A Phenology of Bird Arrivals and Departures in the Columbia River Gorge

Spring 2005

A co-operative project of “The Larks”

and other Gorge birders

Updated 31 May ’05

Greater White-fronted Goose – 6 on 23 Mar., Conboy Lake NWR (JE).

35 on 6 Apr., calling, flying e. to w. over mouth of the Klickitat R. (SJ).

16 on 13 Apr., scoped in fields along Bird Creek, about 1 mi. downstream to sw. from Glenwood. Seen from both BZ Corner-Glenwood Rd. (to w-nw: 16 at 07:06 and 11 at 08:00) and from #12 Trout Lake-Glenwood Rd. (to s.: 16 at 07:46) (SJ).

2 on 16 Apr., Rock Creek Cove, Stevenson, Skamania Co., WA (WC & VAS group); 3 present there on 18 Apr. (SJ). It seems likely that these are the same 3 geese that were present on 3 Jan. at Rock Creek Cove during the USFWS winter waterfowl survey (DPA, KH, SJ).

110 on 16 Apr., Conboy Lake NWR at the end of Lake Rd.; “possibly several hundred more were seen circling high in flight” (KG).

Canada Goose – on 4 Apr., first brood of the spring, pair with 4 goslings on Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR (BP).

On 18 Apr., a dozen + adults were caring for 26 goslings at the Skamania Co. Fairgrounds, Rock Creek Cove: 6 goslings were est. to be about 10 days old; the other 20 were conspicuously smaller (SJ).

On 30 Apr., 16 adults with 27 goslings of various sizes were grazing on the lawn at the Hood R. mouth; one pair kept their 6 small young to themselves, the others appeared to be in a creche of sorts with many adults attending (SJ).

Tundra Swan – 12 on 18 Feb., Trout Lake Marsh (KG).

2 on 23 Apr., swan, sp.? Taylor Lake, The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR (DG). Tundra likely?

Wood Duck – 8 on 3 Jun., female with 7 downy ducklings at w. end of swampy pond along Herman Creek Rd. just se. of I-84’s exit 44, at the e. end of Cascade Locks, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Am. Wigeon – 3 on 20 Apr., n. side of Columbia R. at Home Valley, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

10 on 30 Apr., n. of The Event Site on the Columbia R., Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR. They were rafted with several other species of ducks (SJ).

2 on 8 May, pair, loafing on offshore sandbar at mouth of the Hood R., Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Mallard – 1 on 13 Apr., female flushed from nest with 6 eggs in low Oregon Grape on rock pile at Conboy Lake NWR headquarters (SJ).

5 on 4 May, hen with 1 downy duckling (<a few days old) on Hemlock Lake; 4 drakes also present. This is along Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 43, just w. of the Wind River Work Centre, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

Blue-winged Teal – 1 on 8 May, drake, with a few Cinnamons and flock of shovelers, off mouth of Hood R., Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Cinnamon Teal – 2 on 23 Mar., a pair at Conboy Lake NWR (JE).

1 on 6 Apr., male, Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR (BP).

5 on 30 Apr., drakes, loafing out on the Columbia R. to n. of The Event Site, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR; also in this raft were a female Hooded Merganser, 17 scaup, 13 Bufflehead, 5 Ring-necked Duck, and 10 wigeon (SJ).

3 on 8 May, 1 hen, 2 drakes, off Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR; along with a drake Blue-winged and 37 N. Shovelers (SJ).

1 on 23 May, drake, on Bingen Pond (SJ).

N. Shoveler – 5 on 18 May, 2 hens, 3 drakes, loafing on sandbar off Hood River mouth (SJ).

N. Pintail – 19 on 12 Apr., on Columbia R. off e. end of Skamania Island, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

Lesser Scaup – 1 on 8 May, full plumage drake, Columbia R. waters between The Hook and Wells Is., Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Harlequin Duck – 2 on weekend of 9 Apr., pair, near the confluence of the E. Fork Hood R. with main fork, approx. 2.5 mi. above Tucker Bridge, Hood River Co., OR (MP & USFS hydrologist kayaking partner, fide PM).

2 on weekend of 23 Apr., pair, on White Salmon R. one third of the run upriver from Husum (MP & USFS hydrologist kayaking partner, fide PM).

2 on 24 May, pair, taking flight alongside gravel bar in the Wind R., flying upriver; seen from above, along Hot Springs Rd. 0.5 mile upslope from jct. with hwy 14 (SJ).

Bufflehead – 1 on 18 May – male (full alternate plumage), diving in the Hood River mouth, abreast of the southmost windsurf equipment rental shack on e. side of the river (SJ). Still there in the Hood R. mouth on 28 May (MC, DAA).

Hooded Merganser – 2 on 10 May, pair at Hemlock Lake park, near the Wind River Work Center, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA; loafing on log jutting out into lake from shore; still present 12 May (SJ).

