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Saturday, September 13th, 2003

Kittitas County

Many good birds were observed on the WOS trip today, though nothing rare. We met in Ellensburg where we started off with a close encounter of the Sharpie kind, an adult Sharp-shinned hawk flew about 20 feet in front of us to try and nab a house sparrow but missed. We then headed to Vantage where notable birds included 11 Great Egrets and good numbers of American Pipits and Yellow-rumped Warblers. By location:

• Wanapum dam area: 30 American Pelican, 6 Great Egret (5 on islands, 1 in Getty Cove), 6 Chukar, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Many American Pipit and Yellow-rumped Warbler along road in shrub-steppe, (30+ of each)

• Horse Farm: 5 Great Egret, 1 Yellow Warbler, 1 Says Phoebe, 1 Long-billed Dowitcher, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Eared Grebe,

• At Wenatchee Confluence Park/Horan area, we hit it about 12:00, and saw many of the same birds Dan Stephens did but some different. 1 Pectoral Sandpiper (juv),  4 Western Sandpiper, did not see any of the least, though made sure these were western and not the expected least, 1 Great Egret, 1 Nashville Warbler, 3 Orange-crowned Warbler, 35-40 Yellow-rumped Warbler, all seen were Audubon's, 2 Savanna Sparrow, 1 Gray Catbird h/o, 1 Eared Grebe, 2 Turkey Vulture

• Coming home hit Blewett Pass/Table Mountain with some nice results. Migrating raptors included: 2 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 American Kestrel, 1 Northern Harrier, 3 Turkey Vulture, plus: 4 Hermit Thrush, 10-15 White-crowned Sparrow, 4 Savanna Sparrow, 25 WILD TURKEY about 1 mile south of Lion Rock campground on FS 35.

For the day 78 species. Good birding all.

Scott Downes