Birding in Walla Walla

A Blustery Walk Around Bennington Lake

2012-01-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

What would make three birders want to take a walk in 30 mph plus winds? No, the answer isn't a rare bird – it's "cabin fever". After a week of icy/snowy weather, we saw the sun and decided to walk regardless of the wind. The wind was howling in the parking lot and across the dam, but once across we were more protected so it wasn't so bad. Of course, the birds didn't think it was a very good day to be out in the wind even though the sun was shining. We only saw one bird in the tree tops – a house finch – and it was holding on for dear life. We had to work at it, but were able to eek out 22 species. 86 common mergansers dotted the lake and 13 green-winged teal were tucked into a cove on the south side. Juncos were abundant and five downy woodpeckers were busy on the rose galls. One great horned owl sat in a willow on the east side of the canal. No, it wasn't the best morning to be bird watching, but it was good to be outside. Ginger

Redpolls in Nine Mile Canyon

2012-01-16T06:45:00.001-08:00

Mike and MerryLynn found a flock of about 250 common redpolls along Nine Mile Canyon on January 15. They spent several hours studying them and finally found a hoary redpoll in the flock. This is a new species for Walla Walla county – very exciting! Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2012-01-03T13:40:00.001-08:00

Is it spring? We were all dressed for cold weather, and it was a beautiful day – sunny and warm (although pretty muddy). We saw some good birds on our walk this morning including 4 tree sparrows, a bald eagle, a golden-crowned sparrow, 3 Townsend's solitaires, a great horned owl a northern shrike and a Wilson's snipe. Total number of species was 27. Ginger

Bennington Lake Today

2011-12-27T11:31:00.001-08:00

It was a bit breezy, the lake is still frozen, and it started to rain a little before we got around the lake. In spite of all those adverse factors, it was a nice walk and we saw quite a few birds (mostly juncos and sparrows). We did find four great horned owls which is always nice. There were no Townsend's solitaires today and only a handful of robins. Raptors included Cooper's hawk, American kestrel, red-tailed hawk and northern harrier. The downy woodpeckers were busy working the galls on the rose bushes. We saw a total of 22 species. Ginger

WALLA WALLA 2011 CBC RESULTS

2011-12-21T09:23:00.001-08:00

Count week is over and the results are in on our Christmas Bird Count. The spotted sandpiper was a new bird for the count. Steller's jay and varied thrush were missing from the count for the first time. Total numbers were down from previous years – both number of species (71) and total number of birds(12,029) . This was probably due to the weather conditions – dense fog for everyone who was below 1100 feet (which was most of us). A big thank you to Mike and MerryLynn for organizing the count. Below is the list. Ginger

Canada goose – 1445

Wood duck – 24

American wigeon – 236

Mallard – 581

Green-winged teal – 3

Ring-necked duck – 2

Bufflehead – 2

Common goldeneye – 3

Hooded merganser – 47

Common merganser – 98

Ring-necked pheasant – 42

Ruffed grouse – 2

Wild turkey – 117

California quail – 98

Great blue heron – 13

Northern harrier – 7

Sharp-shinned hawk – 8

Cooper's hawk – 8

Red-tailed hawk – 61

American kestrel – 68

Merlin – 2

American coot – 20

Killdeer – 8

Spotted sandpiper – 1

Wilson's snipe – 2

Rock pigeon – 126

Eurasian collared dove – 120

Mourning dove – 105

Western screech owl – cw

Great horned owl – 16

Anna's hummingbird – 1

Belted kingfisher – 12

Downy woodpecker – 40

Hairy woodpecker – 3

Northern flicker – 225

Northern shrike – 6

Black-billed magpie – 232

American crow – 195

Common raven – 16

Horned lark – 15

Black-capped chickadee – 133

Chestnut-backed chickadee – 3

Red-breasted nuthatch – 4

Brown creeper – 1

Bewick's wren – 40

Pacific wren – 4

American dipper – 2

Golden-crowned kinglet – 30

Ruby-crowned kinglet – 32

Townsend's solitaire – 7

Hermit thrush – 1

American robin – 111

European starling – 3781

American pipit – 1

Bohemian waxwing – 13

Cedar waxwing – 102

Yellow-rumped warbler – 3

Spotted towhee – 5

American tree sparrow – cw

Fox sparrow – 1

Song sparrow – 248

White-crowned sparrow – 490

Dark-eyed junco – 1446

Dark-eyed junco (slate colored) – 3

Western meadowlark – 8

Cassin's finch – cw

House finch – 479

Common redpoll – cw

Pine siskin – 40

American goldfinch – 260

House sparrow – 771

Tree sparrow and common redpolls

2011-12-20T14:19:00.001-08:00

The sun came out, the fog went away, and the path got muddy. But it was worth it because this morning on our Tuesday morning walk we saw a tree sparrow at Bennington Lake. It was in the middle of the sunflower patch along with dozens of white-crowned sparrows, juncos, and song sparrows. Standing guard above the patch on a kestrel box was a sharp-shinned hawk. After the hawk flew away to chase some white-crowned sparrows in the rose bushes, the tree sparrow came back up and sat on top of a weed. While we were watching the sparrow, a flock of 21 common redpolls flew overhead and landed in the trees nearby. We saw a total of 25 species for the day. Ginger

Long-tailed Duck

2011-12-19T18:43:00.001-08:00

There is a long-tailed duck hanging out near the old bridge at Wallula Junction. It can usually be seen by walking out on the bridge, but keep watching because it spends more time under water than it does above. It was first spotted by a group of birders from Ellensburg on December 11, and has been seen the past two days by local birders. Also, the snowy owl is still being seen along Gardena Road in the area where it intersects Burlingame Road and Barnes Road (it moves around). This is most likely the same bird that was seen in November off Highway 12 just west of Touchet. Ginger

Snowy Owl

2011-12-18T09:00:00.001-08:00

There was a snowy owl sighting on December 17 in the area or Gardena Road and Burlingame Road. That is south of Touchet a few miles. I'm not sure if it is the same bird that was seen along Highway 12 just west of Touchet, or a new bird. Ginger

Snowy Owl

2011-11-28T15:27:00.001-08:00

There is a SNOWY OWL l in a field just to the south of Highway 12 between Touchet and Byrnes Road. It was there all day today.

Unfortunately the farmer who owns the field is putting down poison in furrows in the field. Hopefully the owl will be spooked by the tractor and move to another field. Look for it closer to Touchet, or along Byrnes Road if you don't find it where it was seen today. Ginger

Saw-whet owl at Bennington Lake

2011-11-15T12:23:00.001-08:00

We saw a northern saw-whet owl at Bennington Lake this morning. It was in the pine trees on the east side where we have seen them before. The other notable sighting was a winter wren. It's been several years since we've seen one at the lake. Lots of the usual winter birds - juncos, song sparrows, white-crowned sparrows, ruby-crowned kinglets, chickadees, flickers and downy woodpeckers. Raptors included 1 red-tailed hawk, 2 northern harriers and 1 kestrel. Waterfowl was sparse – a common goldeneye, 3 western grebes, 3 northern shovelers, 2 northern pintails and 3 green-winged teal. We only saw one Townsend's solitaire today. We saw a total of 28 species this morning on our sunny, but somewhat chilly walk. The leaves are mostly off the trees, but it's still a beautiful place to be. Ginger

Turkey Trot Field Trip Results

2011-11-12T16:38:00.001-08:00

We started with wind and sun and ended with wind and rain. Nevertheless, we saw 235 wild turkeys. Seventy of those were in Walla Walla County and the remainder were in Columbia County south of Dayton. We enjoyed watching them walk and fly across the road in front of us. We noted that several of them were quite small and wondered if they were this year's hatch. Several landed in the trees and many more gobbled along under the brush. Other highlights of the trip were 6 great horned owls and 2 northern shrikes. We commented on the low numbers of birds (we only saw 23 species) and wondered if the weather change had them hunkered down. It was a fun outing and I look forward to going again next year. Ginger

Bennington Lake Birds

2011-11-08T12:28:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a sunny walk around the lake this morning. When we arrived there were 6 common mergansers on the water along with canada geese, American wigeons, mallards, western grebes and a belted kingfisher. Along the shore were 8 killdeer, a great blue heron and a greater yellowlegs. Juncos were abundant. There were also black-capped chickadees, ruby-crowned kinglets, Bewick's wrens, song sparrows, white-crowned sparrows and a red-breasted nuthatch. Several yellow-rumped warblers were enjoying the insects in the cottonwoods on the east side. Two great horned owls were snoozing in the trees on the east side of the canal. We saw several Townsend's solitaires, downy woodpeckers and flickers scattered around the lake. The leaves were still crisp as we walked through them on the trail, adding to the enjoyment of being outside on such a beautiful day. Ginger

Townsend's solitaires have arrived

2011-10-25T14:06:00.001-07:00

We saw three Townsend's solitaires on our walk this morning at Bennington Lake. Other birds of note were 13 bufflehead, 2 belted kingfishers, a northern harrier, a sharp-shinned hawk and a northern shrike. It was a beautiful crisp sunny morning – much better than the fog last week. Total species seen today was 34. Ginger

