1 June through 31 July 2005
A co-operative project of The Larks
and other Gorge birders
Wood Duck – 8 on 3 Jun., female with 7 downy ducklings, in swampy pond just se. of Cascade Locks, Hood River Co., OR; young are about a week old. The swampy pond is fed by Dry Creek, with both inlet and outlet at it’s w. end, and it is just s. of the I-84 e. bound onramp (exit 44), along the road leading to Oxbow salmon hatchery (SJ).
3 on 22 Jul., males (2 eclipse), in the backwater, n. side of hwy 14, at Alder Creek mouth (BH, SJ).
Harlequin Duck – 1 on 9 Jun., male, seen while kayaking just upstream from mouth of the Wind River, Skamania Co., WA (JY, TA). This may well be the same male as bird observed with a female at this spot on 24 May.
Com. Merganser – 1 on 7 Jun., calling “growly” quacks, flying w. over old growth canopy at hemlock M53-5, along line 4 in the T. T. Munger RNA at 07:25 (SJ).
1 on 19 Jun., a HY bird, “freshly shot by, apparently, one or more of a quartet of early twenty males, from the other side of the river, from a pickup on the side of the highway”; this incident was witnessed along the Klickitat Trail in the stretch between Wahkiacus and Suburbia. The duck was recovered and the license number of the rig reported to a game officer (DL, et al).
Western Grebe – 2 on 1 Jun. and again on 3 Jun., n. side of the Columbia R. on e. side of the Hood River toll bridge, off White Salmon; 3 there on 4 Jun. (SJ).
Am. White Pelican – 4 on 9 Jul., preening at s. edge of big sandbar at w. side of Klickitat R. mouth at 10:55; when they left at 11:20 pelicans circled on thermals over Balfour-Klickitat park, continued se. out over the Columbia R. and eventually disappeared from view going upriver at 11:36 (SJ).
18 on 10 Jul., preening on tiny rock “islets” sticking up out of the water off the nature trail at e. end of Riverfront Park, The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, at 13:25 (SJ).
40 in early Jul., flying down the Columbia R. past the Bingen riverfront, “about a month ago” (JA) as reported in conversation with SJ on 4 Aug.
8 on 22 Jul., n. side of Columbia R., from MP 143.3 east to Alder Creek mouth: 2 at MP 143.3, and 3 at East McCredie RR siding with shack (“atoll” of little islands here); 1 east 7.6 mi. from Pine Creek mouth, and 2 at Alder Creek mouth. One of E. McCredie birds was a fly-by, going w.; one of birds at Alder Ck. mouth was n. of hwy 14 bridge, inside the backwater (RGH, BH, SJ).
Double-crested Cormorant – 1 on 20 Jul., flying down Columbia R. past the Klickitat R. mouth; brown bird is likely HY (SJ).
Great Blue Heron – 3 on 15 Jul., all juv., on sandbar at mouth of the Hood R. (SJ). There is a rookery just downriver on Wells Is., the probable origin of this trio.
Green Heron – 1 on 10 Jul., adult, marshy backwater s. of nature trail at e. end of Riverfront Park, The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR, at 13:20 (SJ).
1 on 23 Jul., flying e. over channel between Sand Is. and mainland beach, Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).
Black-crowned Night-Heron – 2 on 22 Jul., adults, flush up from logs at Pine Creek mouth, n. side of hwy 14 (BH, SJ), at perhaps the most dependable spot to find this species in Klickitat County. Suspect there’s a breeding site across the river in OR.
Turkey Vulture – 1 on 19 Jun., circling over Trout Lake NAP (RGH, BH, SJ).
11 on 15 Jul., nine ad. on the beach at base of w. side sandspit, Klickitat R. mouth, along with 2 others that fly over, low—one with blackish head that’s strongly tinged with red, especially up toward eyes and bill (may be SY??) (SJ).
Bald Eagle – 1 on 16 Jun., adult, circling just above the old growth canopy at 12:15, over plot 73 in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ). The first we’ve seen here.
1 on 15 Jul., ad. circling over “boat works basin” harasses Osprey with fish, giving chase til the latter drops it. Eagle deftly scoops falling fish out of the air moments later; at 08:15 in Hood R. mouth vicinity, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).
1 on 15 Jul., ad. perching in dead branches of cottonwood at n. side of RR tracks and at e. end of Chamberlain L., just w. of Klickitat R. mouth; flies off when a truck speeds by, w – e, on the tracks (SJ).