Ruffed Grouse – 1 on 18 Apr., drumming heard along Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 4303 on the e. flank of Trout Creek Hill, Skamania Co., OR (AW). Heard again on subsequent dates through 13 May (SJ).

Common Loon – 2 on 3 Apr., close to full breeding plumage, on the Columbia R. just e. of Roosevelt (AR, KK).

1 on 7 Apr., basic plumage, boat works basin, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR (SW, DO, BMcK, DG, SJ).

Horned Grebe – 1 on 5 Apr., calling, in basic plumage, Columbia R. just off Doug’s Beach State Park (CJF).

3 on 7 Apr., one in basic plumage, Waucoma Basin, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR; two in changing plumage on Drano L., Skamania Co., WA (BMcK, SJ).

2 on 14 Apr., along Bingen’s riverfront, one at the marina and one at mouth of the V Cove. Not yet in alternate plumage (DG).

3 on 16 Apr., alternate plumage, Little White Salmon River mouth, Skamania Co., OR (WC & VAS group).

1 on 19 Apr., alternate plumage, on Columbia R. at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 23 May, full alternate plumage, n. side of the Columbia R. at MP 51, hwy 14, off Wind Mountain; grebe’s calls got my attention (SJ).

Red-necked Grebe – 1 on 29 Mar., female, Columbia R. in vicinity of Eagle Creek mouth, Multnomah Co., OR (TH).

Western Grebe – 1 on 15 May, at Klickitat River mouth (SJ).

>21 on 16 May, n. side of the Columbia R. on e. side of the Hood River toll bridge, off White Salmon: a quick count; at least 11 were at this spot on 18 May and 16 were counted there on 22 May (SJ).

Am. White Pelican – 1 spent several days “around Christmas time, New Years” on Mosier Pond at Mosier, Wasco Co., OR; when it left, the rocks where it loafed and preened along the shore were splattered with whitewash (JA). This is an unusual winter record, but it is so noteworthy that it’s being included here.

4 on 16 Apr., loafing in shallows at e. end of Brown’s Island, at 10:00; two in breeding condition have casques on their bills, one lacks it and the fourth had its head tucked. By 11:13 they were gone (SJ).

1 on 2 May, breeding adult with keel on bill, flying upriver at ~11:00, flying very low (~10 ft. above deck level) over the Maryhill – Biggs bridge spanning the Columbia R. It “was rapidly opening and closing it’s beak as it was flying, but heard no sound.” (DL).

Am. Bittern – 1 on 15 May, Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

Great Egret – 1 on 10 Mar., at Klickitat R. mouth (CJF).

1 on 4 May, at sw. corner of Bingen Pond (SJ).

Green Heron – 1 on 4 May, heard calling “skiew!,” then seen in flight, at sw. corner of Bingen Pond (SJ).

1 flew overhead along Shore Dr. at Bingen Pond in early May, “about 3 weeks ago” (JA); information relayed to SJ on 23 May.

Black-crowned Night-Heron – 1 on 1 Apr., adult, flushed from Wood Creek mouth at Roosevelt (TA, CJF, SJ).

Turkey Vulture – 1 on 7 Mar., in flight over Klickitat R. mouth (BD, CJF).

3 on 10 Mar., gliding low over I-84 near Mosier, Wasco Co., OR (PM).

1 on 20 Mar., going w. over 18 McConiga Rd. (BH, et al).

5 on 25 Mar., over cliffs immediately e. of Hewett L. (DG, CJF, SJ).

1 on 30 Mar., over Glenwood Hwy in vicinity jct. with Canon Creek Rd. (TA).

11 on 30 Mar., roosting at 17:15 in poplar just e. of entr. to Maryhill State Park (DL).

9-10 on 4 May, flying n. over Hemlock Lake park, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA: first was one over Bunker Hill, then 8-9 circled over the abandoned nursery beds after passing over the park (SJ).

Osprey – 1 on 20 Mar., utility pole along RR tracks, w. end Rowland L. (BR, BH, NE, SJ).

1 on 31 Mar., flying up the Deschutes R., about 3.5 mi. from its mouth, Wasco & Sherman counties, OR (TA).

2 on 4 Apr., pair at steel transmission tower nest at the V Cove, Bingen riverfront;

one bird flew in to nest with a long stick while mate preened lower down on the tower (SJ).

2 on 20 Apr., copulate, or attempt copulation, on nest atop steel transmission tower at base of Shellrock Mountain’s nw. face, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Bald Eagle – 1 on 1 Apr., adult, in cottonwood at se. corner of N. Columbus St., Goldendale, at 10:15—175 m. from kitchen window; 20 min. later, at 10:35, it flew westward, at low altitude, over approximate streambed (DL).

N. Harrier – 2 on 13 Apr., pair copulated on the ground, out in the marsh at Conboy Lake NWR, seen from Willard Springs Trail at 11:46 (SJ).

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1 on 10 May, calling & displaying closeby the gate in to Wind River Canopy Crane, in T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 13 May, heard only, calling an accelerating “que que que-que-que” along Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 4303, adjacent the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; on territory? (SJ).

