Bennington Lake today

 

It was cold and windy this morning, but 8 of us walked Bennington Lake anyhow, and weren't disappointed with the birds we saw.  There were swallows everywhere—all five species, but mostly tree, bank and cliff.  Yellow-rumped warblers dazzled us with their breeding plumage and western kingbirds adorned the tops of the trees and shrubs.  The long-eared owls have all fledged, but the two great horned owl chicks were still in their hole in the parking lot cliff.  We saw a Hammond's flycatcher, heard several orange-crowned warblers, a yellow-warbler and one person saw a gray catbird. The weather might not show it, but the birds are saying that spring is here.  We had 42 species of birds today on our walk.       Ginger

April Field Trip

 

The Audubon Field Trip on April 24 was a lot of fun despite the windy conditions, irrigation sprinklers across the road, and dust from plowed fields. 

Swainson's hawks were the most prevalent raptor seen by far.  We had several good looks at them - flying, perched and even copulating. Other highlights included barn owls (seen in two locations), three great horned owl chicks, yellow-headed blackbirds, American avocets, cinnamon teal, bufflehead, long-billed curlews,  osprey seen in several locations and American white pelicans flying along the Walla Walla River.

It's nice to see our summer residents back in the Valley.        Ginger