Bennington Lake Field Trip

2011-10-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

Fifteen of us enjoyed a leisurely walk around the lake – taking in the beautiful fall colors and enjoying the birds. We were very excited to find four snow geese on the lake. They didn't stay long, but flew off over our heads. The other great bird was a northern shrike – the first of the season at the lake. Because Paul Treman carries his scope with him, everyone got nice looks at both species and several other species. At the Audubon meeting on Thursday night, Tom promised that we would see at least 20 species. The pressure was on, but in the end we saw 23 species and heard another two. Returning to the parking lot, the trail was covered with leaves and the wind picked up, blowing leaves through the air. Several commented on the beauty and tranquility of a fall day, and agreed that Bennington Lake is one of the nicest places to enjoy nature at this special time of year. Ginger

Fog and Boulders at Bennington Lake today

2011-10-18T14:37:00.001-07:00

The fog was like pea soup. We could hear canada geese on the water, but we couldn't see them. Finally, we found 75 of them along the south shore. The little birds were very quiet in the fog, so we struggled to find them. Then, we arrived at "Cayuse Falls" to find huge trucks dumping big boulders into the canal. A nice man from the Corp of Engineers told us they are shoring up the canal there to make sure it doesn't erode. The good news is that the work should be done before our Field Trip on Saturday. Instead of retracing our tracks we took the high trail back to the parking lot and saw lots of sparrows and finches in the sunflower patch. We also saw an immature sharp-shinned hawk that appeared to be posing for us in the top of a dead tree. Doubtless, it was looking for its next meal, but we enjoyed the good view. When we got back to the lake we could see the geese again and four western grebes. There didn't appear to be any other waterfowl on the water. Just another morning walk at Bennington Lake....you never know what you'll find. Ginger

Thrushes at Bennington Lake

2011-10-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

We were rained out on Tuesday (although we did go up there and saw an osprey while we were sitting in our cars). Today was much better. The highlight was seeing two hermit thrushes and five varied thrushes along with about 20 robins. There were numerous waterfowl – shovelers, wigeons, mallards, gadwall, western grebes, green-winged teal and even a ruddy duck. The canal was filled with noisy white-crowned sparrows, song sparrows and American goldfinches. Flickers were everywhere and downy woodpeckers popped up all along the trail. Nice to see the birds out after the rain. We heard a coyote singing, and then saw it running across the wheat fields. Ginger

Bennington Lake - waterfowl and migrants

2011-10-04T12:13:00.001-07:00

Our walk started out a little drippy with very few birds, but the rain quit and we ended up seeing a nice variety of birds. Waterfowl included western grebes, ruddy ducks, mallards, American wigeons, northern shovelers and a lone pied-billed grebe. A single Forster's tern hunted the lake, dipping and swirling over the water. White-crowned sparrows were plentiful as they have been for a couple weeks, and they were joined by a golden-crowned sparrow. We had a quick glimpse at three evening grosbeaks, but a Lincoln's sparrow sat on top of a shrub, giving us good looks. There were two red-naped sapsuckers today, an orange-crowned warbler and a common yellowthroat. Finally, at the parking lot we saw two Cassin's vireos. We ended up with 35 species today – not bad considering the less than ideal weather. Ginger

Field Trip Highlights

2011-09-17T18:52:00.001-07:00

Mike and MerryLynn took 17 of us to the west side of Walla Walla County today to look for migrants. Wind and high water kept the shorebird sightings down, but we still saw some nice birds. The best bird of the day was a black-throated gray warbler, closely followed by a hybrid red-breasted/red-naped sapsucker. Both were at Hood Park. Other warblers seen during the day were MacGillivrary's, Nashville, Wilson's, orange-crowned and yellow-rumped. On the water, other than the usual ducks and geese, was a red-necked grebe and a common loon. It was a great trip with a total of 74 species seen. Thanks, Mike and MerryLynn for another great outing. Ginger

Bennington Lake Today

2011-09-13T13:27:00.001-07:00

There were two Cassin's vireos at Bennington Lake this morning on our walk. Other migrants included a Wilson's warbler, an orange-crowned warbler, a warbling vireo, two Lincoln's sparrows and three yellow-rumped warblers. Two osprey circled the lake and a belted kingfisher patrolled the shoreline. There were canada geese, mallards, green-winged teal, northern pintails, ring-billed gulls and a pied-billed grebe on the water. Downy woodpeckers, black-capped chickadees and Bewick's wrens were plentiful, and a spotted towhee popped up along the trail. Now that the sunflower seeds are ripe, house finches and goldfinches were abundant. White-crowned sparrow numbers were up (25). The total number of species seen is dropping (36 today) with the change in the season. The change in the season can also be seen in the trees and shrubs. They are dry and stressed now, but soon the rains will come, their leaves will fall, and winter will arrive – bringing a new season of birds to the lake. Ginger

Great Egrets at Bennington Lake

2011-09-06T12:05:00.001-07:00

We saw 9 great egrets along the canal this morning as we were returning to the parking lot. What a beautiful sight! Four great blue herons were with them. Other interesting birds included a semi-palmated plover, 2 Lincoln's sparrows, a vesper sparrow, a Brewer's sparrow, a Hammond's flycatcher, one osprey and 2 great horned owls. Most of the summer migrants are gone – we only heard a few house wrens, one gray catbird, and a few western wood peewees. However, we did have a nice assortment of sparrows. In addition to the ones already mentioned, there were 9 white-crowned sparrows and 30 chipping sparrows. MerryLynn saw the first fall junco on the trail below the parking lot. Goldfinches and house finches were abundant and there were still some swallows and swifts over the lake. We saw or heard 42 species this morning – not bad for a hot, dry morning walk. Ginger

Cooper's hawks at Bennington Lake

2011-08-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

Two juvenile Cooper's hawks spent the morning harassing all the little birds up and down the canal and out over the sunflower patches. At one point they scared up flocks of house finches and goldfinches, a great horned owl and a flicker.

Summer is definitely winding down at the lake. A few yellow warblers, house wrens, gray catbirds, eastern kingbirds and western wood peewees remain, but many of the other summer birds have left. We saw a nice variety of swallows and Vaux's swifts over the water. At the parking lot was a molting yellow-rumped warbler – another sign of the change in the seasons. Ginger

Birdy Bennington Lake

2011-07-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

This was the day for babies – young fledglings everywhere – house wrens, yellow warblers, Bullock's orioles, black-headed grosbeaks, robins, rough-winged swallows, bank swallows. We also had more shorebirds today – seven western sandpipers and three least sandpipers, a greater yellowlegs and a long-billed dowitcher. A Caspian tern was circling the lake when we arrived at the parking lot. We had high counts of house wrens (26), yellow warblers (36) and robins (36) and a total of 49 species for the day. The best part of our morning walk was the fact that it was cloudy and cool! It's been an unusual summer with no scorching hot mornings so far, and I would be happy if it stayed that way. Ginger

Bennington Lake Today

2011-07-12T13:17:00.001-07:00

We are beginning to see and hear young birds. This morning we found young Bullock's orioles, yellow warblers and house wrens. We also found a western wood peewee nest with mom sitting on eggs. We had our first shorebird other than the killdeer and spotted sandpipers that nest at the lake. It was a long-billed dowitcher. Hopefully with the water level continuing to go down, we will see more shorebirds as they come back through. We saw and/or heard 44 species today. It was a very pleasant morning for walking – not too hot with a little breeze to help us keep cool. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2011-06-28T13:10:00.001-07:00

You know summer has arrived when you go from shade to shade as you walk around the lake. That's what we did today....

There wasn't anything new today, but it was very birdy. We saw a total of 44 species. The cliff swallows were noticeably absent. We only saw one instead of 50, so they must be done nesting. We did find a black-chinned hummingbird on a nest, which is always exciting, but we didn't see the calliope today. There was one osprey, a double-crested cormorant and a great blue heron. A pied-billed grebe was hiding in the logs along the east shore, and there were a few mallards and the canada goose family. We got good looks at a very noisy yellow-breasted chat. Another good day of birding! Ginger

Bennington Lake this morning

2011-06-21T12:51:00.001-07:00

It's the first day of summer and finally it looks like it! The sun was shining, it was warm, there was no wind, and we didn't have to wade across the canal.

The birds seemed to be enjoying the warm weather as well. We saw 46 species today including a Caspian tern, a golden eagle, our first house wren babies (still in a hole in a snag) and a young great horned owl just starting to get it's adult feathers, but mostly still downy fuzz. No osprey today, but a great blue heron and a double-crested cormorant were having a slight argument over who got to sit on the osprey's snag in the southeast corner of the lake. We were surprised to find three common mergansers enjoying the sun on a log. Each week now should bring more activity with young hatching and then fledging. It's a good time to take a walk around the lake to see and hear the birds. Ginger

Wildflower Field Trip

2011-06-21T12:14:00.001-07:00

June 18 was Priscilla's wildflower trip to the Blue Mountains. It was spitting rain when we left Walla Walla, and by the time we got to our first stop it was raining hard. Also, the clouds were very low so there was heavy fog. Many of the roads we hoped to visit are still under snow, so a lot of the plants are just beginning to show life. After about an hour, most of us bailed and headed back to Walla Walla. Priscilla, Laura Meier and Markie McCrae stuck it out. They saw 50 wildflower species and 8 shrub species.

