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May 7, 8, 9, 2005

Nine birders enjoyed a rewarding WOS weekend field trip to eastern WA led by Ken Knittle covering 9 counties with a total of 158 species. We encountered good weather throughout most of the trip with areas of wind and rain at times, but overall condition were great! It was a great trip and with excellent participation from everyone! Ken Knittle, Alan Richards and Patrick Sullivan prescouted a portion of the route on the 6th with a few species that were not encountered during the actual field trip,but were noteworthy to mention. Migrant shorebirds were very limited to a few areas on the trip,as well as migrant passerines. Our main route consisted of the following areas covered on the following dates:

May 7th, 2005 - Swanson Lakes in Lincoln Co. extending southward to Harrington, then traveling along S.R.23 to Sprague. Sprague Lake to Cow Lake in Adams Co., then Hwy.23 at Sheep Lake to Lacrosse in Whitman Co. Hwy.26 south of LaCrosse to Bassett Park in Washtucna in Adams Co., then south to Lyons Ferry State Park in Franklin Co. extending southeastward along S.R.261 in Columbia Co. and continuing along Hwy.12 to Pomeroy in Garfield Co. Camping overnight at the Boundary Campground in the Umatilla National Forest.

May 8th, 2005 - Boundary CG in Garfield Co. to Linville Gulch Rd. and working our way into Columbia Co. to Tucannon Rd., then south to Curl Lake. Continuing back northward to Bartels Rd. to a portion of the W.T.Wooten Wildlife Area in Columbia Co., then continuing back along Tucannon Rd. north to Hwy.12. Hwy. 12 to S.R.127 to Central Ferry in Garfield Co., then continuing northeastward along Lower Deadman Rd. then along Ping Gulch Rd. to Rice Bar Hill Rd. to Rice Bar along the Snake River. Camping overnight at Windust Park along the Snake River in Franklin Co.

May 9th, 2005 - Windust Park to the Burr Canyon RD. then southward along Pasco-Kahlotus Rd. to Hwy.12 and eastward to the Walla Walla River Delta in Walla Walla Co. A brief drive along Hatch Grade Rd. before continuing northward to the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds in Walla Walla Co., then westward to the Yakima River Delta, where the trip was ended in light rain. Due to high water conditions/levels both the Walla Walla and Yakima River Deltas hosted no shorebirds, but were worth checking with a few highlights noted at those locations. After the field trip this evening Kraig Kemper, Ken Knittle, Alan Richards and I observed the Black Phoebe in Auburn at the previous listed location along 29th Ave.

Our main highlights of the 3 day field trip included the following:

• 1 adult Snow Goose with 8 Canada Geese observed foraging along a grassy area along the south end of Sheep Lake in Whitman Co. on the 6th, but not present at that location the next day during the field trip. This is a noteworthy date for the location

• Greater Scaup - 1 male at Sheep Lake in Whitman Co. on the 6th, but not present at that location on the 7th.  2 males,1 female at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds in Walla Walla Co. on the 9th.

• Common Goldeneye - 9(with 2 Ruddy Ducks) near Central Ferry in Garfield Co. with 17 Bufflehead noted nearby, which appeared late for the location.

• Gray Partridge - 1 pair at the Harrington Cemetery in Lincoln Co. on the 7th.

• Common Loon - 2 off the Walla Walla River Delta, Walla Walla Co. on the 9th.

• Horned Grebe - 1 at Sprague Lake in Adams Co. on the 6th.

• Eared Grebe - small numbers (with Western Grebes) observed at Sprague Lake in Adams Co. on the 6th and 7th, 2 (with 2 nearby Western Grebes) at Sheep Lake in Whitman Co. on the 7th, 1 off the Walla Walla River Delta, WW on the 9th.

• Clark's Grebe - 1 at the Walla Walla River Delta, WW on the 9th.

• Am. White Pelican - 4 at Sprague Lake in Lincoln and Adams Co. on the 6th (with 1 there on the 7th),  8 over Hallin Lake in Adams Co. on the 7th, 2 along the Snake River at Windust Park in Franklin Co. on the 9th, 8 along Hwy.12 at Burbank Slough, WW on the 9th, 75+ along Hwy.12 at Badger Island, WW on the 9th, 6 at the Walla Walla River Delta, WW on the 9th, 15 along Hwy. 395 at Pasco, FR on the 9th, 4 at the Yakima River Delta, Benton Co. on the 9th, 200+ along Hwy.12 between Ledbeder (Goose Gap) to Prosser in Benton Co. on the 9th.

• Turkey Vulture - 1 at Sprague Lake, Lincoln Co. on the 7th.

• Bald Eagle - 2 near Sprague, LI on the 7th, 1 above the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Ferruginous Hawk - 1 distant bird near Winona, Whitman Co. on the 7th.

• Golden Eagle - 2 along Cherry Creek Rd. above Big Cove Canyon, WH on the 7th. 1 over Tucannon Rd., Columbia Co. on the 8th.

• Prairie Falcon - 1 along S.R.23 east of Harrington, Lincoln Co. on the 7th, 1 pair along Cherry Creek Rd. at Big Cove Canyon, WH on the 7th.

• Semipalmated Plover - 3 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 2 at Swanson Lakes, LI on the 7th, 1 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Long-billed Curlew - 1 along I-90 west of Moses Lake, Grant Co. on the 6th, 1 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th.

• Spotted Sandpiper - 1 at Curl Lake, Columbia Co. on the 8th, 1 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 1 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. pond, WW on the 9th.

• Western Sandpiper - 4 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 3 at Sheep Lake, WH on the 7th, 1 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Least Sandpiper - 8 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th (with 4 there on the 7th), 5 at Sheep Lake, WH on the 7th, 9 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Baird's Sandpiper - 1 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th.

