensburg. Also, four TURKEY VULTURES circled nearby.

Warm, sunny weather with only a slight hint of a breeze added to the wonderful day.

good birding,
isadora wong
seattle, wa
chupaflor at igc.org