We will try again on July 9. Hopefully by then we will be able to get up Summit Road, Coyote Ridge and Target Meadows.

It's been a strange spring, but today is the first day of summer so I am optimistic about our second trip. Come and join the fun. Ginger

Bennington Lake on Tuesday

2011-06-15T06:51:00.001-07:00

The summer birds are very busy now at the lake. One of the female orioles has decided that tinsel from the Christmas tree pile makes for very festive nest building material. Yellow-breasted chats, western wood peewees, Bullock's orioles, yellow warblers, house wrens and eastern kingbirds were the most active and vocal birds on our walk. Two osprey are still fishing the lake, but where are they nesting? The concrete structure in the lake is jammed with cliff swallow nests and the northern rough-winged swallows are busy in the parking lot bank. Tree swallows are using the nest boxes we put up a few years ago. Gray catbirds twitter from the scrubs and one finally popped up so we could see it. We saw a total of 42 species.

Birds Being Seen

2011-05-31T12:55:00.001-07:00

During the past week I have received interesting bird reports from many of you. Here are some of the birds seen:

Larry Duffield had a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER visit his yard on Seaman Road. He also has WESTERN BLUEBIRDS nesting in boxes he has put up on his property.

Nancy Mitchell watched a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS at the Whitman College Alumni House.

Pam Fisher continues to enjoy her nesting WESTERN SCREECH OWLS.

Diane Reed saw CEDAR WAXWINGS and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON at Lions Park in College Place.

Carolyn Corvino still has nesting COOPER'S HAWKS in one of her trees, despite the street being torn up.

Jim and Sue Parrish found three baby BARN OWLS on Berney Drive.

Rodger and I found WILLOW FLYCATCHERS and GRAY CATBIRDS on Seaman Road.

Mike and MerryLynn Denny found GREAT GRAY OWL chicks on Jasper Mountain.

Bennington Lake today

2011-05-31T12:40:00.001-07:00

The weather was a mixed bag this morning – sun, then thunder and lightning, a little hail, a little rain, and then more sun. The wind came roaring through with the storm, but that only lasted about ten minutes and the rest of the walk was pleasant. We saw our first western wood peewee of the season, plus eastern and western kingbirds, Bullock's orioles, black-headed grosbeaks, yellow warblers, house wrens and more. There were at least two very noisy gray catbirds, but they did a good job of hiding from us. Along the canal we found an adult canada goose with four goslings. The goslings were almost as big as the adult so we missed them earlier. Two noisy osprey circled the lake continuously and were joined by northern rough-winged, cliff and tree swallows. A pair of spotted sandpipers and two Vaux's swifts added to the mix. It was nice to have all the birds singing, and even nicer to not have wind for the first time in weeks! Ginger

Coppei Creek Field Trip

2011-05-28T11:57:00.001-07:00

Twelve hardy souls met South Coppei Creek Road at 7:00 a.m. for a leisurely walk led by Joe Corvino. It was cold and windy, but the sun was out and the birds were singing. We saw yellow warblers, lazuli buntings, black-headed grosbeaks, western tanagers and several other birds. We heard, but didn't see, veery, fox sparrow and warbling vireo. Our total species count for the day was 29. No flycatchers yet, but they are sure to arrive any day now. I would recommend walking the this road again in a couple weeks and I'm sure more birds will be in. Ginger

Birds at Bennington Lake

2011-05-24T13:14:00.001-07:00

We saw our first killdeer chick today on the dam. There were quite a few ducks on the water - ring-necked ducks, buffleheads, gadwall, mallards and eared grebes. Five osprey spent the morning flying around the lake. One of them had a fish, but it never landed to eat it. We were wondering if this is some sort of courting behavior. Summer migrants today included Bullock's orioles, western tanagers, MacGillivray's warblers, lazuli buntings,a Wilson's warbler and one black-headed grosbeak. Of course the house wrens and yellow warblers were there in good numbers, serenading us with their songs. We heard a yellow-breasted chat, but couldn't locate it.

Over the weekend, a group from the Tri-Cities found a juvenile northern saw-whet owl along the trail. We looked , but couldn't relocate it. They also found a green-tailed towhee on Biscuit Ridge and lesser goldfinches new Tom Lamb's place.

The birds are trickling in, but there hasn't been a great influx of summer migrants. Ginger

Bluebird Field Trip Results

2011-05-08T07:10:00.001-07:00

We saw 67 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS on our trip south of Pomeroy. We checked out over 40 boxes and only two of them had not been used last year. I'd say that is a very good indication that Tom's boxes are successful. We also enjoyed seeing several VESPER SPARROWS and got to listen to their pretty song. There were CHIPPING SPARROWS and HORNED LARKS all along the high open areas and many RED-TAILED HAWKS and NORTHERN HARRIERS. On the way home we saw GREAT HORNED OWL chicks and their parents in several locations. Probably the most unexpected find was a ROCK WREN on a very small rock pile in an area that didn't look like rock wren habitat at all. We saw a total of 37 species. In addition, we saw several early wildflowers - fields of grass widows and lomatium, a a few balsam root, yellow bells, prairie smoke and buttercups. It was fun to be up on top of the world looking down into canyons and out over the horizon to Steptoe Butte, the Blues, and all the valleys to the west. Ginger

Summer Birds at Bennington Lake

2011-05-03T12:49:00.001-07:00

Finally, the summer migrants are coming in. New today were spotted sandpiper, calliope hummingbird, barn swallow, orange-crowned warbler, yellow warbler, Townsend's warbler, house wren and chipping sparrow. There were lots of yellow-rumped warblers and several western kingbirds, both of which returned in late April. One horned grebe in breeding plumage was on the water, and a turkey vulture flew over the parking lot. There were many violet-green swallows and cliff swallows, plus a few tree swallows and northern rough-winged swallows. One Townsend's solitaire was still hanging around as were many white-crowned sparrows and American goldfinches. We had 43 total species today so species numbers are picking up.

On another note, several people reported lazuli buntings in their yards yesterday. Cassin's finches and evening grosbeaks are still around town also. Watch your backyards and you may be surprised what you find at your feeders this time of year. Ginger

Hummingbirds are back!

2011-05-02T09:22:00.001-07:00

Finally - the hummers are coming in. I've had reports from several people and we had both rufous and calliope hummingbirds in our yard yesterday afternoon. Get those feeders up if you haven't already because the little guys will be hungry and there aren't too many scrubs and perennials blooming yet. Ginger

Common Loon at Bennington Lake

2011-04-26T12:38:00.001-07:00

Today on our walk, we saw a common loon in breeding plumage along the canal. It was first reported on April 24 by Matt Beatty. They are a rare visitor to the lake during spring migration. We also saw four western kingbirds. The kingbirds were the only new spring arrivals, probably because of the cold, windy weather we are having. There were several hundred swallows over the lake, mostly violet-green and cliff with a few tree mixed in. The great horned owls in the canal have three chicks. Hopefully next week will be warmer and we will have some new birds! Ginger

Birds on the Move

2011-04-21T08:49:00.001-07:00

It's time to watch your backyard feeders for migrating birds. We have had a big change in activity in our yard the past week. Goldfinches are abundant, white-crowned sparrow numbers are way up and we've had seven Cassin's finches and two evening grosbeaks for several days. A Lincoln's sparrow came in to feed yesterday. Take a good look at your sparrows and you may find a white-throated sparrow or a golden-crowned sparrow in with the white-crowns and house sparrows. And it's time to get your hummingbird feeders up - they will arrive any day! MerryLynn and I saw American avocets and black-necked stilts at three locations yesterday - the Wallula Junction Overlook, the Walla Walla River Delta and Northshore Millet ponds. The Delta also has a large number of Caspian terns. There were cinnamon teals at the millet ponds and at the little pond past the barn owl cuts on Dodd Road. Here come the birds........it will only get better from now on. Ginger

Owl chicks and a new bird for Bennington Lake

2011-04-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

We found great horned owl chicks in two locations this morning on our walk. It's always exciting to know the owls have brought off young.

