Subject: [Tweeters] WOS east Clark County field trip yesterday
Date: May 14 09:49:32 2017
From: Randy Hill - re_hill at q.com


Despite an "interesting" weather day yesterday, 11 birders completed what
could be termed a successful trip across portions of east Clark County with
no reported casualties. The route headed up toward Larch Mountain on Road
L-1500 under rainy skies, but retreated down from the primary area due to a
little breeze but mostly the massive snowflakes! There was a bright spot on
the way up when Stefan Schlick's pygmy owl toots immediately brought in a
competitor which continued to perch up and vocalized for another 15 minutes.
That live Northern Pygmy-Owl brought in a variety of antagonists including
one brief look at the spread tail of an AMERICAN REDSTART among a variety of
warblers. On the way back down we located one or more Hermit Warblers near
the mountain bike trailhead. Back down to the paved road by the Larch
Mountain Correctional Facility we were "welcomed" by the inmate crowd that
appreciated our visit and binocular views from above. Further on gravel
roads we located two targets hoped for up higher, a pair each of Townsend's
Solitaire and Western Bluebird. A few more stops toward the Lewis River
collected expected forest species, with a group of American Dippers likely
nesting under the bridge that flew up and down the river. On to Yacolt to
finish off the day, where some feeders produced more than 100 Band-tailed
Pigeons and at least 3 Monk Parakeets. A soggy day with a cumulative list
of around 55 species including 9 warblers.



Randy Hill

Ridgefield