A co-operative project of The Larks

and other bird observers

in the Gorge

Abbreviations and acronyms used:

BSI – Bingen School Inn, Bingen, WA

CBC – Christmas Bird Count

d.m. – dark morph

EWRS – Early Winter Raptor Survey

GBBC – Great Backyard Bird Count

GPNF – Gifford Pinchot National Forest

HY – hatching year bird (young of the year)

IBA – Important Bird Area

L. – Lake

NAP – Natural Area Preserve

NWR – National Wildlife Refuge

OBOL – Oregon Birders Online

R. – River

r.m. – rufous morph

SP – State Park

stt – steel transmission tower

SY – second year bird (hatched in 2005 breeding season)

Tweeters – Washington bird “chat” line

w.m. – western morph

WTP – wastewater treatment ponds/plant

All records are from Klickitat Co., WA, unless otherwise indicated, with the exception of the well-known city of Hood River, located in Hood River County, OR.

updated 28 Feb.’06

Greater White-fronted Goose – 5 on 3 Dec., Skamania Co. fairgrounds and the adjacent park on Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, WA (MB, KK).

1 on 5 Jan., adult, with feral domestic geese at the park on Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, Skamania Co., WA (DPA, SJ); still present there with the domestic geese on 15 Jan. (KK).

1 on 3 Feb., apparently a SY bird, on the lawn in the small front yard at 273 Troh Lane, ~2 miles se. of Glenwood; it was accompanying 6 domestic Muscovey ducks. This was not a domestic goose; size-wise it was similar in body bulk to the ducks, possibly even smaller in weight. And it did not have the enormous potbelly hanging down between the legs that much larger domestic geese possess. We noted a narrow band of white feathers around the base of the bill, orange legs and feet, and a bill that’s a dull pinkish-orange, blending into flesh right at the base, and with a small dark spot at the tip (the “nail”). There were no black splotches on the underparts. Both of us are familiar with this species (CJF, SJ). At this time of year would a SY bird have the white feathering around the base of the bill?

1 on 11 Feb., adult, grazing with Canada and Cackling geese along the s. side of hwy 14 in Steigerwald Lake NWR, 0.04 mi. east of the jct. 45^th St. with hwy 14, Washougal, Clark Co., WA, at 09:45 (SJ).

Ross’s Goose – 1 on 29 Dec., “I stopped by the Steigerwald Lake N.W.R. near Washougal today and found one Ross’s Goose in the large mixed flocks of Canada and Cackling Geese. The bird was easily visible from the shoulder of Highway 14 at milepost 18. There has also been a first year Snow Goose in this flock at times but it looks grayish compared to the clean white of the Ross' Goose” (WC). This is in Clark Co., WA.; from OBOL.

Canada Goose – 15 on 1 Dec., Bingen riverfront in vicinity of the Lunch Grove (SJ).

257 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC, some repeat counts probable (as some flying around noted); largest flock 127 on n. side of Tidyman Rd. (JM, SJ).

On 2, 4 & 5 Jan., numbers of Canada Geese seemed to be way down along the WA side of the Columbia R. for the annual USFWS winter waterfowl survey between Bonneville Dam and John Day Dam (KH, DPA, SJ).

Mute Swan – 1 on 13 Jan., at Steigerwald Lake NWR, Clark Co., WA. “ The Mute Swan was observed amongst a flock of 14 Tundra Swans from 2 separate pull-offs along Hwy.14, but at times it remained by itself in the same flooded area at the…NWR. Ken first spotted the Mute Swan in flight soon after we pulled off Hwy.14, then we all obtained excellent scope views of the bird as it swam around the water. It was a nice surprise no matter what the origin of this bird!” (RS, PtS, KK); from Tweeters.

1 on 9 Feb., alone on Scaup L. in Steigerwald Lake NWR, in the afternoon; presumed to be the same bird as one found there on 13 Jan. (WC, C&DK); gleaned from Tweeters. Seen at Steigerwald L. NWR again on 10 & 11 Feb.: “This evening [10 Feb.] the Mute Swan at Steigerwald L. NWR, near Washougal, Clark Co., had moved to the main lake and was easier to view from the shoulder of hwy. 14 at MP 18. Very strong winds (60 mph+) out of the Columbia River Gorge prevented setting up a scope or even getting out of my vehicle.

I saw the swan again today 2-11-06 at about 1:30 in the e. end of the lake closest to the highway. The best spot to see the bird is from about a quarter of a mile east of the paved entrance into the refuge. It was keeping its head down and sticking close to the edge out of the wind” (WC).

Tundra Swan – 300+ on 3 Dec., Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

2 on 3 Dec., Skamania Landing, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

102 on 6 Dec., on the winter wetland along the s. side of I-84’s e. bound exit 25, leading in to Rooster Rock SP, Multnomah Co., OR, at 10:30-10:40 (BH, SJ).

6 on 9 Dec., on Bingen Pond (DG).

1 on 28 Dec., HY bird, flew w. to e. over Bingen Pond (still mostly frozen) to settle on the entirely open water of Bingen’s marina, at ~16:05 (SJ).

29 on 13 Jan., 14 at Steigerwald Lake NWR, Clark Co., and 15 at Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (RS, PtS, KK); from Tweeters.

160 on 3 Feb., Conboy Lake NWR: 15 se. of the Camas Ditch crossing BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., and 145 w. of the visitors information kiosk further n. along the same rd.; there may have been some Trumpeter Swans mixed in with the tundras. They were scoped at a distance; none were closeby. The brief calling heard sounded high-pitched like tundras (CJF, SJ).

swan, sp. – 5 on 20 Feb., seen flying low, at a great distance to the n-ne. of Kreps Lane, over Conboy Lake NWR, at 17:28. I’m at the Kreps Lane bridge over Camas Ditch (SJ).

Wood Duck – This species has been very scarce in The Gorge this winter. The failure of the oak mast crop this past summer and fall may well be a factor in their absence; Gorge oaks produced no, or almost no, acorns.

2 on 3 Jan., a pair flushed from the se. corner of Bingen Pond, the hen calling moments before, at 10:46 (SJ).

1 on 13 Jan., at Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (RS, PtS, KK); from Tweeters.

Gadwall – 41 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from the crane w. to the V Cove (SJ).

17 on 4 Dec., seven on the marina and 10 on Bingen Pond, late afternon (SJ).

21 on 18 Dec., 8 at Spearfish L. and 13 at Doug’s Beach SP, Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

38 on 25 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from The Lunch Grove w. to the V Cove (SJ).

2 on 26 Dec., pair loafing at edge of shore ice, big sandbar at w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth, 16:25 (SJ).

31 on 28 Dec., 24 in and at the mouth of the V Cove at 16:40, 7 in Bingen’s marina at 16:52 (SJ).

23 on 29 Dec., s. side of the Columbia R., 18 off Giles French Park and 5 further downriver, w. of the park, and in the vicinity of the Rufus grain elevators, in Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

23 on 31 Dec., 15 along s. side of the Columbia R. between MP 104-109 of I-84 and 8 along Old Hwy 30 between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR; data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

13 on 6 Jan., on Waucoma Basin, inside The Hook, along the Hood River waterfront (BMcK, SJ).

69 on 8 Jan., on Bingen Pond at 12:50 (SJ).

45 on 11 Jan., on Chamberlain L., associating with wigeon and Ring-necked Ducks, at 16:30 (SJ).

10 on 17 Jan., only 4 pairs in vicinity of the V Cove (15:45) and 1 pair just e. of the marina’s mouth (16:20) along Bingen’s riverfront; numbers dwindling? (SJ).

16 on 22 Jan., on Bingen Pond in late afternoon; 14 of these were out in the open. Probably others were foraging out of view in the flooded marshy margins of the pond (SJ).

30 on 23 Jan., on Chamberlain L., associating with wigeon and Ring-necked Ducks, at 14:15 (SJ).

Am. Wigeon – 40 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, mostly in / off the V Cove (SJ).

7 on 4 Dec., Bingen’s marina at ~14:50 (SJ).

77 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC: 63 at Spearfish L., 14 at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

53 on 25 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from The Lunch Grove w. to the V Cove (SJ).

1 on 26 Dec., loafing with pr. Gadwall at edge of shore ice, w. side of Klickitat R. mouth, 16:25 (SJ).

40 on 28 Dec., foraging with coots at mouth of the V Cove, along the Bingen riverfront, 16:45 (SJ).

40 on 8 Jan., counted foraging in the V Cove, along the Bingen riverfront, at 15:00 (SJ).

70 on 11 Jan., on Chamberlain L., foraging with Gadwall and Ring-necked Duck, at 16:30 (SJ).

2 on 17 Jan., only 1 pair, foraging with coots at mouth of the V Cove, Bingen’s riverfront, 15:45 (SJ).

140 on 23 Jan., on Chamberlain L., foraging with Gadwall & Ring-necked Ducks, at 14:15 (SJ).

>10 on 20 Feb., foraging with huge flocks of pintail in small openings in iced-over, flooded fields at Conboy Lake NWR. Scoped at a great distance from the headquarters parking area (SJ).

Mallard – 18 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, 14 in the V Cove and 2 e. of the Lunch Grove; plus a pair in the inlet ditch at Bingen Pond (SJ).

29 on 4 Dec., count 13 on Bingen’s marina and 16 a little later on Bingen Pond, late afternoon (SJ).

79 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of the Lyle CBC, including 67 loafing at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

60 on 8 Jan., mostly along the flooded margins of Bingen Pond, at ~13:25 (SJ).

~500 on 20 Feb., foraging with huge flocks of pintail in small openings in iced-over, flooded fields at Conboy Lake NWR; rough estimate—much flying about by the ducks with Bald Eagle/s passing overhead every so often (SJ).

2 on 27 Feb., pair, at the edge of the small area of open water at the e. end of Laurance Lake reservoir, adjacent the dam—ducks right up against the ice, not close to shore. I’d estimate that >5/6 of the reservoir is iced over. Elev. here is 2925 ft. These Mallard were the only waterfowl present.

N. Shoveler – 9 on 1 Dec., five in the V Cove on the Bingen riverfront, and 4 in the slushy waters of Bingen Pond. Only one is a full-plumaged male; at least one other looks like a female, but has a rich wash of rusty on sides, flanks and has a slightly darker crown—a changing-plumage male (SJ).

2 on 4 Dec., changing-plumage drake and a hen, on Bingen Pond in late afternoon (SJ).

2 on 1 Jan., female plumage, flushed from now-mostly-open-waters of Bingen Pond, at the flooded se. corner, at about 10:25; during the Hood River CBC (CC, SJ).

135 on 11 Feb., 130 feeding in the WTP along the s. side of hwy 14, Washougal, Clark Co., WA, adjacent Steigerwald Lake NWR, at 10:20, and 5 earlier, flying in a short hop on a lake out in the refuge, further to the se., at ~09:25 (SJ).

2 on 23 Feb., female plumage, at the sw. corner of Bingen Pond at ~10:00 (SJ).

N. Pintail – 4 on 4 Dec., two drakes, 2 hens, on Bingen Pond, late afternoon (SJ).

~50 on 2 Jan., in flight upstream over the Columbia R., near the Corps of Engineers Cliffs Park boat launch site, about one mile downriver from John Day Dam, in late afternoon (KH, DPA, SJ).

??? 8 on 4 Jan., one drake in flooded area at n-ne. corner of Bingen Pond, and 4 hens, 3 drakes on the Tidyman Rd. vernal wetlands near Dallesport (DPA, SJ).

2 on 26 Jan., pair, on Bingen Pond, at ~10:50 (SJ).

2 on 3 Feb., pair, Conboy L. NWR, to w. of the visitor’s information kiosk along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., at ~09:30 (CJF).

6 on 11 Feb., scoped on a lake out in Steigerwald L. NWR, Clark Co., WA, at ~09:25 (SJ).

2000+ on 20 Feb., foraging in small openings in the iced-over, flooded fields in Conboy L. NWR. Numbers are a rough estimate, due to difficulty in attempting an accurate count; duck were flying around frequently (Bald Eagles passing over every so often contributed to the restlessness in these flocks). Scoped at a great distance to the s. from the parking area at headquarters (SJ).

3 on 23 Feb., flew in to alight near the sw. corner of Bingen Pond, at ~10:00 (SJ).

Green-winged Teal – 6 on 1 Dec., one with other ducks in / just off the V Cove and 5 flushed from Bingen Pond’s inlet ditch (SJ).

6 on 4 Dec., two drakes, 4 hens along e-ne. shore of Bingen’s marina (SJ).

6 on 18 Dec., Doug’s Beach SP during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

3+ on 25 Dec., at least 3 along the Bingen riverfront: 2 hens in the V Cove, 1 drake in the inlet ditch at ne. corner of Bingen Pond, and 10+ probable green-wings that flushed with a flock of Mallard from flooded

shallows (reed canary grass, some cattail) at n. shore of the pond. Bingen Pond is still frozen over (SJ).

8 on 8 Jan., at least 8 on Bingen Pond: 4 drakes, 2 hens at 12:50 and later, 3 drakes, 4 hens at 14:40. There may well be more hidden in the flooded areas back in behind the cattails (SJ).

1 on 17 Jan., drake, at sw. corner of Bingen Pond, at 15:49, with 13 Mallard an a drake Ring-necked Duck, loafing. Duck numbers seem to be diminished on Bingen Pond, dabblers especially; but they may be spread out now, out of sight behind the cattails in the flooded areas of the marsh. Green-winged Teal have been present in very low numbers so far this winter (SJ).

>15 on 20 Feb., foraging with huge flocks of pintail in small openings in the iced-over, flooded fields in Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Canvasback – 3 on 3 Dec., Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

1 on 25 Dec., male, at the mouth of the V Cove, along the Bingen riverfront. Drake’s right wing is sticking up, held askew over his back—apparently wing-wounded; it reaches down into the water with head and neck, but cannot dive. Three duck hunters have been blasting away all morning directly across the river from here, positioned in a camouflaged boat moored along the s. shore of the Columbia R. just e. of Stanley Rock (SJ).

23 on 26 Dec., in the Klickitat R. channel, just s. of the RR crossing, at confluence with the Columbia R. at Lyle: 15 drakes, 8 hens, at 16:15 (SJ).

1 on 1 Jan., drake, on Bingen Pond, at ~08:45 (CC, SJ); still present on 3 Jan. (BH, SJ), 4 Jan. (DPA, SJ) and 8 Jan. (SJ).

3 on 4 Jan., drake and 2 hens, along n. side of the Columbia R., just w. of the big sandbar at the Klickitat R. mouth, diving with a raft of coots, scaup, et al, at ~14:15 (DPA, SJ).

1 on 5 Jan., drake, at the Wind R. mouth, Skamania Co., WA, n. of the hwy 14 bridge (DPA, SJ).

15 on 13 Jan., at Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (RS, PtS, KK); from Tweeters.

1 on 26 Jan., drake, right out in the middle of Bingen’s marina, at ~12:10 (SJ).

1 on 6 Feb., drake, on Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late morning (SJ).

Redhead – 7 on 2 Jan., two hens, 4 drakes on Horsethief Lake, and one hen along n. side of the Columbia R. to e. of Maryhill SP (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 4 Jan., hen, along n. side of the Columbia R. just w. of the big sandbar at the Klickitat R. mouth, diving with a raft of scaup, coots, et al, at ~14:15 (DPA, SJ).

Ring-necked Duck – 13 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, just e-se. from the V Cove spit (SJ).

14 on 4 Dec., two males off Bingen Point and 12 loafing on Bingen Pond (SJ).

3 on 18 Dec., one on Spearfish L. and 2 on pond at entry rd. in to Spearfish park (JM, SJ); the only ones seen in the Dallesport sector of the Lyle CBC.

2 on 25 Dec., male & female, along the Bingen riverfront, just se. of the V Cove spit; Bingen Pond is still frozen over (SJ).

18 on 28 Dec., ten male, 8 female, just se. of the V Cove spit (12) and at mouth of the V Cove (6), at 16:35 to 16:45 (SJ).

24 on 8 Jan., loafing on Bingen Pond at 13:47 (SJ).

480 on 11 Jan., mostly loafing, some diving, on Chamberlain Lake, at 16:20; counted 450 that remained after 30 flew off, heading downriver (SJ).

2 on 17 Jan., hen at the V Cove mouth, drake at sw. corner Bingen Pond, 15:45-15:49 (SJ).

117 on 22 Jan., counted in a loafing / inactive flock near the n. shore of Bingen Pond at ~16:25-16:30. A little earlier, at 16:08, at least 25 were noted diving close in to marshy pond margins at the w-sw. shore (SJ).

225 on 23 Jan., only a few diving during the count (train going by moved them out away from the s. shore) on Chamberlain L., attended by wigeon and Gadwall, at 14:15 (SJ).

166 on 3 Feb., at Conboy L. NWR, mostly loafing in flooded lands to w. of the visitors information kiosk along the w. side of BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd.; 21 of these were in a small diving flock (CJF, SJ).

35 on 6 Feb., Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late a.m. (SJ).

Greater Scaup ~200 on 4 Jan., along n. side of the Columbia R. to n. of Memaloose Is.; 212 were counted in the raft, but there were a few Lessers loafing in with the Greaters. This was the only flock noted during the USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from the White Salmon R. mouth east to The Dalles Dam in WA; all other scaup flocks were Lesser, although an occasional Greater could easily have been overlooked (DPA, SJ).

~4800 on 5 Jan., in one massive, stretched-out (intermittent in a few spots) raft in mid-Columbia R., counted by hundreds at 16:00-16:10 (DPA), from a viewpoint along hwy 14 at roughly MP 46.5, Skamania Co., WA; this is n. of Government Cove, Hood River Co., OR. Far and away, this is the largest raft encountered during the annual USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from John Day Dam down to Bonneville Dam on 2, 4 & 5 Jan. (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 6 Feb., hen, on Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late morning (SJ).

Lesser Scaup – 135 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from the crane w. to the V Cove; most are out from the fruit bin stacks e. to the Lunch Grove (SJ).

80 on 4 Dec., all but one in flocks (9, 8, 18 & 44) along the Bingen riverfront, from Bingen Point w. to the ftuit bin stacks; one drake on Bingen Pond. Many more males than females (SJ).

10 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC, all at Spearfish L. (8) and pond at park entry rd. (2) (JM, SJ).

30 on 25 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from The Lunch Grove w. to the V Cove (SJ).

59 on 28 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from The Lunch Grove w. to the V Cove (SJ).

110 on 8 Jan., along the Bingen riverfront, from the crane w. to the V Cove (SJ).

112 on 17 Jan., only 8 of these females, along the same stretch of Bingen’s riverfront as the 8 Jan. record; additionally, 36 were counted further east, from the crane e. to the marina’s mouth (SJ).

5 on 6 Feb., Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late morning; Greater Scaup was alone (SJ).

Scaup, sp. – 27 on 18 Dec., Doug’s Beach SP during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

~10 on 26 Dec., at the Klickitat R. mouth, at 16:20 (SJ).

Harlequin Duck – 1 on 11 Feb., male…“was plying the torrent in Eagle Creek on this gorgeous sunny Saturday. It was seen a few hundred yards beyond the 'entering Hatfield Wilderness' sign. I'm not sure how far from the trailhead that is...perhaps 5 miles. It was not quite as far as Tunnel Falls which we also visited. Did not see a female but that doesn't mean she wasn't there. I only spent about 10 minutes watching him. He was very much on the move, diving and floating with the current to a point downstream out of sight. An unexpected surprise on a great day” (JD); this is in Hood River Co., OR. Gleaned from OBOL.

Long-tailed Duck – 1 on 14 Jan.,“in the boat basin at the Marine Park in Cascade Locks,” Hood River Co., OR, in the morning. “It was the only bird swimming in amongst the moored sailboats” (BoS); gleaned from OBOL.

