1999 Conference Field Trips

Fort Simcoe (Saturday and Sunday)

The first stop was a Toppenish NWR, located about 3 miles south of Toppenish on U.S. 97.  [Turn  in to the refuge just past a bridge over the creek and before the highway starts the long climb uphill to Satus Pass.]  After visiting the refuge headquarters area, the buses went west on Pumphouse Rd, turning north on Lateral C.

State route 220 West from Toppenish ends at Fort Simcoe, summer home to hundreds of Lewis's Woodpecker.  Lateral C intersects SR 220, so if you are coming from Toppenish NWR, simply turn left.

Vantage migrant rarities search (Saturday and Sunday)

Areas visited on these trips included Gingko State Park in Vantage, Wanapum State Park, located 3 miles south of Vantage, a private horse ranch, and the Vernita bridge and rest area, located at the intersection of SR 24 and SR 243, southeast of Vantage.  It was pretty windy, as you can see in this photo of WOS President Marcus Roening trying to bird at Vantage.

Moxee Valley/Grandview Sewage Lagoons (Saturday)

This trip went first to Grandview, stopped at Lewandowski Road (off SR 241 just north of Sunnyside) to see the Ferruginous Hawk nest and then on up SR 241 and SR 24 to the Washington State Agricultural Experimental Station (or "Moxee Experimental Station".) 

To get to the Grandview Sewage Lagoons, head east on I-82, take the first Grandview Exit; turn left off exit towards Grandview, turn right at first light onto Euclid Rd.  Go straight south about three miles until the main road turns to the right (west); when the road turns right, you turn left onto a gravel road that winds uphill a bit, passes through a double steel gate and onto the treatment plant property. Follow the road about 200 yards and take the first road to the left.  Follow it past several ponds and to the treatment plant office.  Ask if it is okay to bird - it usually is.  They are open from 7-5 weekdays and about 7-9 Saturday.

The Moxee Experimental Station is located about 12 miles east of Moxee City on SR 24.  

Yakima Canyon (Saturday)

This trip primarily went to the Umtanum Recreation Site, where Umtanum Creek flows into the Yakima River.  This site is accessed off of Canyon Rd. between Selah and Ellensburg.  The group walked across the footbridge, and perhaps a mile up Umtanum Creek.  There were also a couple of short stops along the Yakima River on the way back.

The Wenas Valley (Sunday)

This field trip traveled on Wenas Rd. northwest out of Selah.  The Wenas itinerary was a short (unsuccessful) stop to look for Burrowing Owls where Sheep Company Road enters the L. T. Murray Wildlife Area;  Wenas Lake;  Maloy Road at the Wenas Creek crossing;  the pine flats a mile farther in on FR 4000 after after it turns off the Maloy Road; and a second stop at Wenas Lake on the way back.  The bus broke down, so they were unable to go to the Wenas campground

Bethel Ridge (Sunday)

This trip went up forest service road 1500 off of US 12 near Rimrock Lake.  Several stops were made on the way up to Timberwolf Mountain, including a very productive stop at around 800 feet elevation.  On the way down from Timberwolf, a side trip was made to Cash Prairie, and continuing on to Bethel Ridge.  For more information on this wonderful area  Bill LaFramboise and his wife Nancy wrote a fine article on Bethel Ridge in Washington Birder (Vol. 4, # 2.1996).

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