We also saw a pair of Eurasian collared doves in the cottonwoods along the south side of the lake. They are common in the Walla Walla area now, but this is the first time we have seen them at the lake. The lake was very high today and it was full of waterfowl - mallards, shovelers, wigeons, green-winged teals, ring-necked ducks, common goldeneyes, buffleheads and coots. Above them were tons of swallows - tree, cliff and violet green mostly, with a couple northern-rough winged. Three osprey soared high above the lake but we only saw one northern harrier today. Three Lincoln's sparrows were a pleasant surprise, and yellow-rumped warblers in bright breeding plumage were singing in the trees. The water was gushing over "Cayuse Falls" again, so three of us walked up to the diversion dam at Rooks Park to avoid getting our feet and legs wet. We were treated with an American dipper and a pair of common mergansers at the dam. The water is so high at the lake that there is no mud for shorebirds. Last week we saw 29 greater yellowlegs on a small strip of mud, but today the only shorebirds were a pair of killdeer fussing at us from the rocks on the dam. Every week should bring more birds back. I can hardly wait for the warblers and other summer passerines to return! Ginger

Palouse Falls Field Trip

2011-04-09T19:02:00.001-07:00

Joe Corvino led the trip to see the mighty muddy Palouse River crashing over the cliffs at Palouse Falls State Park. It was an awesome sight watching the spring runoff roaring down toward the Snake River. We found a peregrine falcon on the cliff face across from the picnic area, although we didn't see its mate. There were several white-throated swifts and violet-green swallows swirling around and a steady stream of people coming in to view the falls. Raptors enjoying the thermals along the route included red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, American kestrels, two rough-legged hawks and a Swainson's hawk. We saw three great horned owls on nests along Highway 12 east of Dayton. Western meadowlarks were abundant, their beautiful song reminding us that it's spring. It was a great trip. Ginger

Big Birds at Bennington

2011-04-05T12:49:00.001-07:00

The wind was howling as we walked around Bennington Lake this morning, so the little birds were all hunkered down and hard to find. In spite of the weather we saw some nice birds. The OSPREY was there and an adult BALD EAGLE circled overhead. A pair of NORTHERN HARRIERS glided by and three RED-TAILED HAWKS soared high above the dam. Along the canal was a WILD TURKEY and a RING-NECKED PHEASANT. The lake actually had white caps on it, but we did find four MALLARDS and a pair of LESSER SCAUP. VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were too numerous to count and there were a few TREE SWALLOWS mixed in. The sun was out so we put up with the wind and enjoyed our walk. Ginger

More osprey

2011-04-01T13:57:00.001-07:00

There was an osprey standing on the nest just east of Lowden along Highway 12 today. There was another one checking out the new platform a little further east of the first one. We saw red-tailed hawks and great horned owls on nests in several locations and eight long-billed curlews east of Wallula. It's a beautiful 70 degrees out and sunny. Could spring finally be here!! Ginger

Osprey at Bennington Lake

2011-03-31T13:23:00.001-07:00

The osprey is back at Bennington Lake. We saw it this morning on our weekly walk. There is water in the lake now and there were a few mallards, wigeons and canada geese. Tree swallows and a violet-green swallow were circling over the bench that overlooks the lake. There was still a northern shrike and four Townsend's solitaires - I imagine they will be off to their nesting sights soon. The birds were all singing today - even a ruby-crowned kinglet, and we watched a black-capped chickadee excavating a hole in a snag. We saw a beautiful pair of kestrels, a pair of northern harriers and a rough-legged hawk. Even though it was windy, the warm temperatures made for a very pleasant walk. Every week should bring in more birds now - I love spring! Ginger

Sandhill Crane Festival Field Trip

2011-03-27T09:55:00.001-07:00

Thirteen of us traveled up to Othello for the crane festival on March 26. On the way up we saw burrowing owls off Highway 12 and more on Highway 395 past Pasco. We saw over 2000 sandhill cranes throughout the day, mostly in the Scooteney Reservoir area and along Lower Crab Creek. The other highlight of the trip was a leucistic robin on Coyan Road near Scooteney Reservoir. It was a good trip up and fun to be at the festival again. Hopefully it will continue for many years to come. Ginger

Snow Geese

2011-03-09T14:47:00.001-08:00

For those of you who may not know, there are several thousand snow geese at McNary NWR. They are normally seen east of the headquarters either in the air or on the ponds that are further out to the east from the road that intersects the ponds. If you haven't seen that many snow geese in flight, it's worth the trip over there to watch. The skies in the area and the ponds are also full of canada geese (probably over 10,000) and several hundred white-fronted geese. Ginger

Waterfowl at Bennington Lake

2011-03-01T12:28:00.001-08:00

Finally, the waterfowl are coming in to the lake. Today we saw 47 mallards, 2 green-winged teal, 14 northern pintails, 67 common mergansers, 2 canada geese and 3 white-fronted geese. There were 2 great blue herons on the shore and 2 killdeer. There were two evening grosbeaks north of "Cayuse Falls" in the cottonwoods. Nothing else out of the ordinary to report. The Townsend's solitaires are still there and so is one northern shrike.

It was actually a pleasant walk this morning. After the strong winds and all the rain yesterday, it was a pleasant surprise to have very little wind and even a little sunshine peaking through the clouds. Ginger

Spring is Coming to Bennington Lake

2011-02-17T14:26:00.001-08:00

The most noticeable spring arrival was a western meadowlark serenading us with his beautiful song from the top of a pine tree. A few mallards were back on the lake with the usual common mergansers, four ring-billed gulls circled the lake and came down for a look, two killdeer were along the shore, a hairy woodpecker was busy cleaning out a hole in a tall snag, a turkey vulture flew overhead and a female northern harrier was harassing a young red-tailed hawk that must have been in her territory. A few early shrubs were beginning to show some green and the willow branches are all turning color. There may be snow a few miles away, but the lake is beginning to look like spring. Ginger

Winter Raptor Field Trip

2011-02-13T10:03:00.001-08:00

Nineteen enthusiastic birders went out looking for wintering raptors on February 12. The weather was balmy and a little breezy, but we saw some very nice birds. Watching two golden eagles soaring above the fields near Clyde was certainly a highlight. Later another golden eagle was seen being harassed by several common ravens. At least a dozen long-eared owls were seen in one spot, and a lone bird was found sitting in a deserted tree (not where you would expect to see a long-eared owl). We also saw 3 great horned owls and one barn owl. We watched a beautiful prairie falcon in flight and then were able to get great views with our scopes of it sitting in a tree. Rounding out the raptors seen for the day were 44 red-tailed hawks, 23 American kestrels, and 4 northern harriers. It was a fun day of birding and I want to thank everyone for helping to spot some wonderful birds. Ginger

Coyotes at Bennington

2011-02-01T12:59:00.001-08:00

It was cold and sunny for our Tuesday walk today. The lake was mostly frozen, but 20 common mergansers found a little open water to swim in. The little birds were generally quiet when we started our walk, but the black-capped chickadees began to sing by the time we were on the lower trail heading back to the parking lot. No owls today, but we didn't spend much time searching for them. A downy woodpecker and a hairy woodpecker were busy getting food right in front of us along the west side trail, giving us a great chance to see the differences in the two species. However, the most exciting sight of the day was watching two yipping coyotes in the fields. They were quite vocal and we could hear them for some time. There were also four unconcerned deer in the same vicinity. Another fun outing for all of us. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2011-01-25T12:41:00.001-08:00

Birding started out slow for the Bennington Lake Tuesday walkers today, but picked up after the rain quit and the birds came out. We watched a Cooper's hawk harassing a long-eared owl, got great looks at a pair of great horned owls, and enjoyed several black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers, ruby-crowned kinglets and a Bewick's wren all pecking at the galls on the rose bushes. Male common mergansers dotted the lake with their black and white plumage, while the females swan alongside looking rather regal with their deep rusty crested heads. A flock of goldfinches flew into a tree along the canal and we were surprised at how bright yellow they were. Some even had their black foreheads. Could spring really be coming? It was a little muddy in spots but all-in-all it was a good walk. Ginger

Waterfowl, Gulls and Eagles Field Trip

2011-01-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

Thirteen of us joined Mike and MerryLynn for a great day of birding on the west side of the county on January 8. It was cold and sunny, but there was a stiff wind along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Highlights were a FERRUGINOUS HAWK on Byrnes Road, a flock of SNOW GEESE flying high above McNary NWR, a close-up fly by of a TUNDRA SWAN at McNary NWR Headquarters, several BALD EAGLES sitting on the ice along the Columbia River and a bright white ball in the sky at Ice Harbor Dam that we learned later (after Chris Howard did some research on the internet) was VENUS. We even got to do a little "four wheeling" in the mud at the Wallula Grain Terminal! We saw a total of 24 species of waterfowl and five species of gulls. Our total species count for the day was 61. Ginger

2010 WALLA WALLA CHRISTMAS COUNT RESULTS

2010-12-23T14:38:00.001-08:00

Canada goose 1848*

Wood duck 8

American wigeon 163

Mallard 455

Northern shoveler 1

Green-winged teal 4

Ring-neck duck 9

Bufflehead 2

Common goldeneye 1

Hooded merganser 19

Common merganser 37

Ring-necked pheasant 171

Wild turkey 679*

California quail 471

Great blue heron 14

Bald eagle cw

Northern harrier 13

Sharp-shinned hawk 19*

Cooper's hawk 20*

Northern goshawk 1

Red-tailed hawk 256*

Rough-legged hawk 4

Golden eagle 1

American kestrel 88*

Merlin 5

Prairie falcon 1

American coot 6

Killdeer 2

Wilson's snipe 1

Rock pigeon 181

Eurasian collared dove 43*

Mourning dove 135

Western screech owl cw

Great horned owl 14

Northern pygmy owl cw

Long-eared owl cw

Belted kingfisher 5

Downy woodpecker 32*

Hairy woodpecker 4

Northern flicker 191

Northern shrike 5

Steller's jay 12

Eastern blue jay 1

Black-billed magpie 308

American crow 353

Common raven 43

Horned lark 162

Black-capped chickadee 89

Red-breasted nuthatch 5

Bewick's wren 22

Pacific wren 5

American dipper 9*

Golden-crowned kinglet 8

Ruby-crowned kinglet 17

Townsend's solitaire 36*

Hermit thrush 8

American robin 498

Varied thrush 125

European starling 4564

Bohemian waxwing 187

Cedar waxwing 429*

Yellow-rumped warbler 7

Spotted towhee 5

Song sparrow 138

Lincoln's sparrow 1

White-crowned sparrow 121

Dark-eyed junco 2079

Red-winged blackbird 133

Western meadowlark 14

Brewer's blackbird 52

Brown-headed cowbird cw

Cassin's finch 1

House finch 440

Common redpoll 2

Pine siskin 230

American goldfinch 315

House sparrow 758

*new record for numbers seen

Winter Wonderland at Bennington Lake

2010-12-21T12:04:00.001-08:00

Our walk around the lake this morning was beautiful. Bright sunshine on the snow covered ground made everything glisten, and frost on all of the tiny branches of the shrubs and trees created intricate silvery patterns. Even the grasses were tipped with silver. The fog rolled back in as we were headed back to the parking lot so we were really fortunate to be able to enjoy the winter wonderland.

