Hello all,

Despite the freezing fog we decided to head to western Walla Walla
County to look for our target Rusty Blackbird. On Byrnes road was a
beautiful FERRUGINOUS HAWK - in their usual wintering area but right in
a field with rodent poison all over.

Up 9-Mile Canyon we stopped to look over a huge flock of House Finches -
and saw WESTERN BLUEBIRD, SAY'S PHOEBE AND LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE.

Started down Dodd road and eagle-eye Mike spotted a SNOWY OWL perched on
a fence post up in the fog! Needless to say we called friends and at
least 6 others got to see this bird.

At Tyson Blood Ponds were many blackbirds flying in and out continuously
- after some patient scoping ML finally spotted our target - a bright
female RUSTY BLACKBIRD among the hundreds of Brewer's, Redwings with a
few Yellow-headed and Tricoloreds mixed in. And the usual starlings and
a few cowbirds as well. Killdeer, Dunlin and a couple Least Sandpipers
were on the gunk.

Over 200 SNOW GEESE were in the cornfields on Dodd - with more on Hanson
Loop.

Ate lunch at Casey Pond - where Mike chummed for gulls - our
first-of-winter GLAUCOUS Gull was with Herring Gulls on the mud.

Heading back along our route - a SHORT-EARED OWL flew right over us as
we started down 9-Mile Canyon.

Yesterday up Blue Creek Rd we found a very cooperative PYGMY OWL with a
rodent -

Good birding - and it pays to head out even in the fog! M&ML

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