Joseph and I had a good day today, east of the Cascades. This morning, we
stopped at the Northern Pacific Ponds in South Cle Elum, and we heard a
NASHVILLE WARBLER singing in the pines up on the hill below the freeway. It
seems kind of early for this species to be back.



There was lots of nesting activity going on today. Also at the Northern
Pacific Ponds, TREE SWALLOWS were going in and out of holes, an OSPREY was
back on the almost bare platform visible from the ponds, and a PYGMY
NUTHATCH was excavating a hole in a big pine snag next to the road.



East of Cle Elum, a COMMON RAVEN was on the nest at the traditional site on
a cliff on Hwy 10 in the Yakima Canyon. She was gaping in the hot sun. Her
mate chased off a third raven, while a kettle of five RED-TAILED HAWKS
passed overhead.



Continuing east on the Old Vantage Hwy, we saw a GREAT HORNED OWL sitting in
what looks like an old raven's nest, on the cliffs in Schnebly Coulee. It's
good to see the owls back at this location.thanks, Barb Diehl, for reporting
them.



Just west of Milepost 8 on Hwy 26, we found a pair of LONG-BILLED CURLEWS.
It looked like one of the pair might be incubating eggs. These birds were
quite close to the road, so staying in the car to watch them is probably a
good idea.



On the road at the ponds at Birder's Corner on Dodson Rd, there were 2
roadkill BEAVERS, which we thought was surprising.



SANDHILL CRANES, our main target for the day, were hard to find, but we
finally had a flock of 8 fly over us near the junction of 12 SE and Dodson
Rd.



Rachel Lawson

Seattle

rwlawson at q.com