Continuing my earlier post.
OnThursday early I headed off to Hafer Road in Stevens County ? another favoritespot and one that is generally good for Clay Colored Sparrow.? A fun hour plus starting at 7 a.m. didproduce a single Clay Colored Sparrow but it was heard far away up slope andwould not come in close enough for a photo.?Lots of other good birds including a Sora and Wilson?s Snipe in the wetfields, Gray Catbird, both Eastern and Western Kingbirds, a Black ChinnedHummingbird, a flyover Merlin, and a surprise ? pair of Least Flycatchers.? I thought I had heard the ?che-bek? callearlier but got no response to three brief playback attempts over 10minutes.? Later I heard the all again andthis time a single playback elicited a very excited 20+ minutes of almostnon-stop calling from the bird.Ithen headed to Pend Oreille County ? the main reason I make this trop.? This took me on Flowery Trail Road over a 4000-footpass.? Beautiful area.? I made only a single stop and was treated to4 thrushes ? Townsend?s Solitaire American Robin and Hermit and Swainson?sThrushes ? all singing/calling. As I neared my Bobolink target area in/nearCusick at 10 a.m. I was on McKenzie Road and while driving listened to theBobolink song/calls to re-familiarize myself with their raucous sounds.? The windows were open and SURPRISE ? a Bobolinkpopped up out of the field just to my right.?Never had one there but perfect habitat. I only saw one but there mayhave been more.? Watched it and otherbirds there for 15 minutes and then went on to my ?regular spot? where two moreBobolinks were carrying on. I then headed back to Calispell Lake on theWestside Road where Red Eyed Vireos and American Redstarts were plentiful and Iagain found Northern Waterthrush as in years past. A single Ruffed Grouse and asingle Pileated Woodpecker were bonus birds.?Clouds were forming and a few rain drops so I decided to head home withmy main goal being to try for a photo of a Clay Colored Sparrow at theirregular spot on Stroup Road.? When I gotto the promised land at the 90-degree bend to the west at the bottom of Stroup,two cars were parked ? I assumed more birders in this out of the way spot ? butinstead some young folks doing I am not sure exactly what.? My concerns that this would ruin the birdingproved unfounded when they left shortly after I arrived and I found thephotogenic sparrow quickly. Really a beautiful bird.Imade a last try at Potholes for the Forster?s Tern and found one out over thelake with maybe 6 Caspian Terns.? A bonuswas the best photo I have ever taken of a close Great Egret.Iconcluded the trip with a visit to Robinson Canyon which will be the subject ofanother post.? Yes after a long wait Ifound several Poorwills but I blew (seems to be a pattern) my one photo chance.Alltold I met some fun folks, saw beautiful places and lots of good birds ? 102 speciesall told.Againphotos at:Eastern Washington June 15-16, 2016

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Eastern Washington June 15-16, 2016
21 new photos ? Album by Blair B | |

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