Bufflehead – 9 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront, from the V Cove e. for 100-150 m. or so (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., female plumage, in Bingen’s marina (SJ).

5 on 25 Dec., female plum., along the Bingen riverfront, in the V Cove & at it’s mouth (SJ).

3 on 26 Dec., one hen, 2 drakes, at Klickitat R. mouth, at 16:20 (SJ).

7 on 28 Dec., all female plum., diving in the V Cove and at it’s mouth, Bingen riverfront (SJ).

10 on 6 Jan., 5 drakes, 5 hens, diving in the pond n. of the county road maintenance yard in Parkdale, near the margin of the iced-over part; this is along the w. side of Allen Rd.(BMcK, SJ).

30 on 6 Feb., Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late morning (SJ).

Com. Goldeneye – 6 on 2 Dec., (4 male, 2 female) diving just upstream from mouth of the Hood R., on the Hood River waterfront (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., male, flew in to circle Bingen’s marina, turned and flew back out to the river (SJ).

9 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC, mostly above The Dalles Dam, but one on pond along Dock Rd. at entry in to Spearfish L. and one at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

2 on 25 Dec., male and female, along the Bingen riverfront, in the V Cove and just e. of there (SJ).

>7 on 26 Dec., at the Klickitat R. mouth, at 16:15 (SJ).

2 on 28 Dec., pair, at Sundale (KG).

40 on 29 Dec., five females on one of the mostly-frozen Rufus WTP and 35 along the s. side of the Columbia R., off Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; 15 of these just below the dam, upriver from the salmon chute outfall (SJ).

114 on 31 Dec., 42 off the grain elevators at Biggs Jct. and 72 along the Rufus riverfront, MP 104-109 of I-84, Sherman Co., OR (SF, CJF); data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

20 on 6 Jan., along the Hood River waterfront, off The Hook and the “factory” at base of The Hook (BMcK, SJ).

>6 on 8 Jan., at lower Deschutes River, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

2 daily during 3^rd week of Jan. on Lake Will-be-gone, along Bates Rd. (DG, RG).

1 on 23 Jan., female, on tiny pond at n. side of the I-84 w. bound onramp from hwy 197 at The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, at ~16:00 (SJ).

25 on 29 Jan., off Bargeway Ln., Biggs Jct., Sherman Co., OR, at ~16:00 (SJ).

100 on 6 Feb., counted on Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, late morning (SJ).

Barrow’s Goldeneye >13 on 29 Dec., s. side of the Columbia R., off Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR. At least 6 drakes distant, at ne. end of mid-river island; there may have been some hens in with this mixed flock of ducks (SJ).

121 on 31 Dec., all but one on the Columbia R. off the grain elevators at Biggs Jct., Sherman Co., OR; one was further upriver between MP 104-109 of I-84. Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC data (SF, CJF).

>9 on 2 Jan., along n. side of the Columbia R., 5 drakes, 1 hen between Miller Is. and the hwy 97 bridge; 2 drakes off Maryhill SP; and 1 hen in the vicinity of Peach Beach campground/RV park (KH, DPA, SJ).

~45 on 4 Jan., in the lower reach of the White Salmon R., up to ~250 m. north of the hwy. 14 bridge, on the Klickitat / Skamania Co. line (DPA, SJ).

12 on 5 Jan., one hen off Spring Creek Nat’l Fish Hatchery, 7 just s. of the Little White Salmon Nat’l Fish Hatchery on Drano L., and 4 at the Wind R. mouth: 2 n. and 2 s. of the hwy 14 bridge—all noted during the USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, all in Skamania Co., WA (DPA, SJ).

2 on 8 Jan., male and female, seen along lower Deschutes River, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

3 on 29 Jan., drakes, off Bargeway Ln., Biggs Jct., Sherman Co., OR, at ~16:00 (SJ).

Hooded Merganser – 4 on 4 Dec., females, on Bingen’s marina, late afternoon (SJ).

4 on 6 Dec., one female, 3 male, on winter wetland, s. side of the I-84 e. bound exit 25, leading in to Rooster Rock SP, Multnomah Co., OR, at ~10:40 (BH, SJ).

5 on 24 Dec., two male, 3 female, in Boat Works Basin, Hood River waterfront, at 16:15 (SJ).

9 on 25 Dec., one male, 8 female, in the V Cove along the Bingen riverfront, at 09:30 (SJ).

1 on 26 Dec., drake, at the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:15 (SJ).

8 on 4 Jan., one hen, 3 drakes in the White Salmon R. mouth, one pair on Bingen Pond, and 2 on the s. side of Rowland L., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. east to The Dalles Dam in WA (DPA, SJ).

18 on 5 Jan., counted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. down to Bonneville Dam, all in Skamania Co.: 13 on Drano L. and 5 hens n. of the hwy 14 bridge at mouth of the Wind R. (DPA, SJ).

2 on 23 Jan., drake and hen, at e. end of Chamberlain L., at 15:00 (SJ).

11 on 3 Feb., eight female/imm. on Outlet Creek in Conboy Lake NWR, just upstream from the Lakeside Rd. crossing, ~2.3 miles se. of Glenwood, and 2 male, 1 female on Glenwood Millpond, 3 miles e. of Glenwood (CJF, SJ).

4 on 20 Feb., a pair flushed just downstream from the Glenwood Hwy. crossing of Outlet Creek, then flew overhead , moving w-sw toward Glenwood millpond (now with the dam out), at 16:12, and 2 female-plumaged birds were diving in Outlet Ck. just upstream from the Lakeside Rd. crossing, at ~16:35 (SJ).

2 on 24 Feb., pair, on a small pond in Hay Canon a mile s. of the Monkland Rd. intersection, n. Sherman Co., OR (TA, DG, SJ).

4 on 28 Feb., two pair, on Lake Will-be-gone, along Bates Rd. (DG).

Com. Merganser – 15 on 1 Dec., one drake off the V Cove and 14 diving in the slushy waters of Bingen Pond (SJ).

18 on 4 Dec., on Bingen Pond in late afternoon (SJ).

3 on 25 Dec., two male, 1 female, in the V Cove along the Bingen riverfront, at 09:30 (SJ).

3 on 26 Dec., two drakes, 1 hen, at the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:15 (SJ).

3 on 31 Dec., at the mouth of the John Day R. at LePage Park, Sherman Co., OR; data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

2 on 8 Jan., both drakes seen together along lower Deschutes River near the mouth, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

4 on 23 Jan., two drakes fishing, 2 hens loafing, on Chamberlain L., at 14:15 (SJ).

28 on 1 Feb., only 7 drakes, on Northwestern L.; most were loafing just downriver from the park, but 3 hens were preening on a little gravelbar at the mouth of Buck Creek (SJ).

Ruddy Duck – 2 on 26 Dec., females, in the Klickitat R. channel just s. of the RR crossing, at the confluence with the Columbia R., Lyle, at 16:15 (SJ).

4 on 1 Jan., one drake, 3 hens, along the Hood River waterfront, to n. and ne. of The Hook—one hen actively diving, the others loafing with heads tucked—in late afternoon sunshine (CC, SJ).

4 on 2 Jan., two hens, 1 drake on Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP; one hen on pond back of the shore near Cliffs park, downriver from John Day Dam (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., drake, diving in Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront, at 13:02 (BMcK, SJ).

1 on 6 Feb., hen, Horsethief L. in Horsethief Lake SP, at ~11:00 to 11:10 (SJ).

1 on 19 Feb., drake, in Boat Works Basin along the Hood River waterfront, at ~12:50. Some rufous feathers are molting in on the upperparts and the bill is a dull sky blue, not yet the electric sky blue of full breeding condition (SJ).

Chukar – 18 on 6 Feb., heard first, in the Columbia Hills IBA, rangeland with scree in the Avery area, at 14:55 (SJ).

10 on 11 Feb., e. bank of the Deschutes River Canon, n. of Mack’s Canon, Sherman Co., OR (KG, ER).

1 on 26 Feb., heard-only, calling from s. slope of Burdoin Mtn., above E. Franklin St. between Cedar and Pine streets, Bingen, at 15:08 to 15:10. There has been a covey on this slope for several years now (SJ).

Gray Partridge – 8 on 18 Dec., along Dalles Mtn. Rd., during the Lyle CBC (KG).

2 on 27 Jan., flush across Middle Rd., less than a mile n. of the “Y” jct. with East and Roosevelt Grade roads, at 12:28 (DL, SJ).

Ring-necked Pheasant – 5 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, “probably escapees from the farm a mile down the road” (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

2 on 11 Dec., cocks, along Schreiner Farms Rd., Murdock; possibly released birds? (BR, SJ).

3 on 18 Dec., flushed from brush (Russian olive dominant) along 3^rd Ave. at F St., Dallesport, during the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

11 on 4 Jan., all cocks, one at MP 81 of hwy 14, e. of Murdock, and 10 along Tidyman Rd. at nw. corner of the airport lands, Dallesport (DPA, SJ).

12 on 2 Feb., cocks, along Tidyman Rd., airport lands in Dallesport; recent release?? (SJ).

Ruffed Grouse – 1 on 20 Feb., brown tail, flushed along Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR, at 13:13 (SJ).

Wild Turkey ~90 on 10 Dec., three flocks of approx. 30 birds each, along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR. “ – the snowy landscape made these turkey flocks really stand out. One of the flocks was in flight with an Am. Kestrel giving chase.” (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

~130 on 11 Dec., just s. of Lonerock, s. Gilliam Co., OR; “presumably recently released (?)” (CK, PS).

12 on 4 Jan., at Cleveland (KG).

12 on 10 Jan., along w. bank of the lower Klickitat R., ~0.5 mi. n. of Fisher Hill Rd. crossing (KG, ER).

1 on 21 Jan., only one tom this time, along the 79.2 mile route C of the Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR; 6.25 hours (CC, DoL).

>32 on 3 Feb., in two flocks along Glenwood Hwy: a dozen + a few miles n. of the Klickitat R. bridge, at ~14:25, and ~20 in the Klickitat Wildlife Area, flying over the hwy above the treetops, at 15:45 (CJF, SJ).

California Quail – 30 on 1 Dec., foraging on / under snow-laden weeds se. of the jct. Shore Dr. and W. Lakeview Blvd., just nw. of Bingen Pond (SJ).

On 10 Dec., “several large flocks” along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route (KS); from OBOL.

On 10-11 Dec., “many” along the Gilliam Co. raptor routes, “but no Chukar or Grey Partridge” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

3 on 19 Dec., on the shoveled sidewalk at BSI, Bingen—looking for food; surrounded by a foot of fresh snow (SJ).

25 on 21 Dec., at the Dufur Ranger Station, along the 79.2 miles of route C, Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR; 6.25 hours (CC, DoL).

>50 on 27 Feb., at feeder in Odell, Hood River Co., OR, at ~09:30. Coming to grain purposely scattered on the ground (SJ).

Com. Loon – 1 on 3 Dec., n. side of the Columbia R., on a small secluded bay s. of hwy. 14, just w. of the mill at Home Valley, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

2 on 18 Dec., above The Dalles Dam, on the WA side of the Columbia R. (JM, SJ): Lyle CBC.

1 on 31 Dec., on n. side of the Columbia R. several miles downstream from John Day Dam; bird was working its way upstream and was observed at close range during Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (KG, ER).

1 on 31 Dec., on s. side of the Columbia R., off Giles French Park below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; data for Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

1 on 5 Feb., above The Dalles Dam, on WA side of the Columbia R.; not closely observed and it was more or less in silhouette, but ID is solid (SJ).

1 about 3 weeks ago, at the end of Feb., in the Bingen marina (BMcK); information relayed 14 Mar. 06.

Pied-billed Grebe – 1 on 1 Dec., HY with dark horizontal stripes on face, just se. of the V Cove spit on the Bingen riverfront; 1 on 25 Dec. in the V Cove (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., on Bingen Pond (SJ).

11 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of the Lyle CBC: 2 at upstream boatlaunch site at The Dalles Dam; 9 in Spearfish L. vicinity (1 on pond at entry rd. in to Spearfish park, 7 on upper and 1 on lower lakes) (JM, SJ).

6 on 24 Dec., along the Hood River waterfront, 3 in boat works basin & 3 in the marina, 16:03-16:11 (SJ). Areas further w. were not checked, such as Waucoma Basin.

1 on 28 Dec., on the pond at Sundale, n. of the RR tracks at the mouth of Chapman Creek (KG).

18 on 4 Jan., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. east to The Dalles Dam, WA side of the river (DPA, SJ).

21 on 5 Jan., counted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge from mouth of the White Salmon R. down to Bonneville Dam, Skamania Co., WA; noted singly or in twos (DPA, SJ).

3 on 22 Jan., in the V Cove along the Bingen riverfront, at 16:15 (SJ).

3 on 25 Feb., lined up in Bingen Pond, at 17:50 (SJ).

2 on 25 Feb., one in Boat Works Basin, one in Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront (SJ).

Horned Grebe – 1 on 1 Dec., just se. of the V Cove spit on the Bingen riverfront (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., loafing in Bingen’s marina (SJ).

2 on 25 Dec., at the mouth of the V Cove, along the Bingen riverfront; one there 28 Dec. (SJ).

6 on 29 Dec., loafing together, 3 with heads tucked and 3 bathing and preening, s. side of the Columbia R., alittle downriver from the Rufus grain elevators, Sherman Co., OR, at ~16:15 (SJ).

51 on 1 Jan., off the n. side of The Hook, along the Hood River waterfront, at days end; 37 “roosting” with 45 Com. Goldeneyes and 13 scaup. Fourteen others moving upriver toward this roosting raft: 2, 2 and 10 (CC, SJ).

4 on 4 Jan., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. east to The Dalles Dam, WA side of the river (DPA, SJ).

21 on 5 Jan., scattered along n. side of the river, noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. west to Bonneville Dam, 09:00 to 16:13 (DPA, SJ).

4 on 25 Feb., along Hood River waterfront, from The Event Site w. to The Hook, ~16:35 (SJ).

Eared Grebe – 1 on 26 Jan., on the Columbia R. at the Hood R. mouth, diving off nw. shore of huge sandbar (water levels very low today) at w. side of the confluence, at 16:15. This is the first record for winter 2005-06 (SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., off n. side of The Hook, Hood River waterfront, at 16:20 (SJ).

Western Grebe – 1 on 18 Dec., above The Dalles Dam, only one in the Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

2-3 on 24 Dec., along the Hood River waterfront, 2 off the Hood R. mouth and later 1 in boat works basin, 15:25 – 16:25 (SJ). Areas further w. were not checked, such as The Hook.

3 on 26 Dec., at the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:20 (SJ).

34 on 4 Jan., scattered along n. side of the river, noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. east to The Dalles Dam (DPA, SJ).

57 on 5 Jan., scattered along n. side of the river, noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. west to Bonneville Dam, 09:00 to 16:13 (DPA, SJ).

25 on 11 Jan., loaf just w. of the big sandbar on w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth at 15:15 (SJ).

13 on 25 Feb., loafing n. of the Luhr-Jensen plant on the Hood River waterfront, at 16:35 (SJ).

Double-crested Cormorant – 3 on 1 Dec., two on a dolphin e. of the V Cove are HY; a 3^rd flew in to adjacent waters on the Bingen riverfront. Two HYon same dolphin on 4 Dec., in late afternoon (SJ).

On 18 Dec., at about 16:40, there were no cormorants roosting or coming in to roost at their usual spot on the three steel transmission towers just above The Dalles Dam on the WA side of the river (JM, SJ).

1 on 28 Dec., at Rock Creek boat launch, Corps of Engineers park, Klickitat Co. (KG).

124 on 5 Jan., counted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge from the White Salmon R. mouth down to Bonneville Dam, in Skamania Co., WA: The largest number (105) were loafing on a long, low, and narrow rock islet above Bonneville Dam, at 15:15. Other small flocks included 9 on a tiny islet in Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, 5 on Little Ashes L., and a total of 4 on Drano L. (DPA, SJ).

Pelagic Cormorant – 1 on 12 Jan., seen flying by over the Columbia R. at Chinook Landing Marine Park, Interlachen, just w. of the Sandy R. delta, Multnomah Co., OR (SS); this is just a short distance w. of the w. end of the Columbia River Gorge area covered by this phenology. It is a long ways upriver for this seacoast denizen.

1 on 6 Feb., “at the cormorant roost on the rock reef just downstream from the mouth of the Sandy River, in Clark Co., WA., I spotted a Pelagic Cormorant fly out of the nearly one hundred cormorants that roost on the rocks and power transmission towers on the reef. I assume that this is the same bird that was seen earlier just a few miles upstream of this communal roost. Unfortunately the vantage point for this reef is on Georgia-Pacific's Lady Island which is closed to the public” (WC).This is at the far w. end of the Columbia R. Gorge. Gleaned from Tweeters.

Great Blue Heron – 2 on 1 Dec., along the Bingen riverfront—one loafing on dolphin e. of the V Cove and 1 flying e. from the V Cove spit, at 15:50 (SJ).

1 on 18 Dec., on pasture lands at The Dalles municipal airport, just se. of Dallesport Rd. at Hill St., Dallesport (JM, SJ) Lyle CBC.

10 on 29 Dec., loafing on high ground among sparse low vegetation, shrubs, on small island in mid-river, off Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR, at 15:17 (SJ).

16 on 5 Jan., counted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge from mouth of the White Salmon R. down to Bonneville Dam, Skamania Co., WA: two singles at Spring Creek Nat’l Fish Hatchery and at Tunnel L., and 7 each roosting along the ne. shore of Drano L., and on a steep-mounded, little island above Bonneville Dam (DPA, SJ).

2 on 3 Feb., one in flight along Troh Lane, and one along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., both in Conboy Lake NWR and vicinity, the latter on the ground in a meadow (CJF, SJ).

5 on 5 Feb., four perching on the rock rubble of The Dalles Dam, upstream OR side, scoped from WA; at least 3 of these flew s. to loaf there when a big barge (The Umatilla) passed by going upriver near the n. shore. Three herons had been loafing in a good-sized alder s. of the RR tracks and of Spearfish L., near the mouth of a long skinny backwater. Saw 3 fly in front of the barge heading for dam rock-rubble, but one of the 3 in the tree remained, so there had been 4 on the WA side (SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., seen flying away from a small goldfish pond in a backyard along NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon (SF, CJF); heron also visited small ponds in two yards along nearby NW Lincoln St. (KA, fide CJF).

Great Egret – 1 on 13 Jan., at Steigerwald Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA; viewed from hwy. 14 (RS, PtS, KK).

1 on 11 Feb., at Rooster Rock SP, on the slough on the s. side of I-84, Multnomah Co., OR (AM).

Black-crowned Night-Heron – 3 on 24 Dec., one HY, 2 adults, at Boat Works Basin, Hood River waterfront (SJ).

5 on 1 Jan., three adults, 2 SY birds, roosting in the same spot along the shore of Boat Works Basin on the Hood River waterfront, during the Hood River CBC, at 14:54 (CC, SJ).

3 on 3 Jan., two adults, one SY, Boat Works Basin, at 11:40 (BH, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., adult, roosting in usual spot, Boat Works Basin, at 12:42 (BMcK, SJ).

1 on 14 Jan., SY bird, roosting at Boat Works Basin, at 17:03 (SJ).

2 on 21 Jan., an adult & a SY bird, roosting at Boat Works Basin (CC, DoL).

5 on 26 Jan., three adults, 2 SY birds, roosting at the same spot in and under (1 adult perching on rocks) alders and false indigo at Boat Works Basin, at 15:48 (SJ).

4 on 30 Jan., two each, adults and SY birds, roosting at the same spot in alders and false indigo at Boat Works Basin, at16:58 (SJ).