1 on 22 Jul., ad. on sandbar, w. side of Klickitat R. mouth, near sw. tip at high point of berm (SJ).
Accipitre, sp. – 1 on 11 Jul., calling high-pitched “seeeeer” 3 or 4 times and whistled “pissyur” in forest along trail, Trout Lake NAP; first heard at 06:42 and a calling imm./HY bird was seen later, at 16:31. It had wide white tips to rectrices and a still-downy-looking nape. In half a min. it flew off to ene. toward an opening, a regenerating clearcut patch, where I saw it again when it flew off to east once more; looked to be Cooper’s Hawk size-wise too (SJ).
Swainson’s Hawk - 2 on 12 Jun., pair, one on nest, one perching nearby, s. of Goldendale along S. Columbus Ave. (DG, RG).
2 on 22 Jul., nestlings, in nest along Roosevelt Grade Rd.; one youngster has white down on head, other partially obscured by foliage—both with well-developed flight feathers (BH, SJ).
Golden Eagle – 2 on 25 Jul., pair, McNeil Ridge, just above the rock shelter at McNeil Point on Mt. Hood, Hood River Co., OR (BL, TA).
Am. Kestrel – 5 on 28 Jul., 4 recently-fledged young in fruit trees adjacent their natal nest box at 300 Bates Rd.; at least one parent was present on nearby utility wires (BMcK, DG, SJ).
Am. Coot – 3 on 22 Jul., one HY with 2 adults, at mouth of Alder Creek, in backwater n. of hwy 14 (BH, SJ).
Greater Yellowlegs – 1 on 15 Jul., adult in alternate plumage at Hood R. mouth (SJ).
Spotted Sandpiper – 3 on 19 Jun., along the Klickitat R., observed during a hike on the Klickitat Trail between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia; one an adult “preoccupied with chasing a butterfly that was apparently taken to be a territorial competitor for the muddy strand on the sluggish back channel. At one point the bird made a curious chest-puffing display.” Another adult was on the Suburbia side of the river while a juv. (about 1/3 the size of adult) was seen foraging on the opposite side, repeatedly approaching to within a few feet of the observer, “but the two never interacted. The little fellow was all on his own” (DL).
Semipalmated Sandpiper – 1 on 20 Jul., apparent HY, sandbar at w. side of Klickitat R. mouth, with 11 Least Sandpipers (SJ).
W. Sandpiper – 11 on 10 Jul., along beach at Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR, with 4 Least Sandpipers; all appear to be adults (SJ).
9 on 15 Jul., adults at Hood R. mouth (SJ).
Least Sandpiper – 4 on 10 Jul., along beach at Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR, with 11 Western Sandpipers; all appear to be adults (SJ).
22 on 15 Jul., adults at Hood R. mouth (SJ).
1 on 15 Jul., flew in to sandspit at Klickitat R. mouth, shortly after 5 or 6 “peep” flushed from this spit and took off downriver (SJ).
11 on 20 Jul., w. side sandbar at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).
“Peep” – 11 or 12 on 13 Jul., Klickitat R. mouth, scoped from OR side of the Columbia R. (SJ).
13 on 22 Jul., at Klickitat R. mouth, viewed from overlook at a distance (SJ).
California Gull – 1 on 9 Jul., HY flying, circling in thermals with White Pelicans over Balfour – Klickitat day use area (park), just w. of Lyle, at 11:20. This is the first flying young-of-the-year I’ve seen this summer (SJ).
Caspian Tern – 7 on 3 Jun., loafing with 80 gulls at Hood River mouth; one there on 15 Jun., with 38 gulls (SJ).
4 on 9 Jul., on sandbars at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).
1 on 13 Jul., adult, Klickitat R. mouth at 09:00 and 11:44 (SJ).
2 on 15 Jul., two (an ad. and one begging juv.) fly in to loaf with gulls on sandbar at Hood R. mouth (SJ).
3 on 15 Jul., adults, loafing with gulls at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).
14 on 20 Jul., a dozen adults, 2 HY, loafing at Klickitat R. mouth at 11:23. Earlier in a.m. there were only 4 ad. & 1 HY present (SJ).
2 on 22 Jul., one flyby going w. downriver past Wood Creek mouth at Roosevelt, and one fishing over the Pine Creek mouth backwater on n. side of hwy 14 (BH, SJ).
