Hello all,
I (MerryLynn) couldn't resist the warm, calm morning and headed out to
the delta. On Detour Rd an OSPREY was on a nesting platform and a
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was back at the nesting spot.

NO CASPIAN TERNS at the delta - guess this will be a RARE species here
now that all the nesting islands have been made unusable for nesting. I
walked the Millet pond - it has been totally changed with large canals
and most of the russian olives gone - and most of the marshy areas
destroyed as well - all for more "wetland" for hunters - a LOT of money
spent for a very small percentage of the population to use. Most of the
large dead snags destroyed - where all the swallows, kingbirds and
kestrels nested. BUT there will be nice wetlands for birds IF they don't
let it all dry out too soon.

I did NOT find the Black-necked Stilt see here on Saturday.

Checked the cliffs in Wallula Gap - at least 10 WHITE-THOATED SWIFTS
flying around with many Violet-green Swallows. Canyon Wren calling.

The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival was well attended as usual - on
Saturday morning we led a crane tour and south of Othello on Muse road
we found a LEUCISTIC SANDHILL CRANE - really stood out in the flock!
Mostly white with dark eyes.

On Friday I walked Potholes State Park while Mike was leading a boat
tour - and found 2 COMMON REDPOLLS at site #30 - nothing else unusual
except we found NO GREBES on Potholes - very strange! Mike's group
found a pair of NESTING BALD EAGLES - a first for Potholes according to
the boat captain.

Happy spring birding, M&ML


--
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
Birding the Beautiful Walla Walla Valley
"If you haven't gone birding, you haven't lived"