4 on 11 Feb., again two adults, 2 SY birds, roosting in alders out of the wind at Boat Works Basin, Hood River waterfront, at 15:49 (SJ).

6 on 25 Feb., three each, adults and SY birds, 5 roosting low in alders, one in false indigo, out of the slight e. wind, at Boat Works Basin, at 14:55 (SJ).

As far as I can tell, this is the first documented overwintering by Black-crowned Night-Herons in the Columbia R. Gorge.

Bald Eagle – 1 on 1 Dec., adult, along the Bingen riverfront; it flew n-nw. over n. bank of the Columbia R. (apparently crossing the river from OR), circled Bingen Pond once, then flew back to se., passing the Lunch Grove, then angling e. toward the riverfront crane, heading upriver along the n. bank, at 14:35-36 (SJ).

2 on 2 Dec., adults, along Jewett Creek, seen from window in the new Klickitat County office building at e. edge of White Salmon (DG, RG).

1 on 3 Dec., adult, at Hamilton Island, North Bonneville, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

1 on 6 Dec., adult, flying e. over I-84 at MP 34.5, near the Ainsworth SP exit, sw. of Dodson, Multnomah Co., OR , at ~10:15 (BH, SJ).

6 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, 2 ad. & 1 dark imm. along the south central route (CJF, SF) and 2 ad. & 1 imm. (2-3 year old) along the northeast route (BH, DL).

5-8 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of the Lyle CBC: 3 adults and 1 imm. in flight over n. shore of the Columbia R. above The Dalles Dam at 08:45; and 1 ad. flying upriver at Doug’s Beach St. Pk. later in the day. Additionally, single adults were seen in flight 3 times in the Dallesport area, possibly involving some of the same birds (JM, SJ).

1 on 29 Dec., 2^nd or 3^rd yr. bird, in cottonwood on n. side of RR embankment at e. end of Chamberlain L., at 12:25 (SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., adult, perched in cottonwood on n. side of I-84, in the slough at MP 107, between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR; data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

2 on 31 Dec., adults perching in tree across field to w-nw. of Rimrock Rd., ne. of Goldendale, ~13:00; later see an adult flying ne. over Woodland Rd., at 15:30—likely one of 2 seen earlier along Rimrock Rd. (BL, TA, SJ).

4 on 2 Jan., two adults in flight over n. side of the Columbia R., just s-sw. of Spearfish L.; one imm. at Horsethief Lake SP; and an adult that stooped on 20 some coots along the n. shore of Miller Is. (at 13:17), hovering close over the diving coots for a minute or so (KH, DPA, SJ).

12 on 4 Jan., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from the White Salmon R. mouth east to The Dalles Dam in WA, 09:13 to 15:53, as follows: an imm. atop conifer along hwy 14, e. of the White Salmon R. mouth; 2 imm. flying n. of hwy 14 at high point in the road, between MP 68-69, e. of Bingen; 2 adults in a tree near Hewett L.; 3 imm. in a cottonwood at e. end of Chamberlain L.; one adult flying e. to north of the Klickitat R. mouth, at Lyle; one adult in a snag at Doug’s Beach SP; an adult on snag to nw. of MP 80 along hwy 14; and an imm. carrying prey (fish?), flying downriver over n. bank of the Columbia, s. of Dallesport Rd. (DPA, SJ).

4 on 5 Jan., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, from White Salmon R. mouth west to Bonneville Dam: an imm. diving down low over the water a couple times, to se. of the White Salmon R. mouth ~09:05; imm. flies w. to e. over entrance road in to the Little White Salmon hatchery, 10:54; one (age ?) flying up the w. side of the Wind R. at its mouth, at mid-day; and an adult flying w. to e. past the Stevenson cemetery, flying n. of hwy 14, at ~13:05 (DPA, SJ). All but the first were in Skamania Co., WA.

2 on 6 Jan., adult pair, perching side-by-side in cottonwood top at ne. corner of Wells Is., not far from the big new nest in cottonwood there, at 12:53 (BMcK, SJ).

2 on 7 Jan., adults, flying over NE Tohomish St., e. of Town & Country Square in White Salmon (JaE, PM).

4 on 9 Jan., one imm. at the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at ~12:30 and 3 (one adult, age of other two ?) in cottonwood grove at e. end of The Dalles Waterfront Park, along the n. side of I-84, at ~12:45 (BS).

1 on 15 Jan., a white-belly subadult, at the ne. margin of the big sandbar on the w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth, near Lyle, at 14:24 (SJ).

2 on 20 Jan., adults, during The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Route B, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

1 on 23 Jan., adult, atop cottonwood at e. end of Chamberlain L., at 15:00 (SJ).

1 on 24 Jan., imm., in flight over the Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena, Wasco Co., OR; at one point it was pursued by a raven (DS, BR).

2 on 24 Jan., imm. and adult, circling in flight over s. rim of Horsethief Butte, imm. at 11:49 and adult later at 12:11. The latter moved on w. toward Horsethief L. (SJ).

1 on 26 Jan., adult, perching in conifer just e. of the nest in Douglas fir top e. of Hood River, at 12:23. Viewed from Bingen Point (SJ).

2 on 27 Jan., an adult flying se. to nw. over Bickleton Hwy just e. of the jct. with Fenton Lane, at 08:52, and a subadult (probable 2^nd year bird) flapping e-se. to w-nw. over East Rd., 2.2 mi. to n. of the jct. with Sixprong Rd., at 12:55 (DL, SJ).

4 on 29 Jan., all imm./subadult, one at w. end of Chamberlain L. (eating dead fish near e. end of mudbar at tip of peninsula there) at 11:37, and 3 on big sandflat at w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth at Lyle, at 11:50-56 (SJ).

7 on 2 Feb., six at Chamberlain L. and the Klickitat R. mouth, at 13:35, including a pair of adults perched <1 ft. apart in a cottonwood along the sw. shore of the lake, near the w. end; and a subadult perched in a dead willow at Doug’s Beach SP at 14:15 (SJ).

3 on 3 Feb., one imm./SY with extensive white on belly, in cottonwood w. of Troh Lane, ¼ mi. s. of the jct. with Lakeside Rd., se. of Glenwood; 1 SY perched in a pine on the e. side of BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., 0.3 mi. s. of Glenwood; and an adult in a cottonwood on the e. bank of the Klickitat R., in the Klickitat Wildlife Area at Stinson Flat (CJF, SJ).

9 on 5 Feb., four adults, 3 imm., & 2 unknown age, along the 41 mile raptor route in the w. end of the Columbia Hills IBA: hwy. 14, Dalles Mountain Rd., Uecker Rd. and Centerville Hwy. Two of the adults were perching together in a dead conifer well up on the e. facing slope of a side canon that drops down into Swale Creek Canon at the sharp right angle bend in the latter, at 16:35 (SJ).

3 on 8 Feb., one ‘white-belly’ imm. in cottonwood on n. side hwy 14 at e. end of Hewett L., MP 73, at 09:38; and 2 adults in a conifer snag to n. below the deep curve in Centerville Hwy at the crossing of a side canon above the right angle bend in Swale Creek Canon. At 14:54 one adult flew in from s-se. to join the other; neither were present at 14:48 when I first checked this tree shortly after stopping here. By 15:43 pair are perching on the same side branch <1 m. apart. No doubt this is the same pair that was seen in this snag on 5 Feb. (see above) (SJ).

1-2 on 11 Feb., adult, flying n-ne. over hwy 14 at Steigerwald L. NWR, Clark Co., WA, then circling to n-nw., at 09:30; and an adult on some tiny perch just barely sticking up out of the water in a lake out in the refuge, at 09:34, viewed from the paved entry road (SJ).

1 on 12 Feb., along the Deschutes R., Deschutes River State Recr. Area, Sherman Co., OR (PM).

7 on 24 Feb., one adult, 5 imm. and 1 unknown: 2 imm. (one white-belly) in cottonwoods along s. side of hwy. 14 at Hewett L., an adult & 3 imm. perched in cottonwoods at the e. end of Chamberlain L. at 07:00, and 1 unknown flying down the Columbia R., seen from The Dalles bridge at ~07:30 (TA, DG, SJ).

2 on 24 Feb., adults, along s. side of the Columbia R., found during the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route: one e. of Biggs Jct. at 07:51, and one w. of Biggs Jct. at 15:47 (TA, DG, SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., perching in cottonwood at ne. tip of Wells Is., not far from new nest, Hood River waterfront, at 16:15. The old nest has a bright green thatch of fresh-growing grass visible on the rim now (SJ).

N. Harrier – 1 on 3 Dec., female or HY, foraging over the Bingen marina (CJF, SF).

1 on 4 Dec., female or HY, in direct flight w. to e. over open land e. of Bingen Pond at a height that’s at

least twice treetop level (ie., not hunting), continuing e-ne. toward hwy. 14 and the s. slope of Burdoin Mountain, in late afternoon in fading light (SJ).

2 on 10 Dec., on the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

5 on 10 Dec., on the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

4 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

7 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

6 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, 3 along the south central route, from Wishram Rd. e. to John Day Dam Rd. (CJF, SF), 1 male along the Centerville Valley route, in dense fog (CC, TA), 2 along the northeast route, male & female in vicinity of Ferguson Rd. pond (BH, DL).

1-2 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC circle: HY male at nw. corner of the airport and later male at corner of 3^rd Ave. and F St., possibly the same bird (JM, SJ).

1 on 25 Dec., HY bird, at Bingen Pond, perched and hunting along w. side, 09:35-11:00 (SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., HY bird, along No. 4 Rd., 0.5 mi. w. of Fenton Lane “T” intersection, the only one found in ne. sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC, in foggy, rainy conditions (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

7 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

7 on 20 Jan., during The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Route B, Wasco Co., OR; 1 pair displaying courtship behavior (SF, CJF).

2 on 20 Jan., both female/imm., one along Gordon Ridge Rd. and one along Lone Rock Rd., the only ones seen in a 73 mile drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR, 09:10 to 16:10 (SJ).

3 on 21 Jan., found along the 79.2 mile route C of the Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL).

4 on 25 Jan., all males, found along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45 to 15:50. Three along Medler Ln., 1 along Herin Ln. (TA, SJ).

2 on 27 Jan., SY birds, one along Schrantz Rd. 0.5 mi. south of the intersection with Van Nostern and Brannon roads (this is < 2 mi. e-ne. of Dot), and one along East Rd., 0.8 mi. to se. of the jct. with Coleman Rd. (this is 3.5 mi. to se. of Bickleton) (DL, SJ).

8 on 24 Feb., found along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:32 to 15:45. Possible pair to s. of Medler Ln.; the only other female on a fencepost to w. along Hay Canon Rd.; and one sex unknown (TA, DG, SJ).

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1 haunting birdfeeder environs in early winter, along N. Columbus Ave., to s. of the Little Klickitat R., in Goldendale (DL).

1 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mi. Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); from OBOL.

1 on 18 Dec., adult, in riparian at an orchard pond in Dallesport, Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on ~31 Dec., perched in solitary, bushy young Big-leaf Maple along Shore Dr. at sw. corner of Bingen Pond (BMcK).

Cooper’s Hawk – 1 on 1 Dec., HY bird, flew n. to perch near top of Lombardy poplar along Shore Dr. at jct. with W. Lakeview Blvd., just nw. of Bingen Pond, at 13:40; excellent scope views. It was attracted by covey of 30+ California Quail, foraging in weeds bent down by snow (SJ).

3 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco, Co., OR (CC, DoL); from OBOL.

2 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS). No accipitres were found along the n. Gilliam Co. raptor route on 10 Dec.; gleaned from OBOL.

2 on 11 Dec., one in vicinity of the Avery boat launch site (CJF, SF), the second at the n. end of Oak Creek Rd., atop the “Chukar Ridge” overhead sign, at 13:03. Oak Creek Rd. parallels Fivemile Creek here (BR, SJ), both during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, along the west end route.

1 on 25 Dec., HY bird, perched in willows and young cottonwood at s. end of Remnant Wetland, at ~08:40, and later at sw. corner of Bingen Pond, ~10:10 (SJ). Probably this same SY Cooper’s was seen 2 Jan. at 09:10, perching atop a blackberry patch adjacent (to e.) the spot where it was seen Christmas morning (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., imm., in vicinity of the grain elevators at Biggs Jct., Sherman Co., OR; data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

1 on 7 Jan., along NE Hood St., White Salmon (JaE, PM).

1 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS). No accipitres were found along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route on 7 Jan.; gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 8 Jan., SY bird, flies from trees on w. side of Bingen Pond to Lombardy poplar on s. side, at 14:30; it has a bulging crop. Half an hour later see this bird flying sw. over the V Cove spit and on out over the Columbia R. to perch a couple minutes later in an oaktop atop Stanley Rock, Koberg Beach SP, Hood River Co., OR (where visible in scope), 15:07-09. I think this is the same (male? judging by size) bird that I’ve been seeing hereabouts: 1 Dec., 25 Dec., and 2 Jan. It apparently has a bi-state winter territory! (SJ)

1 on 11 Jan., SY (male?), flew in to cottonwood stub at sw. corner of Bingen Pond, carrying a small bird prey item; flew on with it into dense willow brush nearby, may have cached it (or dropped it?), re-emerged and, in a minute or two, flew off, at 16:58. Looks like same bird I’ve been seeing around the pond since 1^st Dec. (SJ).

1 on 20 Jan., adult, during The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Route B, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

1 on 25 Jan., adult, on utility poles along the RR tracks and Old Hwy. 30, between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, at 07:55. It was actively hunting, moving from one pole to another, but skipping a few poles between perches; this was the only Accipitre noted during the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45-15:50 (TA, SJ).

2 on 26 Jan., a SY bird and an adult, the former perching at mid-level in a cottonwood at The Lunch Grove, moving e. to a pole next to the Bingen riverfront’s crane, 11:10 to 11:15+, and the latter perched in the crown of a big cottonwood on the e. side of Bingen’s marina at 12:16 to ~12:23 (SJ).

1 on 5 Feb., adult with full crop, bare riparian tree (box elder?) along Swale Creek at Warwick (SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., adult, on utility poles along the RR tracks and Old Hwy. 30, between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, at 07:48. Again, the only Accipitre found during the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:32 to 15:44, and very likely the same individual as found last month, on 25 Jan. (TA, DG, SJ).

N. Goshawk – 1 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 16 Jan., adult, “with a nearby flock of Wild Turkeys in Tygh Valley,” Wasco Co., OR (TL); gleaned from OBOL.

Accipitre, sp. – 1 on 4 Dec., perched in branches at top of cottonwood, e-ne. shore of Bingen’s marina, at 14:42. It was gone before I could scope it, a medium-sized bird (SJ).

1 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 18 Dec., fly by in Dallesport subdivision, small-medium size, a different bird than sharp-shin identified a bit later, Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 28 Dec., HY bird, flew e-ne-n. from willows to perch near top of a young cottonwood at s. end of the Remnant Wetland, immediately n. of The Lunch Grove, along Bingen’s riverfront: when it perched, rear view, tail was quickly fanned out and wings dropped and fanned too (drizzly, rainy day); tips of rectrices wet, a little matted—dark subterminal band with narrow, pale whitish tips to rects; white spots on scapulars, sides of back; when it flew on to ne. (flying low) it appeared to have a largely unmarked, pale whitish belly with some sparse, fine, dark streaking—glimpsed in side view of flying bird. My hunch is male Cooper’s (SJ).

2 on 3 Jan., both on the small side of medium, one flew into a dead tree along the s. shore of Bingen Pond at 10:58; the other was spotted in the top of a deciduous tree along Odell Hwy. alittle s. of MP 1, Hood River Co., OR, at ~12:57, in the rain (BH, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., perching atop deciduous tree in Hood R. riparian, just below the hwy 281 / Tucker Rd. bridge; this is closeby the Apple Valley Country Store, ne. of the jct. with Odell Hwy, Hood River Co., OR. Rear view of this small-medium sized accipitre, in poor lighting (nearly silhouetted against the sky) in steady light rain; within half a minute it stooped steeply down toward the river where lost to view, at 12:02 (SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., flying fairly high up, n. to s. over hwy. 14 and the RR tracks, at Bingen at 16:28. Either Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s (DG, SJ).

Red-tailed Hawk – 1 on 1 Dec., w.m. adult, perched in dead willowtop at ne. corner of Bingen Pond, at 16:11 (SJ).

26 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); from OBOL.

35 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

18 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

24 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

59 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, 4 in dense fog along the Centerville Valley route (CC, TA), 18 along the south central route (CJF, SF), 20 along the w. end route, including 2 pairs perching close together (~6-9 inches apart) at different sites, one pair in a pinetop, the other on a utility pole cross arm (BR, SJ), 17 along the northeast route, including 3 pairs perching together at different sites (BH, DL).

7 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC, two twice, others noted singly—some repeat counting possible as birds were flying around (JM, SJ).

1 on 18 Dec., partial albino adult, along Old Hwy 8, just w. of the Major Creek crossing; it’s plumage was estimated to be about 50 % albino and the tail was pale whitish-rusty (BH, et al).

1 on 1 Jan., partial albino adult, circling over hwy I-84, just e. of the weigh station near Starvation Creek SP, Hood River Co., OR; it’s plumage was estimated to be 80 % albino and the tail was pale whitish-rusty (BH).

7 on 4 Jan., noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge, between the White Salmon R. mouth and The Dalles Dam, in WA: one in flight over w. end of SDS Lumber Co., Bingen; 2 in flight over Bingen Pond; one s. of MP 81 along hwy. 14, w. of Murdock; and at least 3 along hwy. 197, from MP 2 south to The Dalles bridge. One of these may have been a Harlan’s (see below) (DPA, SJ).

23 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

11 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

32 on 20 Jan., found along route B, The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR; “maintaining presence at nest territories & some displaying courtship behavior” (SF, CJF).

17 on 20 Jan., only one a SY bird, noted in a 73 mile drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR, s. as far as Lone Rock and Harmony, 09:10 to 16:10 (SJ).

49 on 21 Jan., found along the 79.2 mile route C of the Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR; “many perched as pairs. Two birds were carrying sticks” (CC, DoL).

1 on 22 Jan., adult, circling at the brink of dusk (17:15) out over the n. shore of the Columbia R. at the Bingen riverfront crane and the adjacent dolphins. Earlier, at about 16:40, an adult called for a minute or two, from the top of a big cottonwood along the e-se. shore of nearby Bingen Pond, as I approached from the west; then it flushed, moving north. (SJ).

3 on 23 Jan., one SY bird flew in from w. to Ponderosa Pine on n. bank of the Columbia R., s. of hwy 14 (~1/3 mi. <MP71), at 13:54, one adult flying toward cliffside (historic) nest at e. end of Rowland L., at 14:00, and one adult flying w. atop cliffs n. of Chamberlain L., just <MP 75, at 14:12 (SJ).

2 on 24 Jan., pair made up of a SY bird and an adult, circling in courtship flights, adult footdragging very close to the SY mate, diving together, etc., at Eightmile Creek cliffs on both sides of hwy 14 in vicinity of MP 87.5, at 13:10 and again at 14:20. Recent-looking stick nest on cliff may be theirs (SJ).

39 on 25 Jan., found along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45 to 15:50. Seven apparent or obvious pairs noted, sometimes perching or flying in close proximity to nests (TA, SJ).

5 on 27 Jan., only five were seen in a 48.65 mile loop survey s. and se. of Cleveland and Bickleton, bounded on the w. by Dot Rd. (but including Gadeberg Rd.), on the s. by Schrantz and Middle roads, and on the e. by East Rd., 09:35 to 16:15. Two birds were paired, perching together on a utility pole. In addition a soaring, circling Buteo, sp. was seen far in the distance. Three red-tails were noted on utility poles along Bickleton Hwy between Goldendale and Dot Rd., but these were casual observations while driving to and from the survey area (DL, SJ).