Besides enjoying the snow and the sunshine, we also saw some great birds including a BALD EAGLE, two LONG-EARED OWLS, four GREAT HORNED OWLS, a HAIRY WOODPECKER, 12 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, a NORTHERN SHRIKE and many of the other birds we usually see. MerryLynn heard a COMMON REDPOLL fly overhead. It was a good morning to be outdoors. Ginger

Osprey on Mill Creek

2010-12-12T19:02:00.001-08:00

There has been an osprey on Mill Creek near Rooks Park for several weeks. It was last seen today, December 12. This is the latest date recorded of an osprey in Walla Walla County. It often sits in the trees overlooking the creek on the south side near the walking bridge that goes to Rooks Park. There is also a dipper in the same vicinity and both common and hooded mergansers on the creek. We went out today and got some great photos. It's so nice to see one of our summer birds hanging around! Ginger

Bennington Lake After the Snow

2010-12-01T12:10:00.001-08:00

We finally got out to walk Bennington Lake this morning after missing last week because of the weather. Our first encounter was a NORTHERN SHRIKE chasing a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in the cottonwoods on the south side of the lake. There was another shrike on the northeast side. We watched a HAIRY WOODPECKER busily working a cottonwood tree on the east side and there were several DOWNY WOODPECKERS in the same general area. JUNCOS and ROBINS were abundant all around the lake. There was one GREAT HORNED OWL in the trees on the east side, and several TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES scattered around the lake. The water was frozen so we saw no waterfowl, killdeer or herons. Early in the walk, the sun tried to come through the clouds, but the fog drifted in and we could barely see the far side of the lake when we returned to our cars. It was nice to be out walking after several days of snow and ice. Ginger

Tom's Turkey Trot Field Trip

2010-11-20T17:41:00.001-08:00

November 20 was the Turkey Trot led by our President, Tom Scribner. We always have a great time on this trip and this year was no exception as 17 enthusiastic birders spent the day searching for wild turkeys. We found lots of them - in Walla Walla and Columbia counties. Our total count was 291! Other highlights included 10 great horned owls, a barn owl, a northern shrike, 5 varied thrushes, several huge covey of quail, and over fifty red-tailed hawks. Watching the full moon come up over the wheat fields north of town was a perfect ending to a great day. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2010-11-02T13:50:00.001-07:00

The birds were happy to see the sun this morning. The robins, white-crowned sparrows and Townsend's solitaires were all singing. Juncos, song sparrows, and flickers were numerous and visible. There was a beautiful young red-tailed hawk that had a dark belly-band very dark brown and white coloring. Twelve canada geese flew in and landed on the lake (the only waterfowl on the water). 30 killdeer, 4 long-billed dowitchers and a great blue heron were working the mud. There was a great horned owl at the north end of the lake and a downy woodpecker so busy pecking at a gall on a rose bush that it allowed us to walk right by and get a very close up look. On her way out of the parking lot, MerryLynn found an adult chipping sparrow (very late for them to be here). Carolyn saw a great egret on her bicycle ride up to the lake along Mill Creek. Another great morning of birding. Ginger

On another note, there are at least two eastern blue jays in Walla Walla in the area south of Bryant Street between Sturm and Durant Streets.

Snow Geese and White-fronted Geese at Bennington

2010-10-12T12:08:00.001-07:00

As we were watching a group of AMERICAN PIPITS and a SAY'S PHOEBE on the dam at the beginning of our walk today, geese began circling overhead. We watched as 13 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE came down and landed on the northeast corner of the lake. Then, after circling for about five minutes, 21 SNOW GEESE flew in and landed with the other geese. They looked tired and settled down to rest. The calm waters and the golden color of the cottonwoods reflected on the water made it a beautiful scene. They were still there when we finished our walk three hours later. Fortunately there weren't dogs running on the edge of the lake this morning so the geese got to rest - at least for a few hours. This was truly the beauty of nature at its best. Ginger

Snow Goose at Bennington Lake

2010-10-05T12:44:00.001-07:00

We were very happy to see a snow goose fly in with about 150 canada geese this morning on our walk. The seasons have definitely taken a turn toward fall as was evidenced by the low number of species today. The only remaining summer birds were 7 barn swallows. Most of the shorebirds were gone. Only 10 long-billed dowitchers, 14 killdeer, 1 great blue heron and 1 black-bellied plover were on the mud. Two belted kingfishers chased each other around the east side of the lake and there was a double-crested cormorant, 2 green-winged teal, 3 mallards, 3 American wigeon and a ring-necked duck on the water. One American pipit was on the mud and a Cassin's vireo was in the willows. White-crowned sparrows, song sparrows, juncos, black-capped chickadees and both ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets dotted the trees. The usual flickers, downy woodpeckers, yellow-rumped warblers, Bewick's wrens and house finches were present. It was a crisp morning and a pleasant walk. Ginger

Ruff at Two Rivers HMU

2010-10-02T14:15:00.001-07:00

Mike and MerryLynn found another rare migrant. It is only the 4th record of a RUFF in Walla Walla County, and the last one was over 12 years ago. MerryLynn called me and I drove right out to the parking area at the end of the road, and then bush wacked with her through tall grass to the muddy shoreline. The bird was gone when I arrived, but returned about a half hour later. How nice to have a chance to see this rare visitor to our county. Thank you again Mike and MerryLynn for making it possible. Ginger

Mountain Birding

2010-10-01T18:53:00.001-07:00

MerryLynn and I took advantage of the beautiful fall weather today to visit the mountains before hunting season is in full swing. We drove up Lewis Peak Road and circled around down Jasper Mountain Road. Highlights on Jasper Mountain included a northern goshawk,a hairy woodpecker, mountain and chestnut-backed chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, golden crowned and ruby crowned kinglets, juncos, flickers and yellow-rumped warblers. On Jasper Mountain we found western bluebirds, pygmy nuthatches, a golden-crowned sparrow, and a golden eagle, along with spotted towhees, chipping and white-crowned sparrows, robins and more kinglets, yellow-rumped warblers and chickadees. It was nice to enjoy the beauty of the mountains one more time. Ginger

Slow Day at Bennington Lake

2010-09-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

Bird activity was way down today, probably because of the warm, sunny weather. Migrants have no reason to stop when the weather is so nice. There were 14 long-billed dowitchers, 36 killdeer, and 1 Wilson's snipe in the mud. Waterfowl included 1 wood duck, 6 American wigeon and 5 green-winged teal. The most interesting sighting of the morning occurred as we were sitting on the concrete slabs at the north end of the canal. Five raptors (3 American kestrels, 2 northern harriers, and a sharp-shinned hawk) seemed to be having some sort of territorial dispute over our heads. White-crowned sparrow and junco numbers were up. The only warbler species was yellow-rumped. There were 2 American pipits in the mud. Hopefully next week will find birds on the move again. Ginger

Bennington Lake Today

2010-09-21T13:38:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed a "very birdy" walk on September 21. The most abundant species were white-crowned sparrow (100+), killdeer (42), canada geese (84) and yellow-rumped warbler (80+). Migrants included long-billed dowitcher (11), pectoral sandpiper (3), common nighthawk (2), red-naped sapsucker (3), orange-crowned warbler (6), MacGillivray's warbler (1), Hammond's flycatcher (3), western tanager (1), and Lincoln's sparrow (2). Late sightings were house wren (2), gray catbird (1) and western wood peewee (2).

The water level is very low so the chance of finding more shorebirds is good in the coming days. The birds were actively feeding in the trees, especially on the side by the parking lot. The colors are beginning to turn on the trees and shrubs which added to the enjoyment of the walk. It's a great time to take a walk around the lake and enjoy the birds and the scenery. Ginger

Swainson's Hawks on the Move

2010-09-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

I had a report today (September 16) from Nancy Mitchell about 37 Swainson's hawks circling over Langdon Road. It's time for them to begin their long flight to Argentina and we have many nesting pairs in our valley that will be leaving soon. I hope you can get out to see this phenomenon - it truly is spectacular. I would suggest driving the roads southwest of town - Langdon, Stateline, Frog Hollow, McDonald, Byrnes etc. Ginger

Bennington Lake Migrants and Fall Birds

2010-09-02T13:09:00.001-07:00

Our Tuesday walk got delayed until Thursday, but we were rewarded with lots of migrants. We counted 12 Wilson's warblers, 7 Townsend's warblers, 3 orange-crowned warblers, 1 Nashville warbler, 1 olive-sided flycatcher, 1 western flycatcher, 1 dusky flycatcher, 1 Cassin's vireo, 1 warbling vireo, 4 least sandpipers, 2 western sandpipers and 1 greater yellowlegs. Vaux's swifts, barn swallows, violet green swallows, bank swallows and rough-winged swallows were catching bugs over the lake. Summer nesters still around were 1 yellow-breasted chat, 1 gray catbird, 5 house wrens, 3 yellow warblers, 12 cedar waxwings, 4 spotted sandpipers and 10 western wood peewees.

