Wildflower Field Trip June 22

Priscilla Dauble led a very successful field trip into the Blue Mountains on Saturday in search of wildflowers.  We started at Target Meadows where we saw a sea of blue camas and pink elephant head louseworts in the marshy meadow.  Then it was on to the overlook on Bald Mountain to look at a variety of penstemons, scarlet gilia, and other beautiful flowers.  An added bonus there was a singing rock wren and a pair of mountain bluebirds.  Our next stops were along Summit Road where the wildflower list grew by leaps and bounds.  Our final stop was at a member's place on Weston Mountain where we were privileged to be able to see mountain lady slippers, phantom orchids, coral root and an emerging pine drop.  The weather was beautiful – a few clouds but mostly warm and sunny all day.  There is nothing like a trip to the Blue Mountains to renew and refresh body and soul!

Forster's terns at Bennington Lake

There were two Forster's terns at the lake when we arrived this morning for our walk.  Although not a first for the lake, they are rarely seen there. We watched Bullock's orioles, house wrens, black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers and red-shafted flickers feeding young.  Cliff swallows, northern rough-winged swallows and bank swallows all appear to be done nesting, but were skimming the lake for insects.  There was at least one pair of tree swallows still feeding young, although most of the young have fledged.  There was a lesser goldfinch at Cayuse Falls.  Gray catbirds, western wood peewees, willow flycatchers, black-headed grosbeaks, yellow warblers and song sparrows serenaded us all along our walk.  The cool temperatures made for a very enjoyable walk this morning.

Summer Birds Field Trip

It was a beautiful morning, we had a great group of people, and we saw some wonderful birds – who could ask for more than that!  We started on Foster Road where rufous hummingbirds were glowing like fire.  Other highlights along the first stretch of the road were gray catbirds, willow flycatchers, black-headed grosbeaks, yellow-breasted chats, yellow warblers and house wrens.  Further along Foster Road just past the bridge over Cottonwood Creek we added western wood peewees, lazuli buntings and a black-chinned hummingbird to our list.   We ended the morning by walking part of South Fork Russell Creek Road where we watched a great horned owl and two fledglings, added warbling vireo and olive-sided flycatcher to the list, and ended the morning with crippling views of a veery.  Thanks everyone for a fun morning of birding!!  Ginger

Birding Bennington Lake

The lake was abound with the sounds of summer on our walk this morning!  Western wood-peewees, black-headed grosbeaks, warbling vireos, Bullock's orioles, yellow warblers, house wrens – the list goes on.  And the nice thing about this morning was that we got to see the birds!!  A common yellowthroat was a special treat at the south end of the lake as were two baby wood ducks with mom and 8 mallard ducklings with mom.  Always nice to see the baby birds....  The weather this morning was perfect for a stroll around the lake – sunny but not too hot.  Two osprey fished the lake while spotted sandpipers ran around on the shore.  The yellow-breasted chats were noisy but not very visible; but a couple lazuli buntings were much more cooperative. Seven of us saw a total of 49 species today.  Not bad for a two mile walk!  Ginger