4 on 3 Feb., observed along roads in the Conboy L. NWR / Glenwood area and along the Glenwood Hwy. se. to Crofton Prairie along hwy 142, a stretch of road <50 miles (CJF, SJ).

12 on 6 Feb., found during a 24 mile survey, including Oak Creek Rd. and hwy. 14 from Dalles Mountain Rd. east to Wishram, 08:10 to 17:20, in the Columbia Hills IBA. Six birds were in 3 pairs (SJ).

1 on 12 Feb., partial albino, “…. but [we] swung in to Viento State Park area momentarily while en route. That's when Eileen spotted a white raptor in a treetop about 125m away....an albino adult Red-tailed Hawk, with a slate-colored nape patch. Eventually it flew and we were able to see a rusty tinge to the tail feathers, otherwise mostly white! A rather neat surprise” (ER, KG). This is in Hood River Co., OR, and may well be the same bird noted by BH on 1 Jan. (see above).

33 on 24 Feb., found along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route, 07:32 to 15:45. Nine apparent or obvious pairs noted, usually in close proximity to nests; no incubating bird/s observed. The SY bird found on 20 Jan. (see above) just e. of Moro was seen again on the same or an adjacent utility pole (TA, DG, SJ).

Harlan’s (Red-tailed) Hawk – 1 on 18 Dec., on utility pole along the road above Fifteenmile Creek, near Petersburg, at e-ne. edge of The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, found during the Lyle CBC; it flew off toward the orchard there (DG, BeS, JoM, RG).

1 on 4 Jan., tentative ID, perched on utility pole at jct. Dallesport Rd. and hwy 197, n. of The Dalles bridge. It was seen closeby, briefly, from inside the pickup: immediately noticed overall very dark, blackish-brown plumage with coarse creamy white streaks on the breast (they really “stood out”); when it flew off, noted some whitish flecking in plumage of wings and body. Watched it alight on another utility pole further s. in the distance, near the n. bank of the Columbia R.; when tail was fanned it looked dingy, light-medium brownish, browner than the rest of plumage, but no detail was visible at that distance through vehicle windows. In less than a minute another Red-tailed Hawk flew in from the w. and displaced the dark one; the latter flew off w. and soon dropped from view below the n. bank of the river, at ~15:50; might also be SY dark morph Red-tailed Hawk? (DPA, SJ).

Ferruginous Hawk – 1 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route; “beautiful! (at top of Blalock Canon)” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route; “beautiful! (at Condon sewage plant)” (CK, PS); from OBOL.

1 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route—“beautiful! (at top of Blalock Canon)” (CK, PS); from OBOL.

Rough-legged Hawk – 1 on 5 Dec., “in the air above the field” along the e. side of Bates Rd., a little n. of the jct. with N. Major Creek Rd., seen “on my morning walk” (DG).

2 on 9-10 Dec., along Bates Rd., from vicinity of Lake Will-be-gone e-ne. to fields n. of the jct. with N. Major Creek Rd. One of these birds was present last winter too; it’s a d.m. bird with banded tail, very slightly paler head and dark blackish plumage overall, but with a big white spot on nape and a few buffy streaks on breast. Some of these marks suggested Harlan’s, but the jizz of this bird seems to indicate rough-leg, including the small-bill and small darker eye patch (“Egyptian eyes”) on dark head (DG). One is likely the same bird noted above on 5 Dec.

3 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); from OBOL.

4 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

16 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route. “Compared to November…we saw many more Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons -- they seemed to have arrived” (CK, PS); from OBOL.

8 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills, 2 along the Centerville Valley route (CC, TA), 2 along Centerville Hwy. 1.7 mi. w. and 0.6 mi. e. of Harms Rd., along the w. end route (BR, SJ), 4 along the northeast route (BH, DL). Visibility greatly hampered by dense fog in the Centerville Valley.

6 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

10 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

1 on 16 Jan., n. of Shaniko Jct. along hwy 197, Wasco Co., OR (TL); from OBOL.

5 on 20 Jan., along route B, The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

5 on 20 Jan., noted during a 73 mile drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR, s. as far as Lone Rock and Harmony, 09:10 to 16:10 (SJ).

12 on 21 Jan., along the 79.2 miles of route C, Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR; half this number were seen along Friend Rd. There was also one Buteo, sp. seen (CC, DoL).

8 on 25 Jan., along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45 to 15:50. In addition, two Buteo, sp. were noted (TA, SJ).

3 on 3 Feb., one female, Conboy L. NWR, scoped in a tree along Camas Ditch to w. of the BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd. crossing; one male 2 miles e. of Glenwood on a utility pole n. of 151 Glenwood Hwy; and 1 female/imm. flying n. over Crofton Prairie to e. of Glenwood Hwy, 0.42 miles ne. of the jct. with hwy. 142. A fourth Buteo, a black individual, flew by over Crofton Prairie at 16:00, a few minutes after the ‘light morph’ bird, and was thought to be a probable rough-leg as well. The latter two may well have been heading for a communal roost (CJF, SJ).

2 on 5 Feb., one along Trout Lake Creek Rd. near Elk Meadows RV Park entrance, and one over “downtown” Trout Lake (KG).

11 on 24 Feb., along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route, 07:32 to 15:45. Nine were concentrated in the agricultural fields from Gerking Canon at Wasco-Rufus Rd. (1 at 08:26) east to the Emigrant Springs area: Medler Rd. (4), Oehman Rd. (2) and Emigrant Springs Rd. (2). One hovered along Sandon Rd., then flew east through a phalanx of wind turbines ~10:30; and the last was in Hay Canon ~1/4 mi. s. of hwy. 206 at 10:38. Also the carcass of a Rough-leg female or imm. was examined at the jct. of Biglow and Emigrant Springs roads: feathered legs and tail still intact, but bones picked clean (TA, DG, SJ).

Golden Eagle – 2 on 3 Dec., adult & imm., “circle-soaring together at MP 8.4 of hwy. 142,” about 1 ½ mi. s. of Pitt along the Klickitat R. (CJF, SF).

1 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

3 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co., OR, raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

4 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

3 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

2 on 14 Jan., one imm. & one adult, at Swale Creek canyon, ~ 3mi. w. of Harms Rd. (KG, ER)

3 on 20 Jan., one imm. & 2 adults, found during The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, along Route B, Wasco Co., OR, the pair “soaring over historic nest site” (SF, CJF).

1 on 29 Jan., scoped on stt off to e. of Dalles Mtn. Rd., 2 mi. sw. of the top (at driveway entrance to microwave towers), on s. slope of the Columbia Hills IBA (SJ).

1 on 11 Feb., “On our hike yesterday [11 Feb] we encountered a Golden Eagle (imm.) flying at close range from the top of McCall Point at about 11:30. We were looking down on him at first, what a beautiful sight!” This is upslope to w-wsw. of Rowena in Wasco Co., OR (BL, TA, et al).

1 on 11 Feb., adult soaring over east rim of Deschutes River canyon, n. of Mack’s Canyon, Sherman Co., OR (KG, ER).

2 on 12 Feb., pair, along the Deschutes R., Deschutes River State Recr. Area, Sherman Co., OR (PM).

3 on 12 Feb., an adult & 2 subadults, sw. of Cleveland, in flight over/beyond the Cleveland Shrub-steppe NAP, just w. of the Dot Rd. jct. with Bickleton Hwy. (~1.6 km.), at ~14:15 (two) and ~14:25 (a subadult); all were flying northward, suggestive of spring migration. The 14:25 bird was being harassed by a calling raven that eventually turned around and flew back to the s-sw. (DL).

Am. Kestrel – 12 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR. Also of interest: “One of the flocks [of about 30 Wild Turkeys] was in flight with an Am. Kestrel giving chase.” (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

8 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

11 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

17 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route. “Compared to November, we saw fewer Am. Kestrels -- presumably they have migrated through” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

23 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, 8 males along the south central route (CJF, SF), 10 along the w. end route—eight are males, the other two less closely studied = sex ? (BR, SJ), 4 along the Centerville Valley route, 3 male, 1 female (CC, TA), 1 along Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd., part of the northeast route (BH, DL).

2 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC: one male along Tidyman Rd. near nw. corner of the airport, another hovering s. of the corner 3^rd Ave. & F St., Dallesport (JM, SJ).

2 on 1 Jan., one on utility wires along hwy. 14 abreast of the Underwood Fruit Company warehouses, at the w. edge of Bingen, in early a.m. and again at mid-day; and one male atop cottonwood at e. end of Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront, at ~15:45. The former was outside the count circle, but the latter was included in the Hood River CBC totals (CC, SJ).

1 on 2 Jan., male, atop small tree (alder?) along the riverfront access road at Bob’s Point, s. below the Maryhill Museum of Art (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 3 Jan., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

4 on 4 Jan., seen along roads while conducting USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, along WA side of the river, from the White Salmon R. mouth east to The Dalles Dam. Three of these were males, the 4^th sex unknown: male atop stack of pallets at Underwood Fruit, eating prey; one flyby at Locke L.; male along Tidyman Rd. and another male on utility wires at RR crossing along Old Ferry Rd., the latter two near Dallesport (DPA, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., male, flew n. from deciduous tree at sw. corner of Bingen Pond at 09:28. Later, at 10:10 see him again, this time on planted tree along W. Lakeview Blvd., n. of Bingen Pond (BMcK, SJ).

8 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

18 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

1 on 15 Jan., female, on utility wires along hwy 14 immediately w. of Murdock, at MP 81.65 (SJ).

9 on 20 Jan., found along route B, The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

11 on 20 Jan., three female, 5 male, 3 unknown; noted in a 73 mile drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR, s. as far as Lone Rock and Harmony, 09:10 to 16:10 (SJ).

11 on 21 Jan., all but 3 were males, along the 79.2 mile route C of the Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co. OR, 6.25 hours (CC, DL).

18 on 25 Jan., three female, 1 unknown sex, the rest males, along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45 to 15:50 (TA, SJ).

3 on 27 Jan., two males, 1 unknown, along a 48.65 mi. loop s. and se. from Cleveland and Bickleton, 09:35 to 16:15 (DL, SJ).

2 on 20 Feb., pair, perching close together on utility pole crossbar along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., in the Gilmer Creek Valley near the one-room, abandoned schoolhouse, e. of the jct. with Oak Ridge Rd., ~08:50 (SJ).

22 on 24 Feb., six females, 10 males, 6 unknown, along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route, 07:32 to 15:45 (TA, DG, SJ).

Merlin – 1 on 1 Dec., female-plumaged bird, perched atop the big walnut at ne. corner of Cherry and E. Humboldt streets, Bingen, Klickitat Co., WA; keeping an eye on flock of 25 Brewer’s Blackbirds on utility wires <one block to the n., where there’s a bird feeder, 13:07 to 13:23+ (still there when I move on). Has deep chestnut sides with white spots, white breast and upper belly coarsely streaked with deep chestnut, a thin pale superciliary (not present above lores though), at least 2 pale thin bars visible on dark underside of tail (none visible on upperside, although view is less than optimal), and dark brown upperparts. Fine, sparse drizzle falling steadily, grey skies and 2 ½ to 3 inches of new snow on the ground; no wind (SJ).

1 on 3 Dec., at Hamilton Island, North Bonneville, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

?1 on 4 Dec., fly by going e. to w. over Harbour Dr., passing n. end of the Remnant Wetland, to perch in a dead tree at the se. corner of Bingen Pond: pretty sure it was a Merlin, but it moved off before I could scope it. Hawk’s tail seemed too short for Sharp-shin and showed 2-3 narrow whitish bands when it perched. I.D. tentative (SJ).

? 1 on 10 Dec., seen during the Wasco Co. raptor run, along route C ?? (CJF, SF).

1 on 10 Dec., along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 25 Dec., male, perching in trees around the mouth of Bingen’s marina, including atop a small shrub out on the rocky islet just offshore, actively hunting in the morning (JA).

2 on 4 Jan., brief calling heard first (somewhere between kestrel and peregrine in quality), then see two, one chasing the other, flying from s. to n-nw. over the w. end of Rowland L., disappearing between the trees. Within a minute one is seen flying back to the south a little to w. of the lake, at 13:10 (DPA, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., female/imm. taiga, perching atop isolated, dead-top cottonwood n. of Woodworth Dr., w. of the RR crossing and e. of creek riparian woodland; this is 1.5 mi. n. of Parkdale, Hood River Co., OR. Frontal view in steady light drizzle at 11:39; coarse deep brown streaking on pale breast and upper belly, with whitish spots on dark flanks (BMcK, SJ).

1 on 7 Jan., s. of Arlington along hwy 19; part of the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS).

1 on 8 Jan., also s. of Arlington along hwy 19, this bird 14 miles further s.; part of the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route. These two Merlins were “the first I've [PS] ever seen in Gilliam county” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

Peregrine Falcon – 2 on 1 Dec., atop the steel transmission tower at se. corner of the SDS timber stacks, and at w. side of the V Cove mouth, along the Bingen riverfront, at 14:00; after a min. or two, female flew downriver for a couple hundred m., then turned round and flew back to perch on a different arm at top of the tower, nearer the male; by 14:28 the male had moved to tip-top of tower and female had left. Female, conspicuously larger than male, has wide blackish moustache, with white extending up onto cheek between moustache and nape; male has all dark helmet or hood (SJ).

1 on 3 Dec., adult, Bonneville Dam, Skamania Co., WA. “As we were sorting gulls [below the dam] an ad. Peregrine Falcon came swooping in and stirred the gulls to give us in-flight looks in case we might have missed something good” (MB, KK).

1 on 7 Dec., perching at the sw. corner of the s. tower on the Hood River toll bridge, seen from moving vehicle crossing from OR to WA at 15:50 (BH, SJ).

1 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, along the south central route in vicinity of hwy 14 at Stonehenge Dr., n. of Maryhill (CJF, SF).

2 on 25 Dec., pair perching for awhile atop the steel transmission tower at the se. corner of SDS timber stacks, along the Bingen riverfront (JA).

1 on 31 Dec., flushed from perch atop pole on n. side of Old Hwy 30 between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR, around 10:40/45 and seen again half a mile further e. at 15:30 (SF, CJF); data for Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

1 on 1 Jan., probable male, perched with wings spread and tail fanned (damp/wet feathers), in dead tree along Mosier Creek upstream from the Old Hwy 30 bridge, at ~15:00, Mosier, Wasco Co., OR; falcon was missing 2 rectrices on one side of the tail (JA).

1 on 4 Jan., adult, near Lyle, at 15:00 (DPA, SJ).

1 on 20 Jan., along Route B, The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

1 on 5 Feb., heard-only, calling from cliffs near Lyle (SJ).

1 on 12 Feb., over the Columbia R.: “Around 2 pm heading south on the bridge to Hood River, and a Peregrine flies in front of us heading upriver, then banks around and cruises up to eye-level with our vehicle, just 20 m away, heading parallel to our course at a similar speed” (ER, KG).

1 on 19 Feb., flying in to perch on a tower of the Hood River toll bridge over the Columbia R., seen from moving vehicle while crossing the bridge (DG, RG).

Prairie Falcon – 1 on about 1 Dec., chasing birds right in Glenwood, near the old county shop (HC). Information from a telephone conversation with HC on 14 Dec., exact date unknown, but it was “a couple weeks ago.”

1 on 3 Dec., HY, at the Bingen marina (MB, KK). This is a first record for the Bingen riverfront.

2 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route. “The first…was sitting on a pole next to Hwy 197-216 where Oak Springs Road takes to the east - about 6 miles south of Tygh Valley. The second was seen about the middle of Back Walters Road which runs north-south near Pine Grove” (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

7 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route. “Compared to November…we saw many more Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons—they seemed to have arrived” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

5 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA: 3 sightings along the w. end route, one on util. pole along Centerville Hwy., 1.5 mi. w. of Harms Rd., at 10:20; one flew to util. pole along Oak Creek Rd. ~0.15 mi. w. of Dalles Mtn. Rd., at ~12:55; one nw. of Smithville nearly 3 hours later and 1.5 mi. to w. of the Oak Creek Rd. sighting—very possibly the same bird (BR, SJ). Also 3 along the northeast route, one each along Chamberlain-Goodnoe, Oak Flat and Hoctor roads (BH, DL).

1 on 18 Dec., at Dalles Mtn. Rd. pursuing flock of horned larks during the Lyle CBC (KG, ER).

2 on 2 Jan., one preening on utility pole just s. of the Tidyman Rd. vernal wetlands, Dallesport, at 09:55, and one on utility tower w. above Spearfish Lake, n-ne. of The Dalles Dam, at ~10:25 (KH, DPA, SJ).

2 on 4 Jan., one along Bickleton Hwy ~12 mi. e. of Goldendale, and one along Newell Rd., just w. of Dot Rd. (KG).

3 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL. None were reported for the n. Gilliam Co. raptor route on 7 Jan.

1 on 20 Jan., along Route B, The Dalles-Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR (SF, CJF).

2 on 20 Jan., one along Gordon Ridge Rd., one along Lone Rock Rd.; noted during a 73 mile drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR, s. as far as Lone Rock and Harmony, 09:10 to 16:10 (SJ).

1 on 21 Jan., along Hill Rd., found during the 79.2 mile drive along route C of the Dufur winter raptor survey in Wasco Co., OR; 6.25 hours (CC, DoL).

1 on 25 Jan., atop utility pole e. of Gordon Ridge Rd., half way between the jct. with Van Gilder Rd. and hwy 206, at 15:28; this was the only one noted along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route (TA, SJ).

1 on 27 Jan., flushed from a utility pole along Dot Rd., 0.35 mi. north of Dot, at 10:36. Eight minutes later one was encountered on a utility pole along Schrantz Rd. 0.4 mi. east of Dot, possibly the same bird (DL, SJ)? Of interest in light of todays record/s were encounters with a Prairie Falcon in these same two stretches of road during raptor surveys last winter (2004-05).

1 on 29 Jan., on utility pole along Stringstreet Rd., 1.42 mi. s. and w. of hwy 97 at Davies Pass and 0.77 mi. e. of jct. with Dooley Rd., in the Klickitat Valley (SJ).

2 on 5 Feb., one atop stt to se. of Dalles Mountain Rd., 2 1/3 miles sw. of the highest point in the road, at 13:20, and one on utility pole cross arm on s. side of Swale Creek just upstream from the Centerville Hwy bridge at Warwick, at 15:00 (SJ).

Virginia Rail – 1 on 4 Dec., heard only, calling ‘oinking’ series of notes, twice, along e. shore Bingen Pond (SJ).

1-2 on 25 Dec., heard only, calling ‘oinking’ series, possibly duetting, ne. margin of Bingen Pond (SJ). Since the snow and ice have melted, the pond’s water level has flooded up into the cattails and reed canary grass along the margins. No rails have been seen or heard during this high water time (as of 8 Jan.); have they departed?

1-2 on 25 Feb., heard-only, calling ‘oinking’ series, in vicinity of e-se. corner of Bingen Pond, at ~17:50. So, some are still around—or have returned? (SJ).

Am. Coot – 8 on 1 Dec., two on Bingen Pond (slushy water), 6 just se. of the V Cove spit (SJ).

43 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

~1135 on 25 Dec., strung out along the Bingen riverfront, from the V Cove e. to the crane, 08:05 – 08:20 (SJ).

200 on 28 Dec., at mouth of the V Cove, Bingen riverfront, 16:40-45 (SJ).

600-700 on 29 Dec., rough est., along the n. side of the Columbia R., from MP 78 of hwy 14, east 0.35 mi. to the gauging station; this is just w. of Doug’s Beach SP.

~1250 on 14 Jan., along the Hood River waterfront, from Waucoma Basin and The Hook east to the Luhr-Jensen plant, 16:30 to 16:55 (SJ).