3 on 22 Jul., two ad., one HY, at Klickitat R. mouth, w. side sandbar (SJ).
Band-tailed Pigeon – 1 on 1 Jun., heard cooing ~55m. to sw. of hemlock M15-2, in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).
1 on 17 Jun., heard cooing (08:49 & 09:16) in T. T. Munger RNA between km. 4.1 and 4.2, s. of the trail along line 7 (SJ).
13 on 11 Jul., flying s-sse. over Trout Lake Creek at 11:13, in redstart nesting area of Trout Lake NAP; about 10, flying fast and low, head back nw. crossing same creek stretch, roughly, at 15:15 (SJ).
Mourning Dove – 1 on 2 Jun., again at the Wind River Canopy Crane Hut, Skamania Co., WA, on the ground nearby the parking area; may be a different bird from one seen here on 17 May. Apparently an uncommon transient, not known to breed here (AW, SJ).
Com. Nighthawk – 1 on 3 Jun., heard-only calling loud “peent” notes at km. 3.0 along a trail through old growth forest in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; first of the spring season there. It was heard calling in 3 bursts of vocalisation from 11:45 to 12:18, leaving us with the impression it was calling from up in the canopy (AW, SJ). Nighthawks were heard regularly calling and / or displaying in vicinity of regenerating clearcuts adjacent the T. T. Munger RNA throughout June and early July (AW, SJ).
1 on 4 Jun., calling over the lower Trout Lake Valley (KG).
4 on 6 Jun., at Trout Lake NAP (JaE, PM).
>2 on 15 Jun., at “Rivendell,” home along Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of jct. with Canon Creek Rd. (TA).
>27 on 25 or 26 Jul., milling overhead at property along Bates Rd. (DG).
Belted Kingfisher – 1 on 1 Jun., heard calling in high flight above old growth forest canopy, plot 15, line 2, in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; perhaps enroute to/from a nesting burrow? (SJ).
Lewis’s Woodpecker – 7 on 19 Jul., at Conboy L. NWR, the first fall migrants of the season (AS, JDE).
1 on 19 Jul., in dead Lombardy poplars at se. corner of Bingen Pond (SJ).
16 on 25 Jul., in leafless cottonwoods at s. end of Sunset Dr., w. of Lyle (KR, DM).
2 on 28 Jul., sallying for insects from big pine snag near boat launch site, Trout Lake NAP trail along w-sw. shore (KG). This is a first recent record for Trout Lake Marsh; there is at least one earlier, historic record for the area.
Red-naped Sapsucker – 2 on 11 Jul., ad. male feeds an adult-sized juv. in willow brush at Trout Lake Marsh NAP; male is defending big sap wells on 8 or more willow stems in this spot; watched him repeatedly chase 2 female-plumaged Yellow Warblers from these wells and he also twice chased off a HY Downy Woodpecker that ventured into this domain (SJ).
Pileated Woodpecker – 4 on 15 Jun., flying together over pond along Bergen Rd., going s. to n., Skamania Co., WA (CJF). Likely a family group?
Olive-sided Flycatcher – 1 on 12 Jun., along Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).
1 on 26 Jul., heard singing in GPNF to nw. below summit of Sleeping Beauty (KG).
1 on 28 Jul., atop conifers along Allan Oaks Rd., to s. of N. Major Creek Rd. (BMcK, DG, SJ); likely migrant as this area seems too open for a breeding site.
W. Wood-Pewee – 1 on 15 Jun., heard calling 150 plus m. to e-ene. of plot 61, in T. T. Munger RNA; suspect at interface with or in regenerating clearcut adjacent the RNA (SJ).
1 on 11 Jul., a few times observe ad. feeding 3 young in nest an est. 15 m. above ground in cottonwood on near-horizontal, main side branch (with open vista for nest), in Trout Lake NAP (SJ).
> 2 on 22 Jul., singing/calling in alder riparian along Sixprong Rd., from confluence of Sixprong and Alder creeks downstream to Sixprong Rd. bridge over Alder Creek (BH, SJ).
1 on 27 Jul., singing/calling in river bottom mature alder and cottonwood habitat at the St. Cloud Recr. Area MAPS station, Skamania Co., WA; this is a regular spot for one pair over the last several summers (CJF, SJ).
Willow Flycatcher – 1 on 12 Jun., singing along Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).
