Subject: [Tweeters] FOY birds, 4/18
Date: Apr 19 18:35:22 2015
From: wong - chupaflor at igc.org


Yesterday was a stunning day east of the Cascades, both in terms of weather and the birds.

We covered Kittitas, Grant and Adams counties.

FOY species include: my favorite hawk, the SWAINSON'S found in both Kittitas and Grant counties (total of 4 of these hawks-yay!); several NASHVILLE WARBLERS at the Cle Elum ponds; WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS at Frenchman Coulee, a WESTERN KINGBIRD along Rt. 262 between Frenchman Hills Rd. and Potholes St. Pk., BLACK-NECKED STILTS along the 1-90 frontage road, just east of Dodson Rd. and also at the ponds at the corner of Frenchman Hills Rd/Dodson Rd, and ~160 SANDHILL CRANES on H Rd., south of Potholes St. Pk.

We repeated some of the good fortune we had a few weeks ago with re-finding the typical sage country species: SAGEBRUSH SPARROW, BREWER'S SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW and SAGE THRASHER, all along the usual Vantage Highway spots.

Courtship, nest building and sitting on eggs was noted for several species. This is always such a delight to witness, from a respectable distance, of course.

With minimal effort, we totaled 71 species on this awesome birding excursion.

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