~1000 on 17 Jan., along Bingen’s riverfront, extending e. ward from the mouth of Bingen’s marina, 16:20 (SJ).

1 on 18 Jan., present for one day on Lake Will-be-gone, along Bates Rd. (DG).

200 on 22 Jan., swimming e. to w. from vicinity of the crane on the Bingen riverfront past The Lunch Grove at 17:12 to 17:15 (SJ).

Killdeer – 24 on 1 Dec., calling, fly e. to w. over n. side of the Columbia R., passing the V Cove, along the Bingen riverfront, at ~14:05 (SJ).

1 on 18 Dec., mudflat w. of developed part of Doug’s Beach SP, during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 25 Dec., on mowed grass along s. side W. Lakeview Blvd., just n. of Bingen Pond, late a.m. (SJ).

1 on 1 Jan., called once, on the lawn of the Hood River WTP, at 17:08 (onset of dusk) (CC, SJ).

1 on 3 Feb., at big vernal puddle in pasture, BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., <1 mi. s. of Glenwood (CJF, SJ).

1 on 7 Feb., heard only, calling repeatedly in flight over fields along Hoctor Rd., 0.7 miles e. of the jct. with Oak Flat Rd., in the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, SJ).

3 on 9 Feb., at Hood River airport’s nw. corner., ne. of Tucker Rd. at Hays Dr., Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

12 on 11 Feb., ten with grazing geese at Steigerwald L. NWR, at 10:00, and 2 at the model airplane “airport” in the Port of Camas / Washougal industrial park, at ~11:30, all in Clark Co., WA (SJ).

8 on 11 Feb., along the Hood River waterfront in late afternoon: 6 and 1at the Hood R. mouth, and one at a puddle s. of The Event Site (SJ).

2 on 25 Feb., on gravelly ground to e. of the little un-named park n-ne. of Bingen marina’s boat launch ramp—in potential nesting habitat (SJ).

1 on 28 Feb., calling at 18:20, while passing overhead at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Com. Snipe – 1 on 1 Dec., flushed from nw. corner of the Remnant Wetland, just se. of Bingen Pond; there are 2.5 inches of new snow on the ground (SJ).

1 on 17 Dec., Trout Lake Creek at Mt. Adams Recreation Rd., during the Camas Prairie-Trout Lake Valley CBC (KH, ST).

2 on 8 Jan., called, flushed from the barely-flooded, mowed rushes and grassy area just e. of the rip-rap on the s. side of W. Lakeview Blvd. and the n. side of Bingen Pond, at 13:33 (SJ).

Shorebird, sp. – 20-25 on 24 Dec., seen flying w. to e. over n. side of the Columbia R., scoped from the Hood R. mouth at 15:34. These were medium-sized shorebirds, about the size of Killdeer (which it seems likely they were; see Killdeer on 1 Dec. above) (SJ).

Bonaparte’s Gull – 1 on 16 Jan., along the Hood River waterfront. “Today at ~15:30, I located a 1^st winter Bonaparte’s Gull just e. of The Hook…the bird was seen in flight eastward along the s. shore of the Columbia R., and then landed on the w. end of a floating raft of logs just n. of the Luhr-Jensen plant (to w. of the Hood R. mouth); it was observed there for >20 minutes. With the bird being so cooperative and Sibley in hand, I was able to rule out similar species. Upon initial observation (while it was in flight), the relatively tiny size was obvious with the naked eye, and the wing pattern was quite distinctive.” (KG)

Mew Gull – 18 on 2 Dec., mostly adult, but one 1^st winter bird, loafing at the Hood R. mouth at ~16:30 (SJ).

1 on 18 Dec., loafing with Ring-billed Gulls near the wading pool at The Dalles Riverfront Park, Wasco Co., OR; found during the Lyle CBC. Most of the time it kept it’s head tucked (DG).

16 on 24 Dec., adults, loafing at the Hood R. mouth at 15:45 to 15:50; it is possible that additional Mews were on the distant sandbar islet to n., part of the flock of 72 gulls out there (SJ).

2 on 26 Dec., adults, on big sandbar at w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:20 (SJ).

8 on 1 Jan., adults, loafing with other gulls on sandbar at e. side of the Hood R. mouth, along the Hood River waterfront at 13:45 (CC, SJ).

5 on 5 Jan., adults, perched on mostly-submerged tree/snag out in the Columbia R. to s. of the hwy 14 bridge at mouth of the Wind R., Skamania Co., WA (DPA, SJ).

2 on 26 Jan., adults, at the Hood R. mouth at 16:00 (SJ).

4 on 30 Jan., adults, at the Hood R. mouth at ~17:10 (SJ).

8 on 11 Feb., adults, at the WTP on the s. side of hwy 14 and adjacent Steigerwald L. NWR, near Washougal, Clark Co., WA, at 10:25 to 10:30 (SJ).

2 on 11 Feb., one adult, one 2^nd winter, at the Hood R. mouth at 16:10 (SJ).

13 on 25 Feb., including one 1^st winter and one 2^nd winter birds, at the Hood R. mouth, 17:15 (SJ).

Ring-billed Gull – 23 on 18 Dec., at s. side of the Columbia R., viewed from w. side of hwy 197 bridge, below The Dalles Dam, during the Lyle CBC, at 16:00 (JM, SJ).

75 on 24 Dec., including only 1 HY, at the Hood R. mouth, in two flocks on closeby sandbars; an additional 72 gull, sp. were loafing on a distant sandbar islet, possibly including some additional Ring-bills, at 15:45 (SJ).

5 on 26 Dec., on big sandbar at w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:20 (SJ).

6 on 5 Jan., one SY, rest adults, at Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, Skamania Co., WA (DPA, SJ).

>40 on 26 Jan., one SY, at the Hood R. mouth, at 16:35 (SJ).

119 on 30 Jan., (3 are SY birds), at the Hood R. mouth, at ~17:10 (SJ).

59 on 11 Feb., (one SY) at the Hood R. mouth (51), at 16:30, and on the pkg. lot at The Event Site (8), at 16:54 (SJ).

60 on 25 Feb., (3 SY—one with a bad right leg) at the Hood R. mouth, 17:15 (SJ).

California Gull – 55 on 18 Dec., at s. side of the Columbia R., viewed from w. side of hwy 197 bridge, below The Dalles Dam, Wasco Co., OR, during the Lyle CBC, at 16:00 (JM, SJ).

4 on 24 Dec., one 2^nd winter, 3 adult, loafing on closeby sandbars at the Hood R. mouth, at 15:45; a flock of 72 additional gulls were loafing on a distant sandbar islet, with possibly >10 more Californias among them—too distant for certain I.D. (SJ).

3 on 26 Dec., on big sandbar at w. side of the Klickitat R. mouth, Lyle, at 16:20 (SJ).

6 on 5 Jan., adults, 5 at the Wind R. mouth, and 1 at Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, all in Skamania Co., WA (DPA, SJ).

12 on 26 Jan., adults, at the Hood R. mouth, most swimming in shallows just out from roosting flock of gulls at nw. margin of the big sandbar on w. side of the confluence, at 16:35 (SJ).

14 on 30 Jan., adults, at the Hood R. mouth, at ~17:10 (SJ).

7 on 11 Feb., adults, at the Hood R. mouth, at 16:30 (SJ).

2 on 25 Feb., adults, at the Hood R. mouth, at 17:15. One is clean-headed, in alternate plum. (SJ).

Herring Gull – 1 on 1 Jan., adult, bathing and preening with other loafing gulls on sandbar at e. side of the Hood R. mouth, along the Hood River waterfront, at ~13:45 (CC, SJ).

1 on 11 Feb., adult, at the Hood R. mouth, at 16:30 (SJ).

Thayer’s Gull – 1 on 26 Jan., adult, at the Hood R. mouth, with >85 other loafing gulls, at 16:35 (SJ).

Western Gull – 1 on 15 Jan., a third year bird, along the Columbia R. below Bonneville Dam, North Bonneville, Skamania Co., WA; “sitting on the concrete where the fish are released from the hatchery” (KK).

Glaucous-winged Gull and hybrids –

14 on 18 Dec., at s. side of Columbia R., below w. side of the hwy 197 bridge, below The Dalles Dam (JM, SJ).

41 on 25 Feb., at the Hood R. mouth, 17:15. This total may include a Thayer’s or Herring, as the gulls were not closely scrutinised, were scoped from the ne. corner of The Event Site, across the mouth of Boat Works Basin (SJ).

Rock Pigeon – 2 on 1 Dec., one on utility cable e. of E. Franklin and Cherry streets, and 2^nd on nearby roof—both in vicinity of a Bingen bird feeder (SJ).

23 on 18 Dec., along RR tracks e. of The Dalles Dam, Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

Mourning Dove – 1 on 8 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

10 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, along the w. end route; small flock flushed from the ground and adjacent rock outcrop on slope along Avery Rd., near the boat launch site (BR, SJ).

1 on 19 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

51 on 31 Dec., in Oregon sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC circle, including 40 perched in a hardwood tree, on wire, and railroad tracks on the n. side of I-84, between MP 104-109; 8 at Giles French Park below John Day Dam; and 3 along Old Hwy 30, between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR (SF, CJF).

21 on 31 Dec., in ne. sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC circle, including 20 in a yard with a feeder at the ne. corner of Rimrock Rd. at Reimer Rd., ne. of Goldendale, and 1 to n. of Bickleton Hwy, e-ne. of town (BL, TA, SJ).

4 on 20 Jan., flew in to a tree along the creek at the jct. Crites and Hay Canon roads, at Harmony, Sherman Co., OR, at 16:10 (SJ).

Barn Owl – 1 on 4 Dec., female, in willows at s. end of the Remnant Wetland, nw. of the crane on the Bingen riverfront and immeiately n. of The Lunch Grove, about half an hour before dusk. She flew just over the treetops in 5 or 6 short flights from one tree perch to another, at which time I could see that upperside of flight feathers was tawny buff. When perched, I could see that breast too was tawny buff and her heart-shaped face dingy buff, not pure white (SJ).

1 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route; “in its usual cliff hole”(CK, PS); from OBOL.

1 on 2 Jan., in willows of the Remnant Wetland, along the Bingen riverfront, at 09:05-09:10, roosting 8-10 m. from a Long-eared Owl; this is the same spot where female was seen 4 Dec. (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 5 Jan., in Deschutes SP, Sherman Co., OR (MLD, MD).

1 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route “in its usual cliff hole” (CK, PS); from OBOL.

1 on 6 Feb., flushed from a dense pine in Horsethief Lake SP, at noon; there are some big owl pellets below the perch owl was using (SJ).

Great Horned Owl – 1 on 11 Dec., along Dooley Rd., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA (CC, TA).

2 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route; “at usual nest site” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

2 on 13 Dec., hooting at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon, with 3 hooting (2 males, 1 female) in the early evening there on 14 Dec., and 1 on 20 Dec. (KG, ER).

2 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route “at usual nest site” (CK, PS); OBOL.

1 on 15 Jan., in oak riparian along Eightmile Creek, <1 mile upstream from the hwy 14 crossing, in the Columbia Hills IBA, at 16:22 (SJ).

Heard hooting nightly during the 3^rd week in Jan. on the n. side of Observatory Hill in Goldendale and another heard further west over toward Bloodgood Creek and Pine Forest Rd. (DL).

1 on 21 Jan., heard hooting in the s. central area adjacent Ponderosa Estates, the development a few miles n. of Goldendale between Pipeline and Pine Forest roads (DL).

1 on 21 Jan., at the Dufur Ranger Station along route C of the Dufur winter raptor survey, Wasco Co., OR; 6.25 hours (CC, DoL).

4 on 24 Feb., adults, sitting (apparently incubating; too early for brooding, I would think) in 4 different nests in trees along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route (TA, DG, SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., hooting at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

N. Pygmy-Owl – 1 in early Dec., collided with HC’s truck as he was driving in the vicinity of Conboy Lake NWR; when he stopped and started to back up to see what it was, a raven quickly dropped down and pecked briefly at the stunned bird before he reached it. It turned out to be a pygmy-owl, and the only obvious sign of injury was the spot where the raven had pecked. The little owl survived (HC). Exact date not known, but it happened “recently;” from telephone conversation on 14 Dec.

1 on 20 Feb., called in by imitation of owls’ call, to a firtop along Laurel Rd., 0.8 mi. to s. of the intersection with Kreps Lane and Trout Lake-Laurel Rd., at 09:55-10:00. Found while conducting a GBBC at Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Long-eared Owl – 2 on 28 Dec., in willows of the Remnant Wetland, just n. of The Lunch Grove, along the Bingen riverfront, at 16:00-16:15 (SJ).

1 on 29 Dec., flushed from Doug fir roost in Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; had excellent view of owl perched facing me in an adjacent D. fir, at ~15:40 (SJ).

4 on 1 Jan., in willows of the Remnant Wetland, just n. of The Lunch Grove, along the Bingen riverfront, at 11:58 to 12:20, during the Hood River CBC (CC, SJ); we had good scope views of all four owls without causing them to flush. (Much of the Bingen riverfront is in the Hood River CBC circle.)

1 on 2 Jan., in willows of the Remnant Wetland, Bingen riverfront, 09:05-09:10; roosting 8-10 m. from a Barn Owl (KH, DPA, SJ).

1 on 3 Jan., in the same spot, roosting in Remnant Wetland willows, 09:40-09:50 (BH, SJ); probably the same bird roosting in the same spot on 4 Jan. at 12:10 (DPA, SJ).

1 on 5 Jan., “in a P. Pine on the right side of the road as you drive in” to Giles French Park below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR (MLD, MD).

3 on 6 Jan., scoped at the same roost in the Remnant Wetland willows, 09:34 to 09:58 (BMcK, SJ); 3 again on 8 Jan. on the exact same perches, at 11:43 (SJ).

3 on 17 Jan., scoped at the same Remnant Wetland roost; this time the middle owl had moved to a perch a little further east, closer to the eastmost bird. The other two were perched on the same (roost) willow branches, at 14:55 to 15:00 (SJ).

2 on 22 Jan., roosting on the same perches in Remnant Wetland willows at 17:08. Could not see the 3^rd middle bird this visit (SJ).

0 on 26 Jan., at their usual roost site in Remnant Wetland willows on the Bingen riverfront, at 11:25. The Port of Klickitat is excavating a building site over near the port office and that earth is being dumped this morning on the former timber stack area ~25 m. east of the Remnant Wetland. This is ~40 m. to ne. of the owls’ roost; I suspect that the loud noise and continual disturbance so closeby has frightened them off (SJ).

There have been two previous records of Long-eared Owl in the Bingen Pond vicinity, one in this same stand of willows, the other in sparse, mostly dead, willow brush on the n. side of the pond near the nw. corner

N. Saw-whet Owl – on 5 Jan., “at Deschutes State Park…in the evergreen tree just to the east of the parking lot were several fresh Saw-whet Owl pellets and some splatter, but we were unable to locate the bird!!” (MLD, MD); this is in Sherman Co., OR.

1 on 22 Jan., heard singing just after dark in the vicinity of a home along Bates Rd.; this nightly singing has been going on for about a week now (DG, RG).

Anna’s Hummingbird – 1 on 19 Jan., heard-only, singing at sw. corner of the T intersection at NE Skagit Ave. and NE Columbia St. in White Salmon, at 14:50 (SJ).

Rufous Hummingbird – “While out on the island [Lady Is., near Washougal, Clark Co., WA on 6 Feb.] I spotted my first of the year Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) blooms. For years I have associated the timing of the return of Rufous Hummingbirds with the flowering of these shrubs, but this is very early for either event” (WC); gleaned from Tweeters.

1 on 24 Feb., “I just received a report of a male Rufous Hummingbird at a feeder in Camas, Clark Co.” (WC). Gleaned from Tweeters. Camas is just a short distance w. of the confines of the Gorge.

Belted Kingfisher – 1 on 31 Dec., calling once in flight high over 130 NE High St., Goldendale, in vicinity of the Little Klickitat R. (BL, TA, SJ).

4 on 4 Jan., noted along WA side of the river during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia River Gorge, from mouth of the White Salmon R. east to The Dalles Dam. Two males and 2 heard-only: heard calling at mouth of the White Salmon R., heard calling at Bingen’s marina, male in the V Cove along Bingen’s riverfront, and male at Rowland L. (DPA, SJ).

2 on 5 Jan., male at Spring Creek Nat’l Fish Hatchery and male at Wind R. mouth n. of the hwy 14 bridge; noted during USFWS winter waterfowl survey of the Columbia R. Gorge from White Salmon R. mouth down to Bonneville Dam; both in Skamania Co. (DPA, SJ).

Williamson’s Sapsucker - 1 on 17 Dec., female, seen within 20m. toward w. end of Kreps Ln. at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during the Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC. This individual was tapping the bark close to the base of >30” dbh Douglas fir, and vocalized when initially observed ~10:30 (DG, RG, KG, ER).

Red-breasted Sapsucker – 1 on 3 Dec., Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (MB, KK).

1 on 7-8 Dec., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 12 Dec., at the s. end of Jennings Rd., Trout Lake, n. below Guler Mountain (JL).

1 on 20-21 Dec., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 3 Jan., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 14 Jan., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 17 Jan., drilling wells on the bole of a short-needle pine, the s. most one on e. side of the park next to the Bingen marina’s boat ramp, at 16:00 (SJ).

1 on 5 Feb., along Jennings Rd., Trout Lake (KG).

2 on 8 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

2 on 20 Feb., calling, on stout conifer boles along Kreps Lane, only about 25 m. apart, near the jct. with Laurel Rd., at 10:35. The first one had a barely visible “suggestion” of black markings on nape and face, while the second one was “pure,” with solid scarlet head and breast and a short white moustache; found during a GBBC done at Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

1 on 20 -25 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Downy Woodpecker – 2 on 1 Dec., male & female, calling, low in Lombardy poplar below Shore Dr., n. of the Bingen Pond pumphouse; later a possible 3^rd was heard-only calling at se. corner of the pond (SJ).

1 on 26 Feb., male, calling, waiting for me to move away from dead snag I was standing near while observing swallows from riparian at the e. side of Bingen Pond: 17:48—waiting to go to roost in snag here? (SJ).

Hairy Woodpecker – 1 on 4 Dec., male, along GPNF Rd. 8020, ¼ mi. e. of the Trout Lake “Big Tree,” Skamania Co., WA, seen chipping on a Douglas-Fir tree bole (CJF).

1 on 31 Dec., heard-only, calling on e-ne. slope of Observatory Hill in Goldendale, during the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (BL, TA, SJ).

White-headed Woodpecker – 1 on 17 Dec., male, seen in a ponderosa pine along Laurel Rd., ~ 0.4 mi. s. of Kreps Ln. at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during the Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC (KG, ER).

1 on 20 Feb., male, showed up at feeder today for the first time this winter, along Glenwood Hwy. near the Klickitat Wildlife Area’s Canon Creek Rd. (TA).

N. Flicker – 12 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

26 on 10 Jan., in a single flock along the w. bank of the lower Klickitat River, ~ 0.7 mi. n. of Fisher Hill Rd. crossing (KG, ER).

1 on 15 Jan., seen going to roost at 17:02, in a flicker-excavated hole in a 15 ft. tall oak stub along Eightmile Creek, n. of the steel transmission tower powerlines upstream from hwy 14, in the Columbia Hills IBA (SJ).

1 on 20 Feb., male, “yammering” (singing) at dead top of a Doug fir alongside Chapman Creek at the Laurel Rd. crossing, at 09:00—the first singing I’ve noted this spring; found during a GBBC done at Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Pileated Woodpecker – 1 on ~30 Nov. or 1 Dec., in yard of a home along Glenwood Hwy. near the jct. with Canon Creek Rd., opposite the Klickitat Wildlife Area, foraging in a partly-dead oak (TA).

