Jasper Mountain Field Trip

We had a picture perfect day to visit the Blue Mountains and the views from the road reminded us all of why we live here in this beautiful area of the state.  We were rewarded with birds, butterflies, wildflowers, and more.  Western bluebirds and tree swallows were setting up housekeeping at many of the boxes.  Although we heard more birds than we saw, we did get good looks at many of them.  Wildflowers dotted the roadsides with the star being the calypso orchids.  We saw nine elk, one deer, a garter snake, two Pacific tree swallows and a bear.  Butterflies included anglewings, blues, cabbage whites and more. Our leader, Mike Denny, once again shared his knowledge of the natural world with everyone to help make it a very enjoyable day.  Ginger 

Birds at Bennington Lake today

Finally, the spring birds are coming back.  Today we saw several new arrivals – Bullock's oriole, black-headed grosbeak, yellow warbler and orange-crowned warbler.  There were some interesting ducks on the water too – three red-necked grebes, a pair of ruddy ducks, 16 bufflehead and 10 coots.  Raptors included a Swainson's hawk, two ospreys, an American kestrel and two northern harriers.  The great horned owl chicks were in hole and there was a dead cottontail at the entrance.  An adult owl was heard hooting along the canal.  The water was above our shoes at Cayuse Falls, but it was a warm, sunny day so we didn't mind getting our feet wet.  Between the yellow warblers and the house wrens there was constant noise all along the trail.  We were surprised to see a Townsend's solitaire still present.  It seems a little late.  We had a total of 41 species today.  Ginger

Cold and Windy Morning

It was lousy weather for our Bennington Lake walk this morning.  We were all bundled up in our winter clothes again – not a good sign for spring migrants.  The only new returnee we saw today was a spotted sandpiper.  There was a surprise visit from a black-necked stilt.  The lake is very high with no good place for it to wade, so it flew off.  Today was a day of yellow birds – large flocks of American goldfinches and 12 western kingbirds.  Both were very noisy.  We saw and heard a few house wrens, but not as many as last week.  There were two ospreys and over 200 swallows, mostly cliff with a few tree and violet-green mixed in.  The only ducks were three mallards, six northern shovelers and four bufflehead.  Still no warblers.  Next week.....  Ginger

 

footnote* On Saturday there were yellow warblers and fox sparrows singing all along S. Fork Coppei Creek Road.

Western Kingbirds at Bennington Lake

The western kingbirds have returned to Bennington Lake.  We saw two on our walk this morning.  In addition, the house wrens are back in good numbers (they returned last week) and are singing all around the lake.  There were two ospreys successfully fishing this morning along with many fishermen.  Two great horned owl chicks watched us from the parking lot.  We didn't see mom, but I'm sure she was close by.  Waterfowl was scarce – 13 northern shovelers, one coot and one canada goose.  The water is VERY high so there weren't any shorebirds other than a pair of killdeer.  There were lots of cliff swallows and tree swallows and one northern rough-winged swallow.  A big black cloud came over as we started our walk, but it only rained briefly.  Nothing like the unbelievable lightning storm we had last night.  It's spring, so you never know what the weather will bring, but the birds are coming back, so all is well with the world!  Ginger

Hummingbirds

We have had both CALLIOPE and RUFOUS hummingbirds at our feeders this morning.  It's time to get those feeders up and enjoy these little visitors.

Ginger

Spring Migrants Field Trip

It was sunny and warm day – a perfect day for a field trip.  We found Swainson's hawks in many locations, ospreys on McDonald Road and Highway 12, black-necked stilts on Frog Hollow Road and at Tyson Ponds, American avocets, over a hundred Caspian terns and a glaucous gull at the Delta, barn swallows and a western kingbird on the Lowden/Gardena Road, an Eurasian wigeon and a great egret at Tyson Ponds, great horned owls and chicks in several locations, barn owls on Dodd Road, swarms of cliff swallows on Byrnes Road, a large flock of bank swallows on Frog Hollow, northern rough-winged swallows in several places....the list goes on.  Thanks to all of you for a fun day.  Ginger

The American Avocets have returned

On April 9, there were two American avocets at the Wallula Junction overlook and another three at the Walla Walla River Delta.  Today their numbers had increased to eight.  There also was a pair of cinnamon teal on Casey pond today.  On April 9, there were 14 black-necked stilts at Bennington Lake, but they only stuck around that day.  Returning swallows now include northern rough-winged, tree, cliff and violet-green.  The osprey have begun rebuilding their nest along Highway 12 near Lowden, and there was a pair checking out the two platforms on McDonald Road.  It won't be long before hummingbirds return, so it's time to put up the feeders.   Ginger