• Dunlin - 2 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 1 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th.

• Long-billed Dowitcher - 20+ at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 3 at Sheep Lake, WH on the 7th, 47 at the Iowa Beef-Dodd Rd. ponds, WW on the 9th,

• Franklin's Gull - 1 adult in breeding plumage along the Snake River at Rice Bar in Whitman and Garfield Cos. The bird was initially observed flying midspan along the Snake River from the west as we stood scoping from high above along Rice Bar Hill Rd.  It continued eastward and represents a very noteworthy spring sighting for southeastern WA and a 1st county record for Garfield Co.!

• Bonaparte's Gull - 13+ at Sprague Lake in Lincoln-Adams Co. on the 6th and 7th.

• Forster's Tern - 1 at Sprague Lake, AD on the 7th, 1 off the Walla Walla River Delta, WA on the 9th, 10 at the Yakima River Delta, BE on the 9th.

• Black Tern - 250+ at Sprague Lake, LI on the 6th (with far lesser numbers at that location in both Lincoln and Adams Co. on the 7th, with a few scattered birds observed to the nearby Sprague STP).

• Barn Owl - 1 family near Sprague, LI on the 7th, 1 bird along Tucannon Rd. along Tatman Mtn. Rd. in Garfield Co. on the 8th, 1 near Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Burrowing Owl - 6 birds near LaCrosse, WH on the 7th.

• Long-eared Owl - 2 families near Windust Park, FR on the 6th and 7th.

• Short-eared Owl - 1 along S.R.23 near Ewan, WH on the 7th.

• Black-chinned Hummingbird - 1 at Lyons Ferry State Park, FR on the 7th (noteworthy migrant for location), 2 near Tucannon Rd., CO on the 8th.

• Calliope Hummingbird - 3 at Lyons Ferry S.P., FR on the 7th, 1 along Mountain Rd., GA on the 8th, 3-4 near Tucannon Rd, CO on the 8th.

• Lewis' Woodpecker - 1 along Ping Gulch Rd., GA on the 8th.

• Williamson's Sapsucker - 8+ near the Boundary CG, GA on the 8th.

• Hammond's Flycatcher - 2 at the Davenport Cemetery, LI on the 6th, 4 at the Harrington Cemetery, LI on the 7th.

• Gray Flycatcher - 1 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th (noteworthy migrant for location).

• Dusky Flycatcher - 1 at the Davenport Cemetery, LI on the 6th, 2 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th, 6+ near the Boundary CG, GA on the 8th.

• Pacific-slope Flycatcher - 1 at the Harrington Cemetery, LI on the 7th.

• Loggerhead Shrike - 1 along Seven Springs Dairy Rd. (south of Swanson Lakes), LI on the 7th.

• Cassin's Vireo - 1 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th.

• Tree Swallow - (noteworthy for location) 4 along Mountain Rd. (south of Boundary CG), GA on the 8th, 2 along Linville Gulch Rd., GA on the 8th.

• Red-breasted Nuthatch - (migrants) 4 at the Harrington Cemetery, LI on the 7th, 1 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet - (migrants) 5 (with 3+ Golden-crowned Kinglets) at the Davenport Cemetery, LI on the 6th, 8+ (with 1 Warbling Vireo) at the Harrington Cemetery, LI on the 7th, 1 at Lyons Ferry S.P., FR on the 7th, 4 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Hermit Thrush - 8 at the Davenport Cemetery, LI on the 6th, 1 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th, 5 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Varied Thrush - 1 at Windust Park, FR (late date for location).

• Sage Thrasher - 1 at Tokio, AD on the 6th (noteworthy for location), small numbers heard singing at Swanson Lakes, LI on the 6th and 7th.

• Cedar Waxwing - 10 at Lyons Ferry S.P., FR on the 7th.

• Nashville Warbler - 1 at Rainbow Lake, CO on the 8th.

• Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler - 1 along Rice Bar Hill Rd., GA on the 8th, 2 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Townsend's Warbler- (migrants) 2 at the Davenport Cemetery, LI on the 6th, 1 at the Harrington Cemetery, LI on the 7th, 1 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th, 4 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th.

• Yellow-breasted Chat - 1 along Tucannon Rd., CO on the 8th.

• Lark Sparrow - 1 along Burr Canyon Rd., FR on the 9th (with 8 migrant Chipping Sparrows nearby).

• Grasshopper Sparrow - 2 at Cow Lake, AD on the 6th, 5 along Seven Springs Dairy Rd., LI on the 7th, 1 along Rice Bar Hill Rd, GA on the 8th.

• White-crowned Sparrow - 1-2 (with 8+ Chipping Sparrows) along Rice Bar Hill Rd., GA on the 8th.

• Lazuli Bunting - 1 at Washtucna, AD on the 7th, 2 along Linville Gulch Rd., GA on the 8th, 8+ along Tucannon Rd., CO on the 8th, 2 along Bartels Rd., GA on the 8th.

• Bullock's Oriole - 1 along Linville Gulch Rd., GA on the 8th, 2 along Tucannon Rd., CO on the 8th, 1 at Windust Park, FR on the 9th, 3+ at Madame Dorion Park, WA on the 9th.

• Purple Finch - 1 female (with a female Cassin's Finch) at Washtucna, AD. A very noteworthy species for Adams Co. with excellent comparisons along with a nearby female House Finch within the same view.

Mammal highlights of the trip: Yellow-billed Marmot, Columbia Ground Squirrel, White-tailed and Mule Deer, 2 Badgers, 5 Coyotes.