1 on 4 Dec., female, along GPNF Rd. 8020, ¼ mi. e. of the Trout Lake “Big Tree,” Skamania Co., WA. Female “seen excavating the center of a dead Grand Fir, working near the base of the tree when I watched her” (CJF).

2 on 8 Dec., one, calling, flew in to forage on a dead pine between McConiga Rd. and the bluff to the south; a little later a second pileated flew in but didn’t perch, turned a bit and flew off to the north. This is ~1.25 mi. nw. of Lyle (BH).

1 on 19 Jan., heard-only, calling in the Jewett Creek Corridor, in vicinity of the forest trail e. below NE Skagit Ave. at NE Columbia St., White Salmon, at 14:49. Also one heard a little downstream from there earlier in the afternoon at 13:19 and 13:24, possibly the same individual (SJ).

1 on 25 Jan., female, seen up Catherine Creek canyon (KG, ER).

1 on 3 Feb., heard-only, calling in woods along the w. side of BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd. just s. of the visitors information kiosk, Conboy L. NWR, at 09:15 (CJF, SJ).

Say’s Phoebe – 1 on 31 Dec., out in the open area just nw. of John Day Dam, during the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC, at mid-day (ER, KG).

1 on 11 Feb., along the 123 mile n. Gilliam Co., OR, raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

2 on 11 Feb., one at the e. end of Tygh Valley, Wasco Co., and one at Deschutes River canyon, w. of Grass Valley, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

1 on 12 Feb., Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Sherman Co., OR (PM). (One was also seen today along Pumphouse Rd. in Toppenish NWR, Yakima Co., WA, by Kerry Turley; gleaned from Tweeters.)

1 on 15 Feb., near the bluff top, McConiga Rd., ~1.25 mile nw. of Lyle: “Saw a Say's Phoebe flycatching out my bedroom window this morning” (BH).

2 on 24 Feb., one atop big sage along Mud Hollow Rd., and one along Gordon Ridge Rd., perching atop wheat stubble at end of a sortie: both along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route (TA, DG, SJ).

1 on 26 Feb., flying n-ne. from the s. or e. side of Bingen Pond—already fairly high up when first seen—and soon lost to view against the backdrop of Burdoin Mountain (SJ).

1 on 26 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Loggerhead Shrike – 1 on 4 Dec., at the Sandy R. delta, Multnomah Co., OR; “in the field that runs east to west, and that is the second main opening off of the main trail that runs n. from the parking lot” (DM); gleaned from OBOL.

3 on 10 Dec., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co., OR, raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

2 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

3 on 8 Jan., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

4 on 11 Feb., along the 123 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); from OBOL.

2 on 24 Feb., apparent pair, in big sage above Hay Canon Rd. on w. side, to s. of hwy. 206 about 0.7 mile; found during the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route, at ~10:40/45 (TA, DG, SJ).

N. Shrike – 1 on 5 Dec., along Bates Rd., “the shrike flew from the bus stop to a tall tree” across the road from Lake Will-be-gone; it was seen “on my morning walk” (DG).

1 on 10 Dec., adult, along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); from OBOL.

8 on 11 Dec., along the 152 mile s. Gilliam Co., OR, raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

2-3 on 11 Dec., during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, one imm. along Uecker Rd. at boundary of the w. end and Centerville Valley routes (CC, TA; BR, SJ), and 1 or 2 along Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd., part of the northeast route (BH, DL).

1 on 17 Dec., adult, seen toward the w. end of Kreps Ln. at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC (KG).

1 on 18 Dec., adult, on utility wire along Dock Rd., Dallesport area, during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 7 Jan., along the 122 mile n. Gilliam Co. raptor route (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 16 Jan., at Shaniko Jct., Wasco Co., OR (TL); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 25 Jan., adult, on utility wire along Scott Canon Rd. a mile s. of the jct. with Herin Lane; this is 4.1 miles se. of Rufus, Sherman Co., OR. Two shrike (sp.?) were seen too briefly to I.D. to species, one down in a big sage along Hay Canon Rd., divebombed once by a male kestrel, and one along hwy. 97 a mile n. of the hwy 206 overpass—all during the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route, 07:45 to 15:50 (TA, SJ).

2 on 27 Jan., one in a shrub along Schrantz Rd. 2 ½ mi. e-ne. of Dot, and one on utility wires along East Rd. ½ mi. se. of the jct. with Matsen Rd. A third shrike (sp.?) was seen briefly just before it dropped out of sight from the top of a small tree 1.15 mi. further ne. along East Rd. (DL, SJ).

1 on 3 Feb., adult, Conboy L. NWR, atop a small dead lodgepole pine along Outlet Creek, upstream from the Lakeside Rd. crossing (CJF, SJ).

2 on 11-12 Feb., one each along the 123 mile n. and the 150 mile s. Gilliam Co. raptor routes (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

2 on 20 Feb., adults, along Camas Ditch on either side of the BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd. crossing, 16:55-17:00. One bird was still there in the same hawthorn at 17:20 when I passed by again as I was leaving the area. A third, seen about 2.5 miles further w-wsw., earlier (at ~14:45), scoped at a great distance from near refuge headquarters, was likely a N. Shrike too. Noted during a GBBC done at Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Hutton’s Vireo – 1 on 24 Feb., heard-only singing, in mid-afternoon, e. of Buck Creek at ~1100’ elev., ~0.8 mi. sw. of Baldy Peak, Klickitat Co. (KG).

Grey Jay – 2 on 25 Feb., along Petersen Ridge trail, ~ 2 mi. nw. of Atkisson Sno-Park, Skamania Co. (KG, ER). The sno-park is at the w. end of hwy. 141 at the Klickitat – Skamania county line, w-sw. of Trout Lake.

Steller’s Jay – 2 on 31 Dec., only 2 found in ne. sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC, at s. end of the cemetery along N. Columbus Ave. and to n. of NE High St. in Goldendale (BL, TA, SJ).

W. Scrub-Jay – 2 on 1 Dec., one atop tree at E. Humboldt and Cherry streets, Bingen, and one atop tree at the remnant wetland n. of the Lunch Grove on the Bingen riverfront (SJ).

~3 on 10 Dec., in Rufus, Sherman Co., OR. “There have been birds in Moro (the county seat, about 20 miles s. of Rufus) for a number of years, but this is the first time I've seen then in Rufus” (CK, PS); from OBOL.
0 on 11 Dec., “we did not see any scrub-jays in Lonerock, Gilliam Co., [OR], on our raptor run, in spite of having found them there last month” (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

As of 12 Dec., several regulars at her feeder along Guler Rd., Trout Lake; earlier, this summer there were 4 or 5 at a time—possibly a family group. Having regular scrub-jays is a recent phenomena, only in the last few years (LV).

11 on 18 Dec., Dallesport “sector” of Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

11 on 31 Dec., in ne. sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC circle: 3 in Ekone Park along the Little Klickitat R., 4 in vicinity of seep at s. end of the cemetery along N. Columbus Ave. and to n. of NE High St., all in Goldendale; and 4 along Foster Rd. n. of Observatory Hill (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 5 Feb., along Jennings Rd., Trout Lake (KG).

7 on 7 Feb., in Luna Gulch: six perched together in the dead top of an oak, just upstream from the Oak Flat Rd. bridge, at 10:55, and one calling, perched atop an oak just n. of Hoctor Rd., 0.8 miles e. of the jct. with Fenton Lane, at 12:02. As the crow flies, these jays were 9.5 miles e-se. and 8 miles se. of Goldendale in the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, SJ).

2 on 27 Feb., pair, together at feeder in Odell, Hood River Co., OR. When second jay arrived in feeder tree (at 09:48), the first quickly hopped up to meet it with a kernel (or part of a kernel) of corn in it’s bill, fed it to mate and flew off. In a couple moments mate ate it. At 09:56 note pair of jays perched on thick utility wire along s. side of Odell Hwy, just opposite the feeder—one crouching with head held low, equal to or lower than body, and with a few corn kernels/pieces in it’s bill. Jay moves head from side to side, offering food to mate or displaying the bounty? Mate looks interested, but makes no attempt to take food, and in ½ min. or less, the one with food in it’s bill flies to s-se., while mate remains on utility cable awhile longer. Courtship feeding in the first instance, and apparent courtship behaviour in the second (SJ).

Black-billed Magpie – 6 on 10 Dec., along the 88.5 mile Maupin raptor route (KS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 17 Dec., heard and seen toward w. end of Kreps Ln. at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC (KG).

1 on 18 Dec., heard-only, calling from orchard vicinity immediately n. of Spearfish L., during the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

3 on 15 Jan., along the w. side of Eightmile Creek, >3/4 mi. upstream from the hwy 14 crossing, in the Columbia Hills IBA, at 16:08 (SJ).

0 on 16 Jan., “No Black-billed Magpies anywhere that I could find” during a drive through Deschutes, Jefferson and Wasco counties, OR (TL); gleaned from OBOL.

4 on 20 Jan., noted in 3 places, during a 75.5 mi. drive along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

8 on 25 Jan., found in ones, twos and threes, at 5 different sites, along the 105.5 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route (TA, SJ).

3 on 27 Jan., encountered twice: 2 near the n. end of Gadeberg Rd. and one along East Rd. a mile s. of the jct. with Matsen Rd.—the only ones seen in a 48.65 mile loop s. and se. from Cleveland and Bickleton, from 09:35 to 16:15 (DL, SJ).

3 on 3 Feb., one heard calling, Conboy L. NWR, in vicinity of the visitors information kiosk along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., s. of Glenwood and 2 on fence posts at Crofton Prairie, along hwy 142 at the stt powerline crossing (CJF, SJ).

7 on 24 Feb., found along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co. raptor route (TA, DG, SJ).

Com. Raven – 23 on 27 Jan., noted along Bickleton Hwy between Goldendale and Dot Rd. (several) and along a loop of nearly 50 miles s. and se. of Cleveland and Bickleton, bounded by Dot, Schrantz, Middle, and East roads, with a concentration of >11 at a cattle pen along East Rd. a mile s. of the jct. with Matsen Rd. (DL, SJ).

20 on 24 Feb., found along the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route; mostly in pairs, but 6 circling in one spot (TA, DG, SJ).

Horned Lark – 265+ on 18 Dec., along Dalles Mtn. Rd. during the Lyle CBC, being pursued by a Peregrine Falcon and Prairie Falcon (KG, ER).

>500 on 28 Dec., in a single flock along County Line Rd., just w. of Bluelight at the Klickitat/Yakima Co. line. At least 50 others were seen along the length of Sand Ridge Rd. e. of Willow Creek (KG).

2 on 4 Jan., seen in 2 inches of new snow along Cemetery Rd., n. of Bickleton (KG).

12 on 11 Feb., foraging in sparse grass and weeds along the dirt road off Truman St. at 37^th St. in the industrial park in Washougal, Clark Co., WA, just a little w. of the Columbia Gorge Nat’l Scenic Area boundary, at 11:25. Three look to be adult males, several may be females, but most look like SY birds; the males’ “shawl” colour is pinkish-cinnamon, not dark reddish, as Sibley states for the Pacific NW race (i.e., “Streaked” Horned Lark); their faces are a lemony yellow and the merest trace of yellow is washed over the breast immediately below the black chest crescent on one male closely observed; upperparts are a pale sandy colour (SJ).

Tree / Violet-green Swallow –

2 on 18 Feb., white-bellied swallows seen in flight over the Columbia R., while driving across the Hood River toll bridge: the first swallows reported this spring in the Columbia River Gorge (DG).

Tree Swallow <20 on 25 Feb., foraging low over Bingen Pond at days end, at 17:50. Poor light, but I didn’t see any white patches at the sides of rumps (as in Violet-greens), plus the few calls heard were Tree Swallow. Watched from the s. shore; swallows were foraging along the e. and n-ne. shore (SJ).

30 on 26 Feb., again foraging low over Bingen Pond, at 17:40. I watched for 10 minutes from a vantage point along the e. shore, at closer range this evening, and right away found a Violet-green with them (SJ)..

Violet-green Swallow – 1 on 26 Feb., male, foraging low over the e. shore of Bingen Pond, with 30 Tree Swallows, at 17:40. Their activity was concentrated close to the interface between open water and the extensive cattail beds. This bird could easily have gone undetected yesterday evening, considering the distance and light conditions then (SJ).

Barn Swallow – 1 on 7 Jan., “watched…flitting about the Ball-diamonds Park in eastern greater White Salmon today (14:20); surely not a response to global warming, but a wintering individual, no?” (JaE, PM). This is along NE Tohomish St., to e. of Town & Country Square and w. above Jewett Creek.

Black-capped Chickadee – 1 on 1 Dec., in cottonwoods at the Lunch Grove, Bingen riverfront (SJ).

6 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of Lyle CBC; one flew from false indigo at the upstream boat launch site s. over the upper lock entrance toward the massive concrete bulwark of The Dalles Dam! (Crossing the Columbia R. via the dam?) Others were 2 in riparian at orchard wetlands in Dallesport and 3 at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

1 on 28 Jan., heard calling at 16:41 low in riparian brush at the s-se. corner of Bingen Pond; in a moment it was glimpsed (out of the corner of my eye) flying straight up into a small-entrance cavity on the underside of a rather slim branch of a big dead willow. Apparently going in to it’s roost cavity (SJ).

Mountain Chickadee – 2 on 31 Dec., calling, in Ponderosa Pines at sw. corner of the cemetery along N. Columbus Ave. in Goldendale, responding to pygmy owl imitations, during Col. Hills-Klick. Valley CBC (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., foraging in a big birch at the se. corner of Waucoma Basin along the Hood River waterfront, ~15:50. It was gleaning from buds of catkins-to-be, along with a Black-capped Chickadee (SJ).

Chestnut-backed Chickadee –

As of 12 Dec., more than usual numbers coming to her feeders along Guler Rd., Trout Lake; an overall impression, so far this winter (LV).

1 on 3 Feb., calling, in Ponderosa Pines along Lakeside Rd. just s. of the Outlet Creek crossing, in Conboy Lake NWR, accompanying at least 3 or 4 Mountain Chickadees and a Golden-crowned Kinglet or two, at ~11:45 (CJF, SJ).

4 on 20 Feb., in Lodgepole Pine at the Glenwood Hwy. crossing of Outlet Creek, about 4 miles e. of Glenwood, at ~16:15 (SJ).

Bushtit – 5 on 4 Dec., about 5, perhaps more, foraging in still-leafy, lower branches of a cottonwood along the e-ne. shore of Bingen’s marina, scoped from the road on sw. bank; alarm calls heard twice when an Accipitre moved from perch to perch in top of the same tree, at 14:45 (SJ).

37 on 8 Jan., seen in a single flock among sagebrush bordering riparian vegetation at lower Deschutes River, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

>4 on 25 Jan., calling, flew alongside a patch of big sage on the w. side of Henrich’s Rd. at the “Y” with Douma Rd.; this is a couple miles e. of Moro, Sherman Co., OR (TA, SJ).

On 27 Jan., “a couple flocks of Bushtits” were found at Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Sherman Co., OR (JaE, PM); nestbuilding in Big Sage has been documented there several years ago.

15 on 9 Feb., foraging along the Hood R. at the Tucker Rd. bridge, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

13+ on 11 Feb., seen along east bank of the Deschutes R., n. of Mack’s Canyon, Sherman Co. (KG, ER).

On 12 Feb., bushtits again found along the Deschutes R., Deschutes River State Recr. Area (PM).

White-breasted Nuthatch – 2 on 5 Dec., calling, at BSI, 210 N. Cedar St., Bingen; working over twin boles of one of the 4 big old locusts on s. side of the hostel bldg., at 14:51 to 15:11+. Probably one of these same two birds was heard and/or seen in these locusts on five earlier occasions, from 8 Oct. through 8 Nov. (SJ).

1 on 10 Dec., calling, in one of the big locusts on s. side of BSI, seen from room #12 window at 10:17. Heard in these locusts again at 13:32 on 19 Dec. and at 11:08 on 21 Dec. (SJ).

4 on 17 Dec., in three locations at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during the Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC (KG, ER).

2 on 31 Dec., in pines at sw. corner of the cemetery along N Columbus Ave. in Goldendale, responding to imitations of pygmy owl, during Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (BL, TA, SJ).

2 on 5 Jan., foraging in one of the big locusts on s. side of BSI, 08:42-08:47. One seen in same locusts on 8 Jan., at 08:54. And heard calling in this same row of trees on 15 Jan. at 08:49, on 18 Jan. at 10:29-10:38 and again at 15:54, and on 28 Jan. at 10:46 (SJ).

2 on 3 Feb., calling, along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., just s. of Bird Creek crossing, Conboy Lake NWR, at ~10:10 (CJF, SJ).

1 on 26 Feb., heard-only, calling along n. side of E. Franklin St., Bingen (oaks here), between Cedar and Pine streets, at 15:10 (SJ).

Pygmy Nuthatch – 3 on 31 Dec., calling some, in Ponderosa Pines at sw. corner of the cemetery, along N. Columbus Ave. in Goldendale (BL, TA, SJ). They are regulars at feeders across the street at the Carlson home, and in fact, nested this past summer in the side of the Carlson’s house, excavating their own hole and eventually fledging young; right now they roost for the night in this same cavity in the side of the house (JC).

>6 on 3 Feb., calling, foraging in pines along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., just s. of the Bird Creek crossing in Conboy Lake NWR, ~10:10 (CJF, SJ).

Brown Creeper – 1 on 4 Dec., heard-only, calling along GPNF Rd. 8020, ¼ mi. e. of the Trout Lake “Big Tree,” Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 12 Dec., at the end of Jennings Rd., Trout Lake, n. below Guler Mountain (JL).

3 on 17 Dec., in separate locations at the s. end of Camas Prairie, during Camas Prairie-Trout Lake CBC (KG, ER).

1 on 12 Jan., along Bates Rd. (DG).

1 on 3 Feb., calling, along BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd., just s. of the Bird Creek crossing, Conboy L. NWR, associating with White-breasted and Pygmy nuthatches and Mountain Chickadees, at ~10:10 (CJF, SJ).

2 on 20 Feb., one heard-only, other seen, in a couple stops along Laurel Rd., Conboy L. NWR (SJ).

Rock Wren – 1 on 27 Jan., along a cliff at Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Sherman Co., OR (JaE, PM).

Canon Wren – 1 on 3 Dec., heard-only at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

3 on 11 Dec., calling, during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA, along the w. end route; one was foraging along the eaves of the big old vacant farmhous e at the Dalles Mountain Ranch, above the Eightmile Creek riparian (BR, SJ).

1 on 19 Dec., heard-only at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

4 on 31 Jan., two along Old Hwy 30 between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, and 2 at Giles French Park below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (SF, CJF).

2 on 4 Jan., heard calling, one on cliffs at the w. end of Locke L., and one on cliffs at the w. end of Rowland L., both along hwy 14, between Bingen and Lyle (DPA, SJ).

1 on 8 Jan., heard calling and seen along the lower Deschutes R. canyon, Sherman Co., OR (KG, ER).

2 on 14 Jan., seen along Swale Creek, ~ 2 mi. w. of Harms Rd. (KG, ER).

1 on 17 Jan., heard-only, calling, at sw. Eyrie Rd. (KG).

2 on 20 Jan., heard-only, calling, one in Fulton Canon along hwy 206 and one at the jct. Hay Canon Rd. and hwy 206 (at creek bridge); noted while scouting a raptor survey route along roads in n. Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 21 Jan., heard-only, calling, at Fisher Hill Rd. bridge over the Klickitat R. (KG).