2 on 11 Jul., pair scold me when I approach their nest in fork of a Spiraea (hardhack, steeplebush) in Trout Lake NAP in the redstart nesting area; nest holds 3 “pinny” young (just the very tips of wing coverts have emerged from shafts and they’re rusty-coloured) and has half a dozen dead grass strands and/or bark strips dangling down below bottom (SJ).
Least Flycatcher – 1 on 12 Jun., singing in the aspen grove and horse paddock closeby the Willard Springs Trailhead at headquarters, Conboy Lake NWR (KG). The Least was found singing in the same grove again a week later on 19 Jun. (KG). This is at least the 4th Klickitat County record and the second for the refuge.
Pacific-slope Flycatcher – 2 on 14 Jun., pair calling around nest <5 m. above ground on the bole of an old growth Doug Fir, on ne. side where mossy side meets crustose lichen side; nest made of mosses and lichen. No conspicuous bark growth supporting nest (unlike a nest found in the RNA earlier, on 30 May; see Spring Migration phenology), although it is placed in bark crevice. Female foraged, calling “tnt” high notes, then angled down to settle into nest; after another recess, she was seen doing this again at ~13:07; doesn’t pause to feed young, so presumably still incubating. This is in plot 49 of the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).
2 on 17 Jun., pair calling in nest vicinity. Nest found when female flew in to moss- and lichen-encrusted bole of big old growth Doug Fir and stayed. It is situated ~13 m. above ground in a recess in the thick bark creases and is extremely difficult to see as branches from an adjacent suppressed hemlock, as well as epicormic D. Fir boughs, do a good job of shielding it from view. When female returns from foraging she does not hesitate on nest rim to feed young, so assume she’s incubating. It seemed like the female called both slight “tnt” notes as well as “see-weet?”, though her version of the latter sounded hoarser, less clear than male. This is ~40 m. to ne. of km. 3.9 on the trail along line 7 in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).
By the time field work in the T. T. Munger RNA was completed in mid-July, several additional Pacific-slope Flycatcher nests had been discovered, all placed in deep bark crevices on the boles of huge old-growth Douglas Firs that had moss and lichen growing on them (AW, SJ).
W. Kingbird – 31 on 22 Jul., total number counted along roads from Alder Creek mouth n. to Bickleton, via Alderdale, Sixprong, Sand Ridge, County Line and Matsen roads; twice encountered probable family groups of 5 birds (BH, SJ).
E. Kingbird – 1 on 12 Jun., along Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).
1 on 22 Jul., heard only, calling along Alder Creek riparian just downstream from confluence with Sixprong Creek; this is along Sixprong Rd. (SJ).
Loggerhead Shrike – 2 on 17 Apr., pair, in e. part of the Columbia Hills IBA, one flushed from nest with 1 egg in a dense rabbitbrush; egg is white sparsely speckled with fine rusty dots (SJ). This nest record is the furthest w. in Klickitat Co., to my knowledge.
1 on 12 Jun., in e. part of the Columbia Hills IBA, in same general area as nest that was found in mid-April (DG, RG).
3 on 22 Jul., mature Big Sage tract along Sand Ridge Rd. near abandoned ranchyard, just s. of jct. with Van Horn Rd. (BH, SJ). Found in vicinity of this tract on several earlier visits, during the breeding season, over the past decade.
Cassin’s Vireo – 1 on 19 Jun., heard along the Klickitat Trail in the stretch between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia (DL).
Hutton’s Vireo – 1 on 6 Jun., silent adult, in Trout Lake NAP (JaE, PM). Same as 24 Apr. bird/s; see Spring Migration phenology.
1 or 2 on 11 Jul., one singing, one calling peevish notes at 06:50, Trout Lake NAP in same area as 24 Apr. birds (see Spring Migration phenology); vocalisations in response to my N. Pygmy-Owl imitations (SJ).
Red-eyed Vireo – 2 on 29 May, counter-singing males, St. Cloud MAPS banding site, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).
>3 on 29 May, counter-singing males, Trout Lake NAP (SJ). Red-eyes were also heard and/or seen singing on a few dates in early June during N. Waterthrush follow-up visits (TA, JaE, DG, PM); almost certainly 6 or more counter-singing males were heard there on 19 Jun. (RGH, BH, SJ); and a minimum of 7 were singing there on 11 Jul. (SJ).