We were surprised to see 2 white-crowned sparrows, a dark-eyed junco and a ruby-crowned kinglet. These are all fall birds. If you haven't noticed, the goldfinches are all molting into their winter plumage. It won't be long before the leave turn red and yellow - fall is on the way and winter won't be far behind. Where did summer go? The temperatures are perfect for a nice stroll around Bennington Lake. I hope you will get out and enjoy the birds. Ginger

Mud and Shorebirds at Bennington Lake

2010-08-10T15:54:00.001-07:00

The Corp is starting another draw down of the lake this fall. The timing is perfect for shorebird migration. Today on our walk we already noticed the difference in the water level, and so did the shorebirds. Besides the usual killdeer and spotted sandpipers we had a greater yellowlegs, a long-billed dowitcher and a solitary sandpiper. As the banks get more mud, there should be more shorebirds so I would recommend checking it, especially the side down from the parking lot, in the coming weeks.

We saw lots of birds today including a pair of western tanagers feeding a young bird. This is the first record we have of western tanagers nesting at the lake. We didn't hear or see any Bullock's orioles or yellow-breasted chats today, but the rest of the summer birds are still around.

Evening is a good time to check out the birds at Bennington Lake because the sun is behind you so the light is better for identifying birds. Ginger

Bennington Lake this morning

2010-08-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

There were LOTS of birds on our walk this morning. Many young birds have fledged and are being generally very noisy. We saw more birds today than in weeks past when we could hear them, but not always see them. Some of the species that had young birds were American kestrel, black-headed grosbeak, gray catbird, black-chinned hummingbird, cedar waxwing, yellow warbler, eastern kingbird, chipping sparrow, downy woodpecker and great horned owl. There are still swallows, Vaux's swifts, and one osprey flying above the water. We saw one spotted sandpiper and a couple killdeer, a belted kingfisher, a great blue heron and two mallards along the bank. A big river otter was also swimming around the lake. There isn't much mud along the shoreline yet, so there weren't any migrating shorebirds. We got out early so the heat wasn't too bad - all in all it was a very successful morning of birding. Ginger

Pelicans over Bennington Lake

2010-07-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

We watched eleven American white pelicans circling over Bennington Lake on our walk this morning. They seem to be coming further east from the Columbia River all the time - first the Walla Walla River, and now Bennington Lake. Forty-two canada geese also circled and landed on the lake. We were surprised to find six western tanagers, mostly males. All the birds were enjoying the serviceberries and the hawthorn berries - especially the tanagers, black-headed grosbeaks, robins and cedar waxwings. Two red-crossbills flew over and landed in the trees on the north side of the lake. The swallows are pretty much done nesting and will be leaving before long. Last week there were over 200 bank swallows enjoying the insects over the water. Many of the birds are feeding young - summer is going by too fast. Better get out and enjoy them while they are still around! Ginger

Barn Owls

2010-07-10T08:32:00.001-07:00

I received this email from Peter and Barbara Castle about their resident barn owl. They live on the Walla Walla River Road so are fortunate to have some wonderful birds in their yard. I hope you enjoy their story. Ginger

"For several years we have had a lovely barn owl occupying a walnut in front of my shop in the small pasture for most of the late Spring and Summer. "Barney" has kept us amused with sightings in his habitat and evening and early morning flights. This morning one of my chores took me under the walnut and back. I experienced an explosion of owls. "Barney" and two fledglings. Apparently "Barney" has all this time been "Barnette". I had thought it strange that there was so much whitewash under the walnut this year.

We also have in residence a pair of black headed grosbeaks that frequent the sunflower seed feeder, as well as Bullock's orioles, yellow warblers, and western tanagers."

Bennington Lake today

2010-06-22T12:14:00.001-07:00

Summer is officially here, and the weather is finally cooperating. Birds were very busy singing, building nests and feeding young this morning on our walk. We watched house wrens and downy woodpeckers taking food to young. There was one western tanager and a western flycatcher calling from the cottonwoods. Gray catbirds are plentiful this year - we counted 8 of them. Other summer birds are present in about the same numbers as in previous years - Bullock's orioles, black-headed grosbeaks, yellow warblers, western wood peewees, cedar waxwings, and eastern kingbirds. A male northern harrier hunted low along the hillside to the east of the lake and the osprey successfully caught a fish. The trail is a little easier to walk now that the hemlock has been cut back somewhat. However, it is still over eight feet high along the sides of the trail, making it hard to find birds, especially the chats. It's always fun to hear so many different birds singing along the trail. I recommend you find time to go out an enjoy the sounds and the sights. Just a short walk from the parking lot on the lower trail to the beginning of the hemlock is sure to reward you with a nice variety of birds. Ginger

Field Trip - Wildflowers in the Blues

2010-06-20T20:17:00.001-07:00

Fifteen of us spent Saturday in the Blue Mountains near Tollgate searching for wildflowers. We discovered that the season is late this year. Many of the early flowers were still blooming, and most of the early summer flowers were yet to appear. We finally found penstemons at the Lick Creek Trailhead after looking for them everywhere else. The scenery overlooking Lick Creek and at the Coyote Ridge Trailhead were spectacular - small meadows that were blanketed in wildflowers of every color and mountain overlooks at made me realize why I love the Blue Mountains! We identified over 60 different types of wildflowers and shrubs. The weather was marginal, but we didn't have any rain so that was a bonus. Although we weren't looking for birds on this trip, we did see and hear many of the mountain birds. A hermit thrush seranaded us while we ate lunch at Coyote Ridge and we found two nesting pairs of Williamson's sapsuckers along the trail. It was a treat to be able to enjoy the mountains and all of their beauty so close to home. A nice finish to another season of field trips. Ginger

Olive-sided Flycatcher at Bennington Lake

2010-06-08T13:02:00.001-07:00

The best bird on our Tuesday morning walk today was an olive-sided flycatcher. The willow flycatchers have returned to the lake - we had two today. Other nice birds were several gray catbirds, black-headed grosbeaks, Bullock's orioles, western wood peewees and several yellow-breasted chats. Of course yellow warblers and house wrens were abundant. There weren't as many western tanagers today, so perhaps they are moving out of the lowlands. A black-crowned night heron was along the canal, and there were downy woodpeckers nesting in three different places. All of the birds were very vocal today. The sunny, warm weather probably is as welcome to them as it is to us. Ginger

Summer Birds Field Trip

2010-06-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

This morning was our field trip to look for summer birds. The weather was great after a week of rain and wind. The birds seem to be enjoying the sunshine also. We saw 40 species of birds including most of the target birds. Highlights of the trip:

western kingbird

eastern kingbird

rufous hummingbird

house wren

warbling vireo

Bullock's oriole

western tanager

black-headed grosbeak

western wood peewee

willow flycatcher

western flycatcher

lazuli bunting

yellow warbler

MacGillivray's warbler

yellow-breasted chat

gray catbird

great horned owl - one adult and two chicks

veery - heard only

One person in the group happened to turn around on S. Fork Russell Creek Road just in time to see a bobcat cross the road.

I hope you'll join us on our last field trip of the summer on June 19, or on one of the 3rd Thursday evening walks during the summer. Ginger

Western tanagers

2010-06-04T10:57:00.001-07:00

Walla Walla is full of western tanagers. I have had people call or email me to say they are seeing them "by the dozens". If you haven't seen them, take a look in the trees outside your yard - they are probably there. Rooks Park and the Mill Creek trail are another place to look, as well as Bennington Lake. Rodger and I were at Rooks Park this morning and saw them, plus many of the other summer birds. We did see one unexpected bird - an olive sided flycatcher. We saw another one on Russell Creek Road so they must be moving through.

MerryLynn and I birded Biscuit Ridge Road yesterday. There were birds everywhere after the hard rain the day before. Dry Creek was anything but dry and there were several impromptu "streams" coming down from the hills. Recent arrivals seen for the county were veery, Swainson's thrush, willow flycatcher and western flycatcher.

Join Rodger and I tomorrow on our Audubon Field Trip. We're going to look for summer birds along Foster Road and South Fork Russell Creek Road. If the past few days are any indication, there should be lots of birds. Ginger

Memorial Day Weekend Around Walla Walla

2010-06-01T06:17:00.001-07:00

Interesting species seen around the county over the weekend included snowy plover, sanderling and red-necked phalarope at the Walla Walla River Delta, veery and willow flycatcher east of Biscuit Ridge Road, and an albino starling chick in Milton-Freewater.