3 on 24 Jan., two calling at s. and nw. cliffs on Horsethief Butte, 11:20-11:40, and one calling later in the afternoon on cliffs e. of Eightmile Creek and n. of hwy 14 (SJ).

Bewick’s Wren – 1 on 1 Dec., heard-only, calling in brush along the s. embankment of the RR tracks, n. of Bingen Pond, at ~16:20 (SJ).

1 on 2 Dec., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG, ER).

1 on 11 Dec., along Eightmile Creek on n. side of the Dalles Mountain Rd. crossing, creeping up the lower bole of a locust, foraging in the manner of a Brown Creeper; this is state parks land in the Columbia Hills IBA (BR, SJ).

1 on 28 Dec., heard only, singing in the rain, when the sun peeps through and a rainbow arches up over the pond, in vicinity of the se. corner of Bingen Pond, at 14:54 (SJ).

2 on 3 Jan., counter-singing from e-se. and s-se. shore riparian, Bingen Pond, at 10:30 (BH, SJ).

1 on 4 Jan., singing ~ 1500 hrs at Rock Creek near jct. with Old Hwy 8, Klickitat Co. (KG).

1 on 6 Jan., heard-only singing, off to nw. of The Lunch Grove at ~09:40-45, while scoping the Long-eared Owls; sounds like bird is over along the s. shore of Bingen Pond (SJ). One seen along e. shore of Bingen Pond on 8 Jan. (SJ).

2 on 17 Jan., one scolding atop roadside blackberries at The Lunch Grove at ~15:00, and 1 heard-only, singing a couple times at 16:53, in riparian along the e. side of Bingen’s marina mouth, both along Bingen’s riverfront (SJ).

1 on 28 Jan., heard-only, singing at 16:40, in riparian at the se. corner of Bingen Pond, not far from the documented nest site of several years ago (SJ).

1 on 9 Feb., foraging in loose association with a flock of 15 Bushtits, 2 Black-capped Chickadees and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, along the Hood R., at the Tucker Rd. bridge, Hood River Co., OR; the wren was using a modified Brown Creeper foraging strategy, “creeping” vertically up the bole of the Ponderosa Pine that all these birds were feeding in (SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., heard-only, singing twice at 17:16 along the Hood R., just upstream from the mouth and n. of the Hood River County Historical Museum (SJ).

Winter Wren – 1 on 4 Dec., heard-only, calling along GPNF Rd. 8020, ¼ mi. e. of the Trout Lake “Big Tree,” Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

3 on 6 Dec., among cavities in >30” deep snow at Atkisson Sno-Park, Skamania Co., WA (KG, ER).

1 on 6 Jan., heard-only, calling closeby below hwy 281, just n. of the Tucker Rd. bridge over the Hood R., Hood River Co., OR, at noon (SJ).

1 on 8 Jan., heard-only, calling along riverbank at lower Deschutes River, Sherman Co., OR (KG).

1 on 11 Feb., heard calling and seen along the e. bank of the Deschutes R., n. of Mack’s Canyon, Sherman Co. OR (KG, ER).

Marsh Wren – 1 on 18 Dec., flushed from weeds at margin of open water along stream/wetland at orchard pond in Dallesport, during the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 25 Dec., calling, at sw. corner of Bingen Pond, seen about 5 ft. away, at ~10:10 (SJ).

1 on 1 Jan., calling, at se. corner of Bingen Pond in mostly-leafless blackberry arching over reed canary grass and a red osier dogwood, at about 10:30 (CC, SJ). This was part of the bi-state Hood River CBC.

1-2 on 8 Jan., heard-only, calling in marshy habitat in the sw. corner (at 14:38) and in the se. corner (15:51 to 16:08) of Bingen Pond (SJ).

Am. Dipper – 1 on 5 Jan., foraging at the mouth of Rock Creek, Stevenson, Skamania Co., WA; this is only a stones throw away from the n. bank of the Columbia R. (DPA, SJ).

?? 1 on 15 Jan., heard-only, calling just below Eightmile Creek falls, 50-60 m. upstream from the hwy 14 crossing, in the Columbia Hills IBA, at 15:26; this is a mile ne. of Horsethief Lake. A thorough search was made for dipper there on 24 Jan. and none was heard or seen, from the Eightmile Creek mouth upstream to the stt powerline crossing above the big waterfalls, n. of hwy 14, from 13:00 to 16:26 (SJ).

1 on 17 Jan., “having a great time in a flooding creek that was running down the Klickitat Trail just w. of Pitt,” feeding into the Klickitat R. (DB, BR).

1 on 1 Feb., at the mouth of Buck Creek, n. of the bridge over the reservoir at Northwestern L. (SJ).

Golden-crowned Kinglet – 1 on 29 Dec., calling, in pines, Russ. Olives and sycamores, Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR, at ~14:40; with a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and ½ dozen Audubon’s Warblers (SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., in Giles French Park below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR (SF, CJF).

3 on 31 Dec., in little oaks and pines atop the hill at Goldendale Observatory, during the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (BL, TA, SJ).

86 on 1 Jan., found in several flocks along Mark Hatfield Scenic Trail (Old Columbia Hwy, just e. of Hood River) from w. end trailhead to Twin Tunnels, during the Hood River CBC (KG).

>1 on 15 Jan., heard calling and glimpsed flying by in oaks along Eightmile Creek, ~1 mile upstream from the hwy 14 crossing, at 16:30. One on 24 Jan., heard calling along Eightmile Creek at Crawford’s Grove, right alongside hwy. 14 (SJ).

>5 on 19 Jan., at least 3 of which were seen hopping around on the ground, foraging as low as possible, just off the forested Jewett Creek Corridor trail; roughly, this would be due e. of the e. end NE Wisconsin St., White Salmon, at 14:00. The weather was pretty balmy for this time of year, temp. ~45 degrees F; there were a few minutes of barely-noticeable, fine sprinkling rain just before this observation (SJ).

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 7 on 1 Dec., calling, one in oaks along hwy. 14, to w. of Cedar St., in Bingen, and the others in the vicinity of Bingen Pond and along the riverfront, including 3 low in the big cottonwoods of the Lunch Grove (SJ)

1 on 2 Dec., male, foraging in top of the vine maple alongside the BSI patio, seen a couple feet away from the office window, in Bingen, at 14:07 (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., in willows at n. end of the remnant wetland, Bingen riverfront (SJ).

1 on 9 Dec., in clematis vine and briefly in vine maple on the BSI patio, seen from the office window in mid-late afternoon (BS, SJ).

1 on 18 Dec., Doug’s Beach SP, during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 25 Dec., calling, in willow brush at s-sw. corner of Bingen Pond, ~09:35 (SJ).

1-2 on 29 Dec., Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC data (SF, CJF).

1 on 8 Jan., riparian along e. side of Bingen Pond; 1 calling there again on 22 Jan. (SJ).

1 on 24 Jan., along Eightmile Creek, downstream from the hwy. 14 crossing, in Crawford’s Grove, at 14:04 (SJ).

4 on 1 Feb., between Nestor Peak Rd. and Mill Creek, in sw. most Klickitat Co., 16:05 to 16:40 (SJ).

1 on 9 Feb., foraging in a Ponderosa Pine and adjacent riparian brush along the Hood R. at the Tucker Rd. bridge, Hood River Co., OR; associating with a flock of 15 Bushtits, 2 Black-capped Chickadees and a Bewick’s Wren (SJ).

W. Bluebird – 3 on 18 Dec., in Russian olives along 3^rd Ave. near F St. in Dallesport, during the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

4 on 31 Dec., along John Day Dam Rd. near the aluminum plant, during Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (ER, KG).

10 on 29 Jan., more males than females, along Stringstreet Rd., 2 mi. se. of Centerville, foraging at margins of a vernal stream backed up s. of the road there, 0.12 mi. w. of the jct. with Eshelman Rd., at 15:05-10. They were dropping down to the water’s edge from fence posts and wires, as well as from adjacent weeds (SJ).

6 on 4 Feb., at the w. edge of the Catherine Creek site, “half a dozen” W. Bluebirds were seen today by hikers, including BL and TA.

2 on 8 Feb., male & female, along Centerville Hwy. at natural gas pipeline crossing 0.09 mile sw. of the jct. with Hartland Rd., in the Columbia Hills IBA, at 13:05. An hour earlier, a bluebird, sp. was heard calling and was briefly seen flying from utility wires next to a pole with a bluebird box on it along High Meadow Dr. on the n. slope of the Columbia Hills—probably also a Western Bluebird (SJ).

Mountain Bluebird – 4 on 28 Dec., (3 males, 1 female) ~ 4 mi. nw. of Alderdale along Sand Ridge Rd., just w. of the intersection with Alder Creek Rd. and Peterson Rd. (KG).

4 on 27 Jan., one male along fenceline at the e. side of Dot Rd., apparently a second male 0.05 mi. further s. on the w. side of the road and then we saw a pair close together on the fence there, at 09:56-58. This was 2.4 mi. to n. of Dot and 1.4 mi. n. of the jct. with Gadeberg Rd. (DL, SJ). It is entirely possible that these Mountain Bluebirds were the same 4 seen by Kevin Glueckert on 28 December (see above) 16.5 miles east of here a month earlier—a small, rare wintering flock.

1 on 12 Feb., “Took a trip over the Horse Heaven Hills today and nothing really unusual, but did note 3 N. Shrikes, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, and a female Mountain Bluebird about 2 miles south of Bickelton, the first I've seen for the year. The weather was a wonderfully clear, sunny day; reminded me more of spring than of the ending winter. Most of the Horned Larks were paired up” (SD); gleaned from Tweeters.

>2 on 26 Feb., along Old Mountain Rd., the first of spring for this area (MBC, TY).

Bluebird, sp. – 1 on 31 Dec., along Old Hwy 30 between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR (SF, CJF); data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

Townsend’s Solitaire – 1 on 31 Dec., at upright junipers growing alongside the gas station parking lot on the nw. corner of hwy. 97 at Simcoe Dr. in Goldendale, at start of the CBC (KSc, DL).

1 on 31 Dec., on utility wire above horizontal-growth junipers, some heavily laden with berries, growing on the bank along the n. side of Byers Ave. in Goldendale, ~150-200 m. to w. of intersection with N. Columbus Ave., at 11:25 (BL, TA, SJ); data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

1 on 31 Dec., in Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR, with juncos (SF, CJF); data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

1 on 27 Jan., along Middle Rd. in a juniper down the second draw s. of the Pine Creek bridge, 3.4 mi. to s. of Bickleton, at 15:55. Nearly 50 miles of roads were surveyed s. and se. of Cleveland and Bickleton, and lots of junipers were scanned, but this was the only solitaire seen (DL, SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., foraging along the e. bank of the Hood R. mouth, at 12:45. When a strolling couple came along and spooked bird, it flew nw., quickly gaining altitude, and was lost to view heading toward the riparian on e. side of Boat Works Basin’s mouth (SJ).

Hermit Thrush – 3 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of Lyle CBC: 2 calling, in Russian olives, 3^rd Ave. at F St., Dallesport, and 1 in the snowstorm, at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

1 on 25 Jan., at Catherine Creek, along creek bed ~0.25 mi. from the trailhead (KG, ER).

1 on 11 Feb., at Deschutes River canyon, w. of Grass Valley, Sherman Co., OR (KG, ER).

Am. Robin – 2 on 1 Dec., perched atop tansy seed heads, with Zonotrichia sparrows, at the Lunch Grove along the Bingen riverfront; sparrows were busy extracting seeds, but the robins were not seen doing likewise (SJ).

1 on 4 Dec., heard only, at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

2 on 18 Dec., along 3^rd Ave. near F St., Dallesport, in Russian olives, Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 29 Dec., perched atop a low crab apple (shrubby) tree, with a lot of tiny fruits, Giles French Park, Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

29 on 31 Dec., in the ne. sector of the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC, including a flock of 24 along road going n. from Bickleton Hwy a couple miles w. of Woodland Rd. (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 6 Jan., heard-only, calling on Wells Is. along the Hood River waterfront at 13:00; heard from w. end of The Hook (SJ).

30 on 7 Jan., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

19 on 8 Jan., one or two calling softly, once briefly, in flight, coming from e-ne., changing directions at The Lunch Grove to fly directly w. along the Bingen riverfront toward the V Cove, at 11:57 (SJ).

Starting about 10 Jan., robins began returning in large numbers as the snow melted in the Bates Rd. vicinity (DG).

3 on 15 Jan., calling a bit, flying n., fairly high up, on the w. side of Eightmile Creek, ~1 mile upstream from the hwy 14 crossing, at 16:45 (SJ).

23 on 1 Feb., fly-overs, between Nestor Peak Rd. and Mill Creek in sw. most Klickitat Co. (SJ).

On 3 Feb., encountered in small flocks on pastures in the Conboy L. NWR / Glenwood vicinity (e.g., 32 along Lakeside Rd.), and on Crofton Prairie (>15 along hwy 142) (CJF, SJ).

Varied Thrush –

3 on 1 Dec., one heard-only, calling, in vicinity of locusts in front of (s. side of) BSI, at 12:55; one male at base of small Lombardy poplar just n. of the pumphouse at Bingen Pond’s outlet, at ~13:55; and one male, calling, in willows at s. end of the remnant wetland, just n. of the Lunch Grove, on the Bingen riverfront, at 15:22 (SJ). The first snow of the winter, a couple inches, fell during the day on 29 Nov., but promptly melted. A total of 2.5 to 3 inches fell today, snowfall ending before midday.

1 on 14 Dec., male, at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG, ER).

4 on 31 Dec., at least 2 males, 1 female, 4^th sex ?, near top of a Ponderosa Pine at s. end of the cemetery along N. Columbus Ave. in Goldendale; this is adjacent a dense thicket growing at a seep there, with many Highbush Cranberry scattered through the thicket, bearing lots of bright red fruits—surely the attraction for these thrushes (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 29 Jan. through 1 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 15 Feb., “male, flew e. to w., low over the alley behind my place and landed on w. end of mowed field, bounded by N. Columbus Ave., Goldendale, then hopped down in the drainage ditch edge, out of site. I didn't see it leave after watching for a couple of minutes, but there are low areas that could be masked by higher ground at that end of the field,” at 14:10. This is s. of the Little Klickitat R. bridge (DL).

2 on 20 Feb., male & female, foraging with a small flock of (11) robins in ungrazed grass and forbs, with patchy snow and ice, along the w. side of Laurel Rd., Conboy Lake NWR; this is out in open country, not in forest habitat, although there are some low shrubs in the area and, a little further w., taller brush grading into forest edge, at 10:12 (SJ).

1 on 20 Feb. through 28 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Email on 22 Feb. from N. Columbus Ave., Goldendale: “On a daily basis, for the past week, throughout the day, the male [Varied Thrush] browses the field and understory leaf litter out back. He’s busy hopping around, tossing gobs of leaf clots, vigorously poking his bill to considerable depth when his head disappears in the grass, and occasionally coming up chewing and swallowing something.
There is a little conflict with the AMROs who are more numerous (who have their own territorial issues) and sort of fly "near", causing the VATH to fly up to a branch sometimes. It's funny to see a male AMRO "run" at another, with wings slightly unfolded, from sometimes 60 feet away--just to get the other one to move a few feet!

This is the first, in my observations here, that a VATH has been part of the scene. I've even seen a male (unknown if same one) on the front lawns next to me. This isn't anything like having to catch a glimpse of one for a few seconds in the dusky gloom of the woods. He's brightly lit, stands motionless for long periods in the short grass, and gives a good show of moving the leaf litter around, front and center out the kitchen window” (DL).

Am. Pipit – 9 on 1 Dec., calling, along the Bingen riverfront: at 14:12, eight flew w. to e. over the n. bank of the Columbia R. and then flew back w. a few min. later, with a straggling 9^th following at 14:16. I am just e. of the V Cove, surveying waterfowl on n. side of the river. There are 2.5 inches of new snow on the ground (SJ).

2 on 18 Dec., but perhaps up to several dozen, heard only, near a flock of Horned Larks along Dalles Mtn. Rd. on the s. slope of the Columbia Hills, during the Lyle CBC (KG).

1 on 18 Dec., at Spearfish Lake: heard calling nearby when we were on the heights above the lake’s w. side; a little later, flushed it across the lake near the e. shore—Dallesport ‘sector,’ during the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

35 on 25 Dec., calling, foraging in shallowly-flooded, matted-down reed canary grass with a scattering of brushy willows at w. and n. sides of Bingen Pond, counted (rough) when they all flew up at one time and moved to another spot (SJ).

Bohemian Waxwing – 1 in his yard in Rufus, Sherman Co., OR, earlier in Dec., “just before the cold snap” (GV); from conversation with SJ on 29 Dec.

Cedar Waxwing – 10 on 11 Dec., in Condon, s. Gilliam Co., OR (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

21 on 23 Jan., near The Hook, along the Hood River waterfront (KG).

1 on 1 Dec., calling, in oaks along the n. side of hwy. 14, between Cedar and Cherry streets, Bingen (SJ).

3 on 1 Jan., at w. end trailhead of the Mark Hatfield Scenic Trail (Old Columbia Hwy), just e. of Hood River, during Hood River CBC (KG).

1 on 28 Jan., calling, in riparian along s. shore of Bingen Pond, at 16:45 (SJ).

Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s ) Warbler – 2 on 1 Dec., calling, willows at s. end of the remnant wetland, n. of the Lunch Grove, along the Bingen riverfront (SJ).

6 on 29 Dec., calling, in Russ. olives, pines, sycamores, in Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR, at ~14:30 (SJ).

Yellow-rumped Warbler >10 on 2 Dec., calling and foraging in conifers in n. part of the park on e. side of the Hood R. mouth, and some going to roost in denser boughs, 16:25 to 16:35. Calls are loud “check” notes and ones closely observed look to be Myrtles (SJ).

~12 on 2 Dec., along trail going n. from Old Hwy. 8 on n. side of Rowland L. (BH).

1 on 4 Dec., calling, at n. end of the remnant wetland, Bingen riverfront; calls loud “check” notes that suggest Myrtle, but bird not closely observed (SJ).

9 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC: one along Dallesport Rd. at Hill St., 7 in Russian olives at 3^rd Ave. & F St. (2 of these seen close enough to call Audubon’s), and one at Doug’s Beach SP (JM, SJ).

>15 on 25 Dec., calling, foraging low, just above and at the waterline, in flooded marsh at w. and n. sides of Bingen Pond, mid-morning; flock includes both Myrtle and Audubon’s (SJ).

26 on 1 Jan., at w. end trailhead of the Mark Hatfield Scenic Trail (Old Columbia Hwy), just e. of Hood River, during Hood River CBC (KG).

1 on 23 Jan., calling, in Russian olives at F St. & 3^rd Ave., Dallesport, at 15:30 (SJ).

Spotted Towhee – 1 on 1 Dec., heard-only, calling, along w. side of Cherry St., between E. Humboldt St. and hwy 14 in Bingen; there are 2.5 inches of new snow on the ground (SJ).

10 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

5 on 31 Dec., in Goldendale: Ekone Park, 1; seep to n. of NE High St., 1; and seep along Byers Ave., 3; found during Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (BL, TA, SJ).

1 on 30 Jan., singing at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 28 Feb., male, found along Bates Rd., the first spring migrant to turn up there (DG).

Clay-coloured Sparrow – 1 on 1 Jan., at feeder at 3395 Odell Hwy in Odell, Hood River Co., OR (HN, __?); found during the Hood River CBC. This is the first documented winter record for the Columbia River Gorge.

Savannah Sparrow – 1 on 25 Dec., foraging with pipits and Yellow-rumped Warblers in flooded, matted-down reed canary grass at the marshy w. margin of Bingen Pond, at ~10:05; along with the pipits and warblers, it flew up into bushy willow when a harrier hunted through this area (SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., on a post along the s. side of Biglow Rd., driveby viewing during the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route. Seen briefly, closeby, certain I.D. (DG).

