|
|
March 24, 2007
Ken Knittle led a trip to Whitcomb Island, Crow Butte State Park .....
Ken Knittle led a field trip to Whitcomb Island, Crow Butte State Park, and Roosevelt in Benton County, and eastern Klickitat County.
The WOS field trip on March 24 covered Whitcomb Island NWR, Crow Butte Park, Six Prong Rd., Sand Ridge Rd., Bickleton, Pine Creek, Goldendale, Crofton Prairie Pond, Glenwood, and Conboy NWR. We saw 92 species starting at 6:30am and ending at dark. 58 species in Benton Co. and 62 species in Klickitat Co. with 3 bonus species in Yakima Co. north of Bluelight.
Highlights include by location: Whitcomb Island with a bright colorfull sunrise---Greater White Fronted Goose, 24 Snow Geese, 2 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 American White Pelicans, Long-billed Curlews, Tree Swallow (a tough bird in Benton), and Golden-crowned Sparrow.
Crow Butte Park---2 male red-breasted Mergansers, Common Goldeneye, Pied-billed, Horned, and Western Grebes, and Caspian Terns. The park itself was pretty dead.
Six Prong Rd. and Sandridge Rd. where the wind began to blow---2 Gray Partridge, 2 Turkey Vultures, an adult Cooper's Hawk, Rough-legged Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Long-billed Curlews, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, both Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, both Mt. and Western Bluebirds, and American Goldfinches with no Lessers mixed in.
A quick stop at Bickleton we found a feeder with Pine Siskins and Cassin's Finches. And at Pine Creek crossing another pair of Turkey Vultures and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks grasping talons and spinning until they almost were at ground level. Several Lewis's Woodpeckers were in the small oaks near Cleveland. We worked Goldendale over for Eurasian Collared-Doves and were just about ready to leave when we spotted one lone Eurasian Collared-Dove sitting on the power line near a school with noisy kids playing. A few Western Scurb-Jays were around town where they use to be tough to find there. The best birds at Crofton Prairie Pond was an adult Peregrine Falcon and a Northern Shrike.
The closer we got to Glenwood the clouds got heavier and we ended the day birding in the rain. The best birds at Conboy NWR were Lesser Canada Geese, 2 Sandhill Cranes, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Ruffed Grouse heard only. On our way down the hill after Krebs Lane we found a flock of Wild Turkeys just before dark.
Target birds hoped for, but missed were Ferruginous Hawk and Sage Sparrows--figured the strong wind was keeping them down under cover. Winter still hasn't come to Bickleton, Goldendale and Glenwood. Saw a patch of snow still lying on the ground near Conboy NWR. We finished our day going over our lists at the famous Scottish Restaurant more commonly known as McDonalds in Bingen.
This WOS field trip filled up quite fast with several birders left on the waiting list and everyone that signed up, showed up 32 mins. earlier than asked. Never seens such eager-beaver birders before in a group like that. Thanks to those who did survive the trip for spotting birds missed by the rest of us. I think all had a great day.
Ken Knittle, Washington Birder newsletter, 2604 NE 80th Street Vancouver, WA 98665 360-574-2590.
|
|
Washington Ornithological Society. 12345 Lake City Way NE, #215. Seattle, WA 98125. Information@WOS.org |