2 on 27 Jul., counter-singing males at 07:28, St. Cloud Recr. Area MAPS banding station, Skamania Co., WA (PG, CJF, SJ).
Grey Jay ~6 on 1 Jun., bathing in rain puddles on Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 43, T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; at least 2 adults, 3 juveniles at ~14:50 (AW, SJ).
W. Scrub-Jay > 4 on 28 Jul., along N. Major Creek Rd., w. of forested area; begging calls of juv. heard indicating this is a family group (BMcK, DG, SJ).
Clark’s Nutcracker –
1 on 4 Jun., catching ants on the ground at Council Bluff (elev. 5180 ft.),
Skamania Co., WA (KG).
2 on 25 Jul., flying n. – s. high (est. 100-200ft.) over Mitchell Point summit, Hood River Co., OR (RGH, BH).
Purple Martin >8 on 9 Jun., using 6-8 nest boxes, observed while kayaking at Franz Lake, Skamania Co., WA (JY, TA).
1 or 2 on 14 Jul., heard only, calling over channel between Sand Is. and the mainland beach at Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).
1 or 2 on 15 Jul., one seen calling, circling in flight over Hood R. mouth, with a possible 2nd heard only calling (SJ).
1 on 15 Jul., heard only, calling briefly at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).
4 on 24 Jul., feeding young in 2 nests along the Bingen riverfront: Pair entering hole in white plastic box on platform of green square navigational marker “4” at w. side of marina mouth; male is ASY and faint calls of nestlings are audible. Second nest is in flicker-made cavity near top of old piling along e-ne. side of marina at one-time irrigation pump site; only female-plumaged bird/s were seen entering and leaving cavity, so this site may involve a SY male. Scoped from sw. side of marina, thus calls of young could not be heard (SJ).
N. Rough-winged Swallow – 1 on 22 Jul., on fence along Alderdale Rd. opposite the Bank Swallow colony site (near the Alder Ridge Vineyard sign), 0.7 mi. n. of jct. with hwy 14; no Bank Swallows present (BH, SJ).
2 on 23 Jul., twice watch adult/s enter nest burrow > 1 ft. below top of high vertical riverbank along mainland beach, Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR; bird/s go in and come back out in < ½ min., apparently feeding nestlings. There are 2 burrows in top of bank here, one a bit further to nw. A family group perching on dead branches closeby these burrows earlier this summer suggests that this current activity represents a second brood (SJ).
Cliff Swallow – 2 on 28 Jul., ad. and HY, on util. wires along N. Major Creek Rd., accompanying 47 flocking Violet-green Swallows (DG, SJ).
Chestnut-backed Chickadee – 2 on 13 May, pair at nest cavity high up in Doug fir snag, in T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; presumed female made about a dozen trips in to cavity with billsfull of moss, nestbuilding; mate twice went to cavity entrance, hesitated, didn’t go in, apparently with food in bill (SJ). For BBA records: in T4N R7E Sec. 17; elev. 1820 ft.
2 on 8 Jun., adult with food in bill feeds fledged youngster with orange gape and tail shorter than adult, in plot 49 of T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW).
2 on 10 Jun., overhead and down closer to eye level in vicinity km. 4.3 along trail through T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; see fledged young with pale gape, hear begging calls, see adult carrying beige caterpiller, etc. Tail of youngster is slightly shorter than adult’s (SJ).
1 on 16 Jun., entering nest cavity high up (est. 55 m.) in hemlock snag that retains it’s bark, km. 3.2 along trail in the T. T. Munger RNA (AW). On 17 Jun., adult/s were observed making 3 trips in and out of nest cavity in the space of about 5 min. (12:37 to 12:42), carrying in food (SJ).
2 on 17 Jun., pair making frequent trips bringing food into nest cavity found on 13 May (see above) at km. 4.6 along the line 7 trail in the T. T. Munger RNA; once exiting bird carried out a foecal sac (SJ).
Brown Creeper – 2 on 7 Jun., pair feeding young in nest behind bark of dead Douglas fir in vicinity of plot 53 in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; nest entered through narrow slit in buckled bark 20 m. above ground. Pair make frequent feedings; vocalisations of young not heard (AW, SJ).
Canon Wren – 1 on 18 Apr., heard only, singing from w-sw cliff face of Wind Mountain, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).