Slate-coloured Fox Sparrow – 2 on 3 Dec., Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA; “rare for this time of year” (MB, KK).

1 on 24 Jan., blackberry thicket in semi-open area adjacent Crawford’s Grove, s. of hwy 14 (at about MP 87.7) and e. of Eightmile Creek, at 14:40 (SJ).

Fox Sparrow – 1 on 4 Dec., heard singing in blackberry thicket at e. side of Bingen Pond, pre-dusk (SJ).

6 on 18 Dec., at Doug’s Beach SP, during Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

1 on 19 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

6 on 31 Dec., three at Maryhill SP and two along creek n. of gate at Maryhill Loops Rd. trail, during Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (KG, ER).

1 on 13 Jan., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 19 Jan., in yard with feeder along NE Columbia St. near T intersection with NE Skagit Ave., White Salmon, at 14:45. Has greyish wash on face; looks like intermediate between Sooty and Slate-coloured, tending a little more toward the latter, with rather fine, crisp dark streaks on underparts (SJ).

2 on 23 Jan., in wild rose and ?hemlock? weeds at F St. and 3^rd Ave., Dallesport: one has grey face and fine, crisp blackish streaks on sides and belly, breast being more coarsely streaked/marked with dark brown, suggesting Slate-coloured. Other not seen close enough to attempt finer I.D. determination (SJ).

1 on 2 Feb., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 10 Feb., seen ~0.75 mi. s. of Baldy Peak, e. of Buck Creek, at ~1800’ elev. (KG).

1 on 24 to 25 Feb., seen at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Song Sparrow – 11 on 1 Dec., at least 11 seen / heard in walk around Bingen Pond this afternoon (SJ).

21 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

4 on 19 Dec., are feeder regulars at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1 on 18 Dec., along Fifteenmile Creek at e-ne. edge of The Dalles (near Petersburg), Wasco Co., OR, during the Lyle CBC (DG).

White-throated Sparrow – 1 on 7-8 Dec., apparently a first-winter individual, at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG, ER).

White-crowned Sparrow – 15 on 1 Dec., mostly extracting seed from tansy heads at the Lunch Grove, on the Bingen riverfront, but there were a couple in blackberries on s. side of the RR tracks to n. of Bingen Pond; there are 2.5 inches of new snow on the ground (SJ).

51 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC; the largest flock was 45 at the n-nw. end of Spearfish L. (JM, SJ).

9 on 28 Dec., observed on dirt/gravel of parking lot on Bingen Point, adjacent the mouth of Bingen’s marina, in the headlights of my car at 17:00, first dark—feeding? or getting grit? No closeby brush for cover! Several were adult white-crowns; it is possible some may have been Golden-crowned Sparrows (SJ).

Golden-crowned Sparrow – 15 on 1 Dec., about five on tansy seedheads at the Lunch Grove and ~10 in blackberries on s. side of the RR tracks to n. of Bingen Pond; there are 2.5 inches of fresh snow on the ground (SJ).

2 on 10 Dec., with a flock of approx. 1000 Dark-eyed Juncos, along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

105 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC; largest numbers were at the n. end of Spearfish L. (34) and at Doug’s Beach SP (50), using blackberry thickets for cover (JM, SJ).

2 on 28 Dec., seen w/ flock of white-crowneds & juncos at Sixprong Creek along Six Prong Rd., ~2 mi. w. of the intersection with Sand Ridge Rd. and ~4 miles w-sw. of Alderdale (KG).

10 on 31 Dec., in Goldendale: 1 along NE High St.; 9 in brush at seep along Byers Ave., roughly 150-200 m. to w. of N. Columbus Ave. (BL, TA, SJ).

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco – 12 on 1 Dec., ten at feeder along E. Franklin St., e. of Cherry St., in Bingen and only one or 2 singles around Bingen Pond; there are 2.5 inches of new snow on the ground (SJ).

~1000 on 10 Dec., in one flock, along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

28 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC (JM, SJ).

Dark-eyed (Slate-coloured) Junco –

1 on 3 Dec. seen bathing in snowmelt puddle at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 10 Dec., picked out in a flock of ~1000 juncos along the 76.5 mile Dufur raptor route, Wasco Co., OR (CC, DoL); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 19 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 31 Dec., seen at Maryhill during the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC (KG).

1 on 3 Jan. to 11 Jan., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 9 Feb., at feeder along the main drag in Odell, Hood River Co., OR, 15:57 to 16:08 (SJ).

1 on 17 Jan. to 10 Feb., at sw. Eyrie Rd. feeders, White Salmon (KG).

1 on 24 - 28 Feb., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Lapland Longspur – 2 - 3 on 10 Dec., in a flock of Horned Larks on Hoag Rd., off Philippi Canon Rd., in n. Gilliam Co., OR (DeLorme Atlas, p.84, B3) (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

Red-winged Blackbird – 40 on 1 Dec., calling, atop Lombardy poplar on s. side of Bingen Pond (SJ).

>50 on 4 Dec., calling in cottonwood top, e-se. side of Bingen Pond, along with twice that many starlings, in late afternoon (SJ).

1 on 10 Dec., female, along Jennings Rd., Trout Lake (KG).

W. Meadowlark – 1 on 2 Dec., calling atop Ailanthus sapling on e. bank of the Hood R. at its mouth, dropping down to weedy riverbank adjacent to n., at 15:30; nearby lawn is almost solidly covered with snow (SJ).

3 on 11 Dec., on slope along Avery Rd. near the boat launch site, late afternoon (BR, SJ).

36 on 18 Dec., Dallesport ‘sector’ of the Lyle CBC, 30 of these flushed by off-leash hunting dogs being walked around the e. side of Spearfish L. (JM, SJ).

2-3 on 25 Dec., calling ‘wink’ notes, flushed from shallowly-flooded, matted-down reed canary grass at marshy n. margin of Bingen Pond, at mid-morning (SJ).

4 on 13 Jan., at Steigerwald Lake NWR, Skamania Co., WA (RS, PtS, KK); from Tweeters.

1 on 11 Feb., perched atop a sapling at the w. end of The Event Site on the Hood River waterfront, at 17:00. There were strong e. winds in The Gorge today. This is not a wintering site (SJ).

Brewer’s Blackbird – 40 on 1 Dec., ten flew n-ne. to join 25 on utility wires along E. Franklin St. e. of Cherry, closeby a Bingen birdfeeder; a few were on util. wires with starlings at the S. Maple St. RR crossing, and a couple called in the flock of 40 red-wings atop a Lombardy poplar on the s. side of Bingen Pond (SJ).

100 on 18 Dec., foraging in the snow around a horse box along Tidyman Rd., Dallesport, during the Lyle CBC—apparently on spilt grain (JM, SJ).

~90 on 28 Dec., were seen w/ a few red-wings at Old Lady Canyon along Old Hwy No. 8 (KG).

Brown-headed Cowbird –

2 on 18 Dec., male and female, along Tidyman Rd., Dallesport, during the Lyle CBC; foraging in the snow around a horse box, apparently on spilt grain, with 100 Brewer’s Blackbirds (JM, SJ).

4 on 3 Jan., two males, two females, at a bird feeder in Odell, Hood River Co., OR, at 12:34. They were keeping company with a mixed flock of ~100 Brewer’s and Red-winged blackbirds, the former easily outnumbering the latter (BH, SJ).

3 on 6 Jan., females, at bird feeder in Odell, Hood River Co., OR, at ~10:45 (BMcK, SJ).

7 on 9 Feb., one male, 6 female, at same bird feeder in Odell, at ~15:45 (SJ).

2 on 27 Feb., one male, one female, at same bird feeder in Odell, at ~09:30 (SJ).

Red Crossbill – 1 on 20 Feb., calling, flew overhead along the Willard Springs Trail at Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Pine Siskin – absent this fall and early winter, at their feeders at the n. end of Guler Rd., Trout Lake; this has been true for some time. Last winter there were lots. From a 14 Dec. telephone conversation with LH.

Essentially absent at birdfeeder along N. Columbus Ave., to s. of the Little Klickitat R., in Goldendale, this fall and early winter; one siskin was at the feeder one day only during fall migration (DL).

1 on 8 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon, with three there a week later (KG).

2 on 19 Jan., calling a bit, in little fruit tree along NE Field Ave. just n. of intersection with NE Green St. in White Salmon, ~14:35 (SJ).

2 on 22 Jan., continuing as regular feeder visitors through the remainder of the winter at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

1 on 23 Feb., calling, perched on corner of gymnasium bldg., BSI; flew to locust top nearby, then continued e., at 09:25 (SJ).

Lesser Goldfinch – 2 on 2 Dec., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG, ER).

18 on 9 Dec., coming to feeding station on Lyle Point (BH, L&RH, SJ).

10 on 10 Dec., feeding on chicory along the w. side of Bates Rd., about ¼ mi. n. of the jct. with N. Major Creek Rd. (DG).

2-3 on 10 Dec., at the first ranch w. of Olex on Middle Rock Creek Rd., n. Gilliam Co., OR (DeLorme Atlas, p.84, B4) (CK, PS); gleaned from OBOL.

1 on 29 Dec., calling, in flight over Giles French Park, below John Day Dam, Sherman Co., OR; flying sw. toward Rufus, at ~15:40 (SJ). GV says he has lots coming to his Rufus feeder.

52 on 31 Dec., foraging in a birch along s. side of NE High St., a couple 100 m. to e. of the intersection with N. Columbus Ave. in Goldendale; they moved to the backyard at this home and some immediately began feeding on the abundant chicory there (BL, TA, SJ). Last winter, 14 on 1 Jan.’05, in chicory near the entry to Ekone Park in Goldendale were the first I’d seen in the city (DL, SJ).

1 on 31 Dec., male, along Old Hwy 30 between Biggs Jct. and Rufus, Sherman Co., OR (SF, CJF); data for the Columbia Hills-Klickitat Valley CBC.

3 on 25 Jan., at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG, ER).

8-10 on 7 Feb., perched in a hawthorn just n. of Hoctor Rd., 1.2 miles e. of the jct. with Fenton Lane and 8.5 miles se. of Goldendale, as the crow flies. Viewed briefly with binoculars, the males stood out like tiny clusters of that neon chartreuse lichen that grows on Ponderosa Pine; in the half-minute it took to windowmount the scope, the goldfinches disappeared, replaced by an adult N. Shrike perching in the top of this hawthorn. Notably, the hawthorn was surrounded by a weedpatch of chicory, a favourite of this species. In the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, SJ).

2 on 23 Feb., pair, heard and seen along Spring Creek Rd., White Salmon, at 15:

1 on 26 Feb., drinking from puddle at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Am. Goldfinch – 8 on 1 Dec., two at a feeder along E. Franklin St., Bingen (e. of Cherry St.) and 6 on tansy seedheads at The Lunch Grove on the Bingen riverfront (SJ).

As of 14 Dec., thus far this fall and early winter, “it seems like there are more Am. Goldfinches than usual at our feeders” at the n. end of Guler Rd., Trout Lake (LH); from telephone conversation on 14 Dec.

21 on 25 Dec., along the s. side of W. Lakeview Blvd., just w. of the Bingen Pond inlet ditch, foraging in weeds and teasel; 4 of these are preening post-bath, low in an adjacent willow (SJ).

9 on 31 Dec., two with Lessers along NE High St.; 7 along Byers Ave., in Goldendale (BL, TA, SJ).

~25 on 4 Jan., foraging in an alder on n. bank of the Columbia R. at w. end of Rowland L. (DPA, SJ).

58 on 8 Jan., single flock in alders along the lower Deschutes R., Sherman Co., OR (KG, ER).

10+ on 27 Jan., at feeders at sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

Evening Grosbeak – as of 12 Dec., only a few every once in awhile, at her Guler Rd. feeder in Trout Lake; sometimes none for weeks, quite a contrast to the hordes this past winter (LV); from telephone conversation on 12 Dec.

None in early winter at birdfeeder along N. Columbus Ave., to s. of the Little Klickitat R., in Goldendale (DL).

1 on 20 Dec., one heard only, calling in flight over sw. Eyrie Rd. (KG).

1 on 31 Dec., heard only flying past sw. Eyrie Rd., White Salmon (KG).

20 on 7 Jan., the highest count thus far this winter for the Cornell bird feeder survey at their NE Academy St., White Salmon, feeder (JaE, PM).

~20 on 10 Jan., mostly females: showed up today, spent some time at the feeder, but didn’t hang around. Feeder is along N. Columbus Ave. to s. of the Little Klickitat R. in Goldendale (DL).

1 on 19 Jan., heard-only, calling in yard along NE Columbia St., just w. of NE Skagit Ave., in White Salmon, at 14:45—calling infrequently, two or 3 times, in feeder vicinity (SJ).

28 on 27 Jan., calling some, in cottonwood tops closeby feeder along N. Columbus Ave. to s. of the Little Klickitat R. in Goldendale, at 08:30 (DL, SJ).

OTHER SPECIES OF INTEREST:

Muskrat – 4 on 4 Dec., three of them together, along e. shore of Bingen’s marina, at ~15:00 (SJ).

1 on 25 Feb., swimming near the w-sw. corner of Boat Works Basin along the Hood River waterfront, at ~15:20 (SJ).

Western Grey Squirrel – 1 on 3 Feb., Conboy Lake NWR, along Lakeside Rd.; gathered a mouthful of pine needles and dead grasses on the ground, then ascended a big Ponderosa Pine, at 11:51 (CJF, SJ).

Yellow-bellied Marmot – 3 on 5 Feb., two nw. of Smithville, ~1 mile e. of Murdock, and one s-sw. of Spearfish L., along the RR tracks, n. of The Dalles Dam (SJ).

Nuttall’s Cottontail – 2 on 1 Dec., around Bingen Pond (SJ).

13 on 4 Dec., total counted along the Bingen riverfront, including the Remnant Wetland and se.-e. side of Bingen Pond, mid-late afternoon (SJ).

27 on 8 Jan., total counted around Bingen Pond and along the Remnant Wetland; this seems to me a very high concentration of cottontails. Evidence of their large numbers is everywhere along the trail around the pond, especially the hundreds of de-barked/girdled blackberry canes; the robust (few) buckbrush/ceanothus along the s. side of the pond have also been girdled. An adult Red-tailed Hawk was scoped plucking fur from a cottontail kill and then dining on it (rabbit’s leg was sticking out into view) atop a broken-off dead cottonwood stub in the se. corner shore area of Bingen Pond. I stumbled upon the freshly disemboweled guts of a rabbit, along with a few tufts of fur, in the tall grass between the riparian and the trail at the s-se. corner; it seems likely these were the entrails of the rabbit I watched the red-tail eating (SJ).

6 on 22 Jan., s-sw. corner of Bingen Pond (2), Remnant Wetland (3), The Lunch Grove (1) (SJ).

13 on 26 Feb., along the trail on the e. and s. sides of Bingen Pond (11) and at the ne. corner of the pond, at roadsides (2), ~17:50 to 18:00 (SJ).

White-tailed Jackrabbit – 1 on 20 Jan., D.O.R. at the jct. Monkland and Martin roads, 4 miles ne. to e. of Moro, Sherman Co., OR; already stiff, but recently hit (SJ).

Beaver- 1 on 26 Jan., swimming along w-sw. shore of Boat Works Basin, Hood River waterfront, at 15:51 (SJ).

1 on 30 Jan., dead and somewhat bloated, belly-up on the gravelbar at w. side of the Hood River mouth. No obvious cause of death,but it was not closely examined, either; this may be the same individual as noted above (SJ).

Porcupine – 1 on 11 Dec., along the northeast route, during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA (BH, DL).

1 on 24 Feb., along Hay Canon Rd. 0.7 mi. south of hwy 206, on the ground apparently grazing on green grass along the creek, at ~10:40/45; found during the 112.2 mile n. Sherman Co., OR, raptor route (TA, DG, SJ).

Striped Skunk – 1 on 24 Feb., D.O.R. on n. side of hwy. 14, < 1 mi. e. of Bingen (SJ).

River Otter – 3 on 25 Dec., at the Trout Lake NAP (JaE, PM).

1 on 1 Feb., seen from the bridge over the reservoir at Northwestern Lake, at 15:36 (SJ).

Red Fox – 1 on 18 Dec., along The Dalles riverfront, Wasco Co., OR, seen curling up at the edge of a pond, in the snowstorm during the afternoon of the Lyle CBC (JoM, BeS, DG, RG).

Coyote – 1 on 1 Dec., around Bingen Pond at 13:55 (SJ).

1 on 8 Dec., moving w-nw along the bluff to s. of McConiga Rd., being closely watched by two does, Black-tailed Deer, nw. of Lyle (BH).

1 on 11 Dec., mature coyote, along the northeast route, noted while surveying raptors during the EWRS of the Columbia Hills IBA (BH, DL).

1-2 on 25 Dec., heard only, calling (in chorus?) for a couple minutes (01:48 – 01:50) in the vicinity of Bingen Pond, it sounded like; calls were drowned out by the clangour of a passing train—heard from rm. #12 at BSI (SJ).

1 on 1 Jan., around Bingen Pond at ~10:20 (CC, SJ). Heard calling off to se. of BSI at 20:30 on 5 Jan., sounds like in the vicinity of Bingen’s marina (SJ).

1 on 20 Jan., along Lone Rock Rd., Sherman Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., along the rim of Fulton Canon, Sherman Co., OR (TA, DG, SJ).

2 on 5 Feb., along GPNF Rd. 8810, west of Trout Lake Creek campground, Skamania Co. (KG, ER).

OBSERVERS:

DPA – David P. Anderson

KA – Keith Anderson

TA – Ted Anderson

DB – Dave Berger

MB – Marv Breece

WC – Wilson Cady

JC – Jon Carlson

HC – Harold Cole

MBC – M. B. Condon

CC – Char Corkran

MLD – MerryLynn Denny

MD – Mike Denny

JD – John Deshler

SD – Scott Downes

JE – Joe Engler

JaE – Janet Essley

CJF – Catherine Flick

SF – Stewart Fletcher

DG – Diane Gadway

RG – Roger Gadway

KG – Kevin Glueckert

KH – Karen Hadley

BH – Bob Hansen

LH – Luella Holtmann

L&RH – Lorie & Roger Hull

SJ – Stuart Johnston

CK – Carol Karlen

KK – Ken Knittle

C&DK – Carol & Don Kohler

JL – Jacob Larson

DL – Dan Lichtenwald

BL – Bev Linde

TL – Tom Love

DoL – Donna Lusthoff

DM – David Mandell

AM – Andy Marx

BMcK – Bob McKenzie

JM – Jim Minick

PM – Paul Moyer

JoM – John Murphy

HN – Harry Nehls

BR – Barbara Robinson

ER – Eileen Rock

KSc – Ken Schleif

BS – Brian Sharp

KS – Karen Sharples

BoS – Bob Stites

DS – Dale Stone

BeS – Bets Stover

PtS – Patrick Sullivan

PS – Paul Sullivan

RS – Ruth Sullivan

SS – Steve Shunk

ST – Seth Tibbott

LV – LaRae Vaughan

GV – Greg Volkman

TY – Tim Young

“This weekend [7-8 Jan.] Carol Karlen & I did the two Gilliam county raptor routes. The most notable birds were 2 MERLINS - one each day, 14 miles apart, south of Arlington along Hwy 19 - the first I've ever seen in Gilliam county. We also found many locations where gully-washer rains had sent mud down onto roadways, or cut into the sides of roads. Philippi Canyon and Hoag Roads were cut and impassible. All other locations had been repaired” (PS); gleaned from OBOL.

This is a co-operative project of The Larks

compiled by Stuart Johnston

Please feel free to contribute your records.