Jasper Mountain Field Trip

2010-05-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

May 22 was was a cold and it was windy, but 12 of us ventured out with Mike and MerryLynn Denny for a great day of birding. Our first stop was South Fork Coppei Creek where a warbling vireo, yellow warblers, black-headed grosbeaks and a western tanager gave us the best views. Several western bluebirds, a Hammond's flycatcher, a Cooper's hawk and a northern harrier were very cooperative on the road up to the "T" Once at the junction we found a very nice MacGillivray's warbler and a noisy house wren. We ate lunch overlooking a spectacular view of the South Fork of the Touchet River. Further up the road we ran into a feeding flock of birds that included mountain and black-capped chickadees, ruby-crowned kinglets, orange-crowned warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, red-breasted nuthatches and a crippling view of a Townsend's warbler near the base of a tree that was surrounded by beautiful blue camus. A hermit thrush hopped around on the side of the road at another stop and a red-naped sapsucker worked a tree in front of us. We saw or heard a total of 63 species. We could see the snow from the top, but we had no rain or snow all day. Some of the early wildflowers were blooming, but many are waiting for us to see on Priscilla's Wildflower Field Trip June 19.

The Summer Birds Are Back!

2010-05-19T12:42:00.001-07:00

Today was a great birding day at Bennington Lake. All of the birds that nest there are back now, and we also had some nice migrants that are just stopping by on their way up to the mountains. And the nicest part about this morning was the fact that we got to see the birds and not just hear them. Hearing the summer birds sing is part of the magic at the lake, but seeing them is an added bonus. Here are the highlights of the morning walk.....time to get out there and see the birds. Ginger

Cinnamon teal - 3

Greater scaup - 3

Spotted sandpiper - 1

Bullock's oriole - 12

Western tanager - 7

Black-headed grosbeak - 5

Cedar waxwing - 3

Great horned owl - 2

Calliope hummingbird - 2

Tree swallow - 4

Rough-winged swallow - 13

Cliff swallow - 45

Barn swallow - 1

House wren - 14

Yellow-rumped warbler - 3

Yellow warbler - 30

Warbling vireo - 3

Western wood peewee - 6

Gray catbird - 1

Western kingbird - 4

Eastern kingbird - 2

Yellow-breasted chat - 2

Lazuli bunting - 5

Chipping sparrow - 2

Still waiting for spring birds

2010-05-11T13:13:00.001-07:00

We walked Bennington Lake this morning with great anticipation of seeing some new arrivals such as Bullock's orioles, black-headed grosbeaks,yellow-breasted chats, gray catbirds....but we were disappointed. However, all wasn't lost because house wrens and yellow warblers were singing all around the lake. We were able to see a couple orange-crowned warblers, and MerryLynn saw a MacGillivray's warbler. We heard a western tanager and a western wood peewee, so hopefully by next week they will show themselves. The osprey was fishing and its beauty was noted by all. We saw a young kestrel peeking out of one of the kestrel boxes, and two very busy parents feeding. Male calliope hummingbirds were pretty easy to spot, and a male downy woodpecker was diligently drilling a hole in a snag along the canal. There was finally a little bit of mud along the dam shore, and the cliff swallows were busy collecting housing material. At the diversion dam by Rooks Park a pair of tree swallows were nesting in a wood duck box. By next week things should be hopping!

Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2010-05-04T12:58:00.001-07:00

It was cold and it was windy, but it didn't seem to bother the birds. The birds seemed to be concentrated along the canal where they were out of the wind and had access to water in the canal. We counted 27 yellow-rumped warblers along this stretch and at least 45 white-crowned sparrows. There were several orange crowned warblers and two Nashville warblers in the mix plus 8 yellow warblers. We heard a Townsend's warbler and a Cassin's vireo, but couldn't find either. However we were able to find a singing a warbling vireo. House wrens were around in good numbers. There were several western kingbirds, three osprey, and a surprising number of ducks - shovelers, buffleheads, wigeons, mallards and ring-necked ducks. Swallows were abundant - all species with the exception of barn. We saw a total of 50 species this morning - a good day despite the "wintery" weather. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2010-04-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

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 everywhereall 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

2010-04-24T15:04:00.001-07:00

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

The Osprey is Back

2010-03-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

The Tuesday morning walkers were standing on the bluff on the east side of the lake this morning when a beautiful osprey flew over us, circled the lake a couple times, dove into the water and came up with a fish. It then flew off to enjoy a meal. There were two Say's phoebe's today - one along the dam and one on the east side. A northern shrike was singing in the shrubs near "Cayuse Falls" and three Townsend's solitaires sang for us from their usual spot at the northeast end of the lake. The male tree swallows were on top of or near the nest boxes. Could it be that the females are already nesting? We saw or heard 33 species today. It's nice to see some of the winter birds still remain while the summer birds are starting to come back. Ginger

Tree Swallows at Bennington Lake

2010-03-23T12:25:00.001-07:00

The tree swallows are back. There were six near the boxes at the south end of the lake and three along the canal. One of the poles at the south end had been unscrewed and was laying down. We re-attached it to the base and the birds were flying in and out of the box even before we finished securing it. Now, that's a bird that gets down to business!! The great horned owl has chicks. There was one barely visible and hopefully more tucked under mom's wing.

Songbirds were singing this morning - finches, Bewick's wrens, chickadees, song sparrows, robins and ruby crowned kinglets. It's so nice to hear their sweet voices again as we walk around the lake. A female harrier spent considerable time dive bombing a red-tailed hawk, obviously not wanting the red-tail near her nesting grounds. Doves were cooing, killdeer were calling and red-winged blackbirds were singing. Spring is coming to Bennington Lake. It only gets better each week now. Get out there so you don't miss the fun. Ginger

Spring Begins Fieldtrip - March 20

2010-03-23T07:10:00.001-07:00

Mike and MerryLynn Denny led a Blue Mountain Audubon fieldtrip to the west side of the county on March 20. A total of 69 species were seen by the group. Highlights of the trip were watching a displaying long-billed curlew on Lamdin Road, looking through scopes at a peregrine falcon and a prairie falcon on the cliffs in Wallula Gap and listening to the canyon wrens sing, watching a common loon on the Columbia River in Wallula Gap, seeing the large flock of snow geese at McNary NWR, looking at tundra swans and white-fronted geese at Casey Pond, marveling at a chukar gliding most of the way down Hatch Grade, looking at wildflowers in Wallula Gap and on Hatch Grade and watching a mink swimming on the Walla Walla River on Byrnes Road.

A Lake Once More

2010-03-09T11:48:00.001-08:00

There is water again at Bennington Lake and more is being diverted from Mill Creek. "Cayuse Falls" was running as we walked up the trail and around the canal. It was cold and windy so the birds were scarce. The only new bird we saw was a yellow-rumped warbler. There were a pair of northern harriers hunting the north end of the trail and a pair of kestrels near the the falls. Black-capped chickadees were plentiful and a northern shrike posed for us in a nearby shrub as we walked by. A Cooper's hawk hunted the east side of the trail. The leaves are beginning to bud on the trees - it won't be long before spring will be here. Ginger

Northern Saw-whet Owl at Bennington Lake

2010-03-02T16:50:00.001-08:00

We found a northern saw-whet owl on our morning walk today. It was in the pines on the east side of the lake. There was also a very vocal northern shrike on the trail by the canal. The great horned owl was in her nest hole in the parking lot. Only one bird on the water this morning - a female common merganser. There were six killdeer and a great blue heron along the shoreline. It was pretty quiet today, probably because of the wind, but the little owl certainly made it an eventful morning walk. Ginger

Waterfowl Field Trip February 20

2010-02-21T06:58:00.001-08:00

Sixteen eager birders left foggy Walla Walla Saturday morning and drove over to the Columbia River to look for waterfowl. Fortunately, the fog had lifted by the time we got to the river. The birds were cooperative - we saw white-fronted geese, canada geese, cackling geese, tundra swans, trumpeter swans and seventeen species of ducks. One common loon was spotted far out in the river at the Wallula grain terminal and several American white pelicans circled above at McNary NWR Headquarters. We saw about 20 bald eagles along the river and noted that there more adult birds seen than in weeks past. On our return to Walla Walla we drove Byrnes Road and watched a beautiful ferruginous hawk flying above us, a Cooper's hawk hunting the roadside, a singing Say's phoebe, two rough-legged hawks, a great horned owl on a nest, and numerous red-tailed hawks, northern harriers and American kestrels. A nice ending to a beautiful sunny day in western Walla Walla County. Ginger

Bennington Lake Today

2010-02-09T12:09:00.001-08:00

We saw two northern shrikes on our walk this morning. One of them was very agitated, either with the other shrike or with a kestrel that was nearby. The killdeer have returned to the lake - there were three of them today. We saw one great horned owl, a sharp-shinned hawk, a male northern harrier and one red-tailed hawk. There were 31 common mergansers on the lake, two mallards and two canada geese. The Bewick's wrens were singing, and there were downy woodpeckers, juncos, robins, Townsend's solitaires, song sparrows, white-crowned sparrows and black-capped chickadees along the trail. One ring-billed gull circled the lake while a great blue heron kept watch from the top of the dam. All in all, a pretty typical February day at the lake. Ginger

A Foggy Morning at Bennington Lake

2010-01-28T11:51:00.001-08:00

MerryLynn, Priscilla and I walked around the lake this morning in a peaceful fog. Twenty-five common mergansers and three green-winged teal floated in and out of the fog while a great blue heron sat on the beaver house. A great horned owl looked down on us from the trail, a red-tailed hawk flew off from its perch as we walked by and a lone canada goose swam along the edge of the water. Song birds could be heard from the brush. The soft toot of a Townsend's solitaire let us know that it was in the treetop.