2 on 14 Jul., heard only, countersinging at 09:40 while a single bird was heard a number of times, from 08:00 to 11:39, cliffs on sw. slope of Wind Mountain, Skamania Co., WA (see 18 Apr. above) (SJ).
Bewick’s Wren – 1 on 19 Jun., singing on territory at Wahkiacus in vicinity of the Klickitat Trail parking lot / trailhead (DL).
1 on 22 Jul., heard singing along Alder Creek in riparian closeby the Sixprong Rd. bridge (BH, SJ).
1 on 28 Jul., heard singing, s. of N. Major Creek Rd. in vicinity of “Rancho Viento”; heard twice, in early and again in mid-late a.m. at different spots, but probably involving the same male (BMcK, DG, SJ).
House Wren – 1 on 29 May, singing male, Trout Lake NAP; singing heard in same spot 19 Jun. (SJ).
2 on 8 Jun., pair at nest box, with singing male, at home along hwy. 141, just s. of jct. with Northwestern Lake Rd.; first noticed today (BMcK). Only the second occurrence there in many years.
1 on 11 Jul., heard singing softly in Trout Lake NAP, in same general area as singing bird on 29 May and 19 June (see above) (SJ).
1 on 22 Jul., heard only, calling in riparian along Alder Creek at the Sixprong Rd. bridge (BH, SJ).
>3 on 28 Jul., one heard calling at breeding site s. of Bates Rd.; and at least 2 (possibly a family group) in close vicinity of nest box they used at Lake Will-Be-Gone, further e. along n. side of Bates Rd. (BMcK, DG, SJ).
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 2 family groups were seen on 3 Jun., fledged young that could get around well enough to move with attendant adults, along trail through T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).
Mountain Bluebird > 20 on 22 Jul., in flock along East Rd., between junctions with Whitmore and Sixprong roads; all other bluebirds encountered were singles or in twos or (once) threes (BH, SJ).
1 on 26 Jul., ad. female at summit of Sleeping Beauty (4907 ft. elev.), Skamania Co., WA (KG).
Townsend’s Solitaire – 1on 26 Jul., calling at Sleeping Beauty (4907 ft. elev.), Skamania Co., WA (KG).
2 on 28 Jul., HY plumage, feeding on wild cherries, n. side of N. Major Creek Rd. at jct. with Allan Oaks Rd. (DG, SJ).
Veery >3 on 29 May, at least 3 singing and calling in the Trout Lake NAP, one in the same area where a nest was found a few summers ago (SJ). One or two heard singing and calling in this area 19 Jun. (BH, SJ). Heard / saw at least 3 on 11 Jul., calling “veer” in this same vicinity (SJ). Veeries were also heard and/or
seen earlier in June during follow-up visits tracking the N. Waterthrushes (TA, JaE, DG, PM).
Grey Catbird – 3 on 11 Jul., one pair scolding and at least one other singing (haltingly) in two spots in the redstart nesting area of Trout Lake NAP (SJ). Catbirds were heard and/or seen calling and singing on 1, 3, 6, and 19 June during visits to this area following up on the N. Waterthrushes that were present this summer (TA, JaE, DG, BH, PM, SJ).
Am. Redstart – 5 on 11 Jul., > three singing ASY males, 2 females minimum in Trout Lake NAP in the usual area, 07:45 to 15:40. One pair were tending young in nest about 10 ft. above ground on horizontal part of a bent-over cottonwood sapling; saw at least 1 downy-heade). d nestling whose head stuck up over nest rim while female was shielding young from the sun (SJ). Redstarts were also seen and/or heard singing in June (1, 3, 6, and 19 June) when several visits to this area were made in attempts to follow up on the N. Waterthrushes (TA, JaE, DG, BH, PM, SJ).
Northern Waterthrush – 2 on 1 Jun., singing males, at Trout Lake NAP; while observing one male, second was heard further along the marsh margin and it too was seen, this one singing from a lower perch in a willow (PM). The first was found singing in same cottonwood as bird on 29 May, when first discovered.
2 on 3 Jun., singing males, same spots as last visit, Trout Lake NAP (TA, DG, PM).
2 on 6 Jun., singing males, in exact same spots, singing from same perches as last visit, but one singing “far less often” than other bird. “Could this mean he has a nearby mate on nest?” Water in this vicinity in Trout Lake NAP was knee deep, roughly (JaE, PM).
