Swainson's hawks

Swainson's hawks are starting to gather in large numbers in the Lowden/Touchet area.  Look for alfalfa fields that are being cut or have just been cut.  Mike and MerryLynn saw about 50 of them in a field near Touchet yesterday.  Ginger

Bennington Lake Wilson's Plover and Clay Colored Sparrow

The Wilson's plover is still at the lake.  We saw it this morning along the little spit in the canal.  It has now been here for nine days, and MANY people have come to see it.  There were fall birds and migrants on our walk this morning.  The white-crowned sparrows are back in good numbers.  The most unusual migrant we saw was a clay-colored sparrow.  Other migrants included Wilson's warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, a Townsend's warbler, both Hammond's and dusky flycatchers, warbling vireos, western tanagers, a Lincoln's sparrow and a red-naped sapsucker.  Summer birds still present were house wrens, chipping sparrows, western wood peewees, gray catbirds, spotted sandpipers and yellow warblers.  There were quite a few Vaux's swifts swooping down on the water as well as barn swallows, violet-green swallows and northern rough-winged swallows.  We saw 46 species today.  Ginger

Bennington Lake

Six of us walked the lake this morning.  The Wilson's plover was still present.  Its two favorite spots were near the boat ramp and in the far southeast corner of the lake.  It's amazing to watch this little bird that is SO far away from home.  Thanks again to Mike and MerryLynn for finding this very rare bird.  Migrants seen today were a Townsend's warbler, a clay-colored sparrow and an olive-sided flycatcher.  There was a secretive warbler on the south end of the lake that refused to come out where we could see it, but is was nice to speculate on what "rarity" it could be.  Next week we will return to our 8:00 walking time.  Come out and join us – who knows what migrants might show up!

Ginger

Wilson's plover

Mike and MerryLynn Denny found a Wilson's plover at Bennington Lake this morning.  As far as they know, it is the first time the species has ever been seen in Washington State. It was along the canal with several other shorebirds including two short-billed dowitchers. Several of us went out and got to watch this very rare visitor. Wow!

Shorebirds at Bennington Lake

We're beginning to get some mud at the lake and it really paid off today.  We had nine species of shorebirds: semi-palmated plover, killdeer, Wilson's snipe, red-necked phalarope, western sandpiper, least sandpiper, semi-palmated sandpiper, spotted sandpiper, Baird's sandpiper.  Not bad!  While looking at the shorebirds we heard a red-naped sapsucker drumming behind us.  We weren't able to locate it, but this is the time of year they might be found in the trees below the parking lot.  There were still lots of western wood-peewees and a few yellow warblers.  An olive-sided flycatcher and two Wilson's warblers were nice, and it's always nice to see the great horned owls (we saw two today).  Two of the group saw a Brewer's sparrow and MerryLynn heard a lesser goldfinch.  The temperatures were moderate and there was a pleasant breeze so all in all it was a great walk.  We saw or heard 50 species.  Ginger

Bennington Lake

There were birds everywhere again today.  New fledglings for the week were gray catbirds, eastern kingbirds, western kingbirds and unfortunately   cowbirds being fed by yellow warblers in three different locations.  The good news is, we didn't see any adult cowbirds today.  We are walking at 7:00 now while the weather is hot.  The birds had quieted down considerably by the time we returned to the parking lot.  46 species today.

Baby Birds at Bennington

There were baby birds everywhere we walked this morning – yellow warblers, Bullock's orioles, house wrens, black-headed grosbeaks, gray catbirds, Bewick's wrens, song sparrows and cedar waxwings.  It was nice to see so many fledgling birds. Lots and lots of swallows were flying over the lake – bank, northern rough-winged, tree, cliff and even a few  barn. One osprey was fishing. Yellow-breasted chats were still very vocal as were the western wood peewees, magpies and flickers.  We saw a pair of western tanagers along the west side trail.  In past years they have nested there, but this was the first we'd seen of them in a month or so.  Goldfinches and robins were abundant.  There was one greater yellowlegs along the south shoreline as well as several killdeer and spotted sandpipers.  We walked at 7:00 this morning, so it wasn't too hot.  It you want to enjoy the birds but avoid the heat, I would suggest going early in the morning and walking the western side of the lower trail from the parking lot.  We saw most of the species mentioned in that area.

Have fun and enjoy the birds.  Ginger