Not all days are high count days at the lake. This one was not, but the tranquility of the lake and the surrounding habitat made it a most enjoyable walk. Ginger

Raptor Field Trip - January 23

2010-01-24T16:06:00.001-08:00

It was rainy and cold early, but that didn't deter 15 hardy souls from going out to look for raptors. We covered the usual roads - Frog Hollow, Fredrickson, Stateline, Sandpit and Byrnes. Red-tailed hawks were very cooperative - we saw 61 of them. We also saw 17 American kestrels, 9 northern harriers, one rough-legged hawk, one sharp-shinned hawk and one prairie falcon. Owls were harder to find than usual, but we did see two great horned owls.

It was a good trip and nice to have four Walla Walla University students along. Ginger

Owls at Bennington Lake

2010-01-19T14:23:00.001-08:00

We found four long-eared owls and two great horned owls on our Tuesday morning walk this week. The lake was full of waterfowl - 200 canada geese, 50 northern pintails, 32 mallards, 21 common mergansers and a green-winged teal. Although the temperatures were in the 50's, the little birds were much harder to find because of the stiff wind that kept them hunkered down. Fun to see the owls.... Ginger

Open Water at Bennington Lake

2010-01-12T14:45:00.001-08:00

With overnight temperatures near 60 degrees, we anticipated some open water at Bennington Lake for our walk - and we weren't disappointed. There is still some ice, but much of the lake is open. The birds were happy too! There were 24 common mergansers, a lone mallard and 20 some canada geese on the water. More canada geese flew overhead making a total of 51 geese on or flying over the water. A lone ring-billed gull also took a look. The remained of the birds seen or heard were pretty much what has been mentioned in previous weeks. There was one horned lark at the edge of the fields on the east side, and two American pipits flew over. Hopefully the water will remain open and we will enjoy more waterfowl in the days to come. Ginger

Bald Eagle at Bennington Lake today

2010-01-07T12:34:00.001-08:00

We saw a beautiful adult bald eagle hunting low over the fields on our walk around the lake this morning. The weather was cold and the lake is still frozen with the exception of one small area. A great blue heron was at the open water again this week. We found three great horned owls today and saw two red-tailed hawks and two American kestrels. Two ravens were making their funny croaking noise as they flew over and there was a northern shrike in the top of one of the trees. Dark-eyed juncos and black-capped chickadees were plentiful, and a Bewick's wren and a ruby-crowned kinglet followed us as we walked along the trail. As usual, there were lots of robins and several Townsend's solitaires. Three common mergansers and a small flock of canada geese flew over looking for open water. A few goldfinches, house finches, white-crowned sparrows and song sparrows flitted around in the trees. Red-shafted flickers and black-billed magpies rounded out the morning's sightings. Ginger

A Cold and Gray Morning

2009-12-29T12:30:00.001-08:00

We walked around Bennington Lake this morning. The lake is still mostly frozen. There was one spot that was open, and a great blue heron was there looking for food. We saw two northern shrikes, a great horned owl, several Townsend's solitaires, black-capped chickadees and red-shafted flickers. Two common mergansers flew over looking for open water. We watched a downy woodpecker hanging upside down from a rose bush working on a gall. Dark eyed juncos and robins were plentiful, and there were a few Bewick's wrens and song sparrows. The house finches and goldfinches have finally left the old sunflower patch - we only saw a dozen or so all morning. One spotted towhee was in it's usual spot (although it wasn't there on the Christmas count). A red-tailed hawk and three American kestrels were in the tree tops. It was a pretty typical winter day at the lake..... Ginger

A Muddy Walk Around Bennington Lake

2009-12-17T12:24:00.001-08:00

The trails were muddy and slick and the lake is still frozen, but we still managed to see some nice birds including a long-eared owl and two northern shrikes. Robins and dark-eyed juncos were abundant. 16 canada geese and 3 common mergansers flew over the lake, hoping for some open water. An American kestrel and a red-tailed hawk were the only raptors we could find. Townsend's solitaires and Bewick's wrens were singing - enjoying the 50 degree weather I'm sure. It was a good practice run for the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday. Ginger

Northern Umatilla County Raptor Route

2009-12-13T18:41:00.001-08:00

It was a perfect day to go looking for raptors. Snow covered fields, partly cloudy skies, temperatures just above freezing - all these are conducive to good raptor watching. Mike and MerryLynn, Rodger and I spent the day counting raptors and came up with a total of 329 hawks and owls. The breakdown is as follows: 239 red-tailed hawks, 52 American kestrels, 23 northern harriers, 1 sub-adult bald eagle, 1 immature golden eagle, 3 rough-legged hawks, 2 prairie falcons, 2 Cooper's hawks, 1 sharp-shinned hawk, 2 northern goshawks and 3 great horned owls. Other birds of interest were a northern shrike, 54 wild turkeys, a downy woodpecker, 3 Eurasian collared doves, 4 great blue herons mousing, and numerous quail and pheasants. We watched 3 coyotes hunting and saw 6 mule deer. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2009-11-24T14:08:00.001-08:00

Things have settled down on our Tuesday morning walks now that the summer birds are gone. Because of the low water, there was only one bird on the water today - a mallard. Three great blue herons and a great egret were joined by three killdeer, a ring-billed gull and a greater yellowlegs on the shoreline. However, a sharp-shinned hawk scared the shorebirds off. Other raptors included a red-tailed hawk, a male northern harrier and a kestrel. Robins and juncos were plentiful all around the lake. We saw a several Townsend's solitaires, black-capped chickadees, song sparrows, white-crowned sparrows, Bewick's wrens and two ruby-crowned kinglets. We didn't see any great horned owls today. There were numerous northern flickers including one yellow-shafted bird, one northern shrike and seven downy woodpeckers. All in all it was a typical winter day at the lake. There was no wind, and no rain so it was a very pleasant walk. Ginger

American Dipper on Mill Creek

2009-11-06T11:40:00.001-08:00

On November 3, Pam Fisher sent me a video of an American dipper on Mill Creek near Rooks Park. On November 5 she saw it again - this time near the Project Office. Rodger and I found it this morning back by Rooks Park. It was singing and having a great time in the water. In addition, in the past three days I have seen nine hooded mergansers and four common mergansers on Mill Creek between the Project Office and Rooks Park. There are great blue herons, belted kingfishers, American wigeons and mallards along the creek as well. It's a nice walk and fun to see the birds. Ginger

Northern Shrikes at Bennington Lake

2009-10-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

We saw two northern shrikes on our walk this Tuesday morning. One was having some sort of altercation with a kestrel and was very noisy. There was also a merlin hunting finches in the sunflower patch. On the water were buffleheads, common mergansers, green-winged teal, northern pintails, mallards and a western grebe. In the mud we saw long-billed dowitchers, killdeer, ring-billed gulls and greater yellowlegs. A belted kingfisher was patrolling the canal. There were a few Townsend's solitaires, lots of little winter songbirds, several red-shafted flickers and at least four downy woodpeckers. Another good walk with 36 species seen. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2009-10-13T13:15:00.001-07:00

We saw 3 surf scoters, a pair of bufflehead, a ring-necked duck, and western grebe a greater yellowlegs and 23 long-billed dowitchers on our morning walk today. Several Townsend's solitaires called from the treetops and an osprey was circling the lake. There were also over 200 robins, large numbers of flickers, white-crowned sparrows, cedar waxwings and red-winged blackbirds. Ruby crowned kinglets, Bewick's wrens, juncos, song sparrows, downy woodpeckers, chickadees and yellow-rumped warblers added to the mix. It was a cold morning, but we beat the rain. Ginger

Bennington Lake today

2009-10-06T12:32:00.001-07:00

Many of the winter birds are back! There were probably 100 white-crowned sparrows singing from every point on the trail. Juncos were also plentiful. We saw four Townsend's solitaires, a varied thrush and saw or heard four hermit thrushes. Not as many shorebirds today - just killdeers, pectoral sandpipers, greater yellowlegs and long-billed dowitchers. One great egret and a great blue heron were standing elegantly along the edge of the mud, and an osprey flew over. We saw a total of 40 species.

The fall colors are beautiful, from the golden yellow of the cottonwoods to the deep red of the sumac. Time to get out and take a walk around the lake. There is construction starting that will limit use of the entire Kingfisher trail, but there is still a good deal of open area. Ginger

Bennington Lake

2009-10-04T18:26:00.001-07:00

Late afternoon on October 4, I walked Bennington Lake with Mike and MerryLynn and Priscilla Dauble. There were 9 great egrets in the cottonwoods in the southeast corner of the lake. Shorebirds were abundant56 killdeer, 2 pectoral sandpipers, 10 long-billed dowitchers, 4 greater yellowlegs, and a least sandpiper. There also was a great variety of waterfowlcommon mergansers, American wigeons, northern shovelers, lesser scaup, western grebes, mallards, canada geese, green winged teal, northern pintails, a blue winged teal, a pied bill grebe and a ring-necked duck. It was very windy we saw very few passerinesa few robins, American pipits and flickers. There was a varied thrush in the trees by the parking lot. Ginger