2 on 19 Jun., singing males, in same spots in the Trout Lake NAP (RGH, BH, SJ). No song or calls of N. Waterthrush heard, none seen on 11 Jul., when the same area was thoroughly checked, 07:35 to 15:35 (SJ).
MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1 on 27 Jul., HY banded at St. Cloud Recr. Area MAPS station (PG, CJF, SJ).
Wilson’s Warbler – 1 on 7 Jul., singing male, along s. trail to the beach, at base of north-facing wooded ridge, Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR; moving e. and singing in underbrush ~10 to 15 ft. above ground. This is not a usual breeding site (SJ).
1 on 28 Jul., adult in willows, “the willow pasture” on property along Bates Rd. (BMcK, DG, SJ); this is not a breeding site.
Yellow-breasted Chat – 1 on 19 Jun., singing along the Klickitat Trail in the stretch between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia (DL).
1 on 22 Jul., heard only, briefly singing in Alder Creek riparian along Alderdale Rd. 0.7 mi. s. of jct. with Sixprong Rd. (SJ).
W. Tanager – Several on 19 Jun., “males…were conspicuously flying out in the open” along the Klickitat Trail in the stretch from Wahkiacus to the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia (DL).
1 on 22 Jul., preening female or imm. on dead branch in alder riparian, Alder Creek, 1.3 mi. to n. of hwy 14 along Alderdale Rd. (BH, SJ). This is a post-breeding migrant.
4 on 28 Jul., one female/imm. calling in bitter cherry thicket along Bates Rd. at Vance’s place (this is not a breeding site), and later, 3 female/imm. along a n. – s. road between N. Major Creek Rd. and the Allan Oaks (DG, SJ).
Spotted Towhee >3 on 19 Jun., this species was regularly encountered along the Klickitat Trail between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia, including a singing male closeby 2 or more recently-fledged young that were calling high-pitched “mewing” notes (DL).
Lark Sparrow ~25 on 22 Jul., flocked in alder riparian along Alder Creek, Sixprong Rd., including many HY and at least one singing male; four others were noted in 3 spots along Sand Ridge Rd., between Hale Rd. and n. jct with Alder Creek Rd. (BH, SJ).
Black-headed Grosbeak
– on 19 Jun., this species was “heard and seen often throughout the route” during a hike along the Klickitat Trail
between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia (DL).
Lazuli Bunting - 2 on 16 Jun., males, one singing along edge of the woods, other feeding on grass seed along roadside in the abandoned nursery beds, closeby the Canopy Crane Hut, Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA; one or two continued to sing in this area during the rest of June and into early July (AW, SJ).
On 19 Jun., this species was “heard and seen often throughout the route” during a hike along the Klickitat Trail between Wahkiacus and the washed-out bridge site at Suburbia (DL).
> 6 on 22 Jul., along Alder Creek in riparian, from Sixprong Rd. bridge upstream to confluence with Sixprong Creek; at one point 3 countersinging males were heard. Two female/imm. are included in this number (BH, SJ).
1 on 28 Jul., female/imm. calling along n. – s. road between Allan Oaks and N. Major Creek Rd. (DG, SJ).
Lesser Goldfinch – 2 on 28 Jul., heard only, calling in flight nearby, one along Bates Rd., the other along N. Major Creek Rd. further e. (BMcK, DG, SJ).
Abbreviations &
Acronyms:
ASY – after second year
GPNF – Gifford Pinchot National Forest
MAPS – Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship program
MP – Milepost
NAP – Natural Area Preserve
NF – National Forest
NWR – National Wildlife Refuge
Recr. - Recreation
RNA – Research Natural Area
SY – second year
Unless otherwise indicated, all records are from Klickitat County. Hood River, OR and Stevenson, WA records are from Hood River Co. and Skamania Co., respectively.
Observers:
JA – Jack Anderson
TA – Ted Anderson
JDE – Joe Engler
CJF – Catherine J. Flick
PG – Phil Gaddis
DG – Diane Gadway
KG – Kevin Glueckert
BH – Bob Hansen
RGH – Rion Gipson Hansen
SJ – Stuart Johnston
DL – Dan Lichtenwald
BL – Beverly Linde
BMcK – Bob McKenzie
DM – David Melody
KR – Kerry Reuf
BS – Bets Stover
AS – Alyssa Stutte
This is a co-operative project of The Larks.
compiled by Stuart Johnston