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July 12, 2009

Whitman County with Michael Woodruff and Gina Sheridan

Today, Gina Sheridan and I led a WOS Field Trip through Whitman County.  Ten of

us met from Spokane, Walla Walla, Yakima, and the Seattle area, and we had a combined total of 105 species by the time we finished up, all in Whitman County.

We started at Steptoe Butte, where we had all three hummer species including a migrant female RUFOUS, an wandering female WESTERN TANAGER, a few BREWER'S SPARROWS.  As we got higher fierce winds raged on the edge of a thunderstorm, and we couldn't coax up the Black-throated Sparrow, or many birds at all for that matter.  However, down low we did quite well netting just about all the breeders.  At the Steptoe STP a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT put in an appearance.

In Colfax a VAUX'S SWIFT made a flyover in the east side of town.  Along N Palouse Rd we had a nice assortment of birds including a very visible pair of YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS, one of which even perched on the telephone wire, and lots of BANK and N ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS.  Along Glenwood Rd we got a WILLOW FLYCATCHER, a very local species in the county from what I've seen.

Kamiak Butte was generally quiet but with time and effort we racked up a good list of woodland breeders.  We had MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, all 3 NUTHATCHES, DUSKY, HAMMOND'S, and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, NASHVILLE, MACGILLIVRAY'S, YELLOW, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, WESTERN TANAGER, and CASSIN'S FINCH.  It was nice to escape the heat for a bit.  Temperatures later climbed past 95 degrees as we worked the western part of the county.

It seemed to be too hot for Burrowing Owls or curlews to be very active at LaCrosse, but a pair of FERRUGINOUS HAWKS helped make up for missing them, along with a SWAINSON'S HAWK.  We ventured up Jordan-Knott Rd from Endicott, and at the first pond found a pod of 7 juvie WILSON'S PHALAROPES.  Sure looked like a breeding location.  There was also a BLACK-NECKED STILT there.  Ducks included GADWALL, a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL, and RUDDY DUCK, and lots of GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were in the shortgrass habitat.

Texas Lake had GREEN-WINGED TEAL, a HOODED MERGANSER, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, and MARSH WRENS, although water levels weren't right for many shorebirds.  At Revere we had a couple BLACK TERNS cruising around over nothing more than a creek through a field.

Water was also pretty high at Rock Lake, but not too high for 4 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 2 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS.  A flyover COMMON NIGHTHAWK was nice.  Sheep Lake also was productive, and we netted 4 SEMIPALMATED, ~7 LEAST, ~15 WESTERN, and several SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 ad. RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, and 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

After we parted ways at the end of the day, a few of us checked the Sprague STP in Lincoln County.  We had 3 basic-plumaged BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 4 juvenile WILSON'S PHALAROPES, and a LESSER SCAUP, but no Franklin's Gulls which others have been seeing.

Over-all, a great trip with excellent company.  Thanks to all the participants for making the trip!

Michael Woodruff

Spokane, WA

Trip Species List