N. Goshawk – 1 on 3 Apr., flew across Bickleton Hwy. approx. 5 mi. e. of Goldendale (AR, KK).

1 on 10 May, imm., in Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

Swainson’s Hawk – >2 on 17 Apr., one called (whine) from a nearby tree after it flushed from it’s nest in the Goodnoe Hills area of the Columbia Hills IBA; it’s a dark morph bird. At least one other, a light morph bird, was seen, along Hoctor Rd. (SJ).

1 on 8 May, dark morph, along Dalles Mountain Rd. on the s. slope of the Columbia Hills, below Dalles Mountain Ranch; this is in the Columbia Hills IBA (DG, RG).

Red-tailed Hawk – 1 on 17 Apr., sitting in nest in poplar grove in ranchyard along Hoctor Rd., 0.25 mi. sw. of jct. with No. 12 Rd. (SJ).

2 on 10 May, two young on nest along Bristol Rd. as of 10 May (DG).

Red-tailed Hawk – 1 on 25 Mar., imm., on util. pole cross arm along Alderdale Rd. (CJF, DG, SJ). Scoped, at close range, with sun at our backs: greenish-tinged yellow legs (tarsus bare, not feathered); a very white/pale hawk that we thought might be a Ferruginous at first. But gape doesn’t extend way back in under the eye (DG); underparts pure white with a little dark streaking across belly—sparse. It has a pale iris, not dark. When it flew off down towards Alder Creek, noted tail was rather pale, but not orange-red. And there were whitish/pale windows in primaries, top view. May well be a light morph Harlan’s Hawk.

Rough-legged Hawk – 1 on 2 Apr., flying from roadside fence on Harms Rd., just off Centerville Hwy at about 15:15 (BH).

1 on 6 Apr., on utility pole along Centerville Hwy about 50 m. to e. of jct. with O’Brien Rd. at ~09:30; “very light, almost white, head and upper breast, very dark lower belly” (DL).

2 on 17 Apr., in the Columbia Hills IBA: one in the Centerville Valley area (MD, JD) and one hovering along Clyde Story Rd., 0.35 mi. to n. of the jct. with Hoctor Rd. (DL).

1 on 28 Apr., Centerville Valley, along Centerville Hwy near jct. with Randall Rd. (RG).

Golden Eagle – 1 on 8 May, on steel transmission tower along Dalles Mountain Rd. on the s. slope of the Columbia Hills IBA (DG, RG).

Am. Kestrel – 2 on 27 Apr., courtship behaviour by pair at Ponderosa Park, several miles n. of Goldendale; rapid wingbeats while flying slow, a lot of vocalising, perching closely, and carrying around prey (DL).

Merlin – 1 on 14 Feb., male, on fence post e. of Middle Rd. at jct. with Schrantz Rd. (CJF, SJ).

1 on 20 Feb., male, Dee Hwy. 0.3 mi. sw. of Quinn Rd., 2 mi. nw. of Parkdale, Hood River 2 on 17 Apr., in the Colum Co., OR (TA, NC, SJ).

1 on 27 Feb., male, util. pole along hwy. 14, e. of Roosevelt 1.5 miles; flew to nearby hackberry top (TA, CJF, SJ).

1 on 4 Apr., at Trout Lake Marsh (PM).

1 on 13 Apr., a “black” female or imm., atop a small hawthorn along Kreps Lane, <15 m. to n. of the road, Conboy Lake NWR (SJ).

Virginia Rail – 1 on 16 Apr., heard calling along Laurel Rd., Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

Sora – 1 on 16 Apr., at the observation platform along Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

Sandhill Crane – 2 on 28 Feb., first arrival at Conboy Lake NWR, seen in flight s. of headquarters (HC).

2 on 13 Mar., pair, Trout Lake Marsh (SJ).

2 on 13 Apr., pair along Rattlesnake Creek at Panakanic, seen from Diamond Gap (SJ).

2 on 9 May, heard only, calling, “grounded” somewhere at Trout Lake Marsh (PM).

2 on 15 May, pair, seen from Willard Springs Trail observation platform, Conboy Lake NWR. A pair of Red-winged Blackbirds were “not happy with …presence [of the crane pair], the male red-wing landing on the lower back of one of the Sandhills on repeated occasions” (KG).

Semipalmated Plover – 1 on 30 Apr., calling, Hood River mouth, Hood River Co., OR (CCl, SJ).

2 on 8 May, calling at Hood R. mouth, associated with “peep”; they appear to be a male and female (SJ).

Killdeer – 2 on 16 May – pair with downy chick, w. side of Hood River mouth, Hood River Co., OR. Chick flushed, ran out from sparse weedy vegetation on gravelly sandbar as adults scolded, trying to decoy me away. Young looked to be a few days old (SJ).

Greater Yellowlegs – 1 on 7 Apr., calling, scoped closeby at 10:30 at Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR (BMcK, SJ); also 2 on 7 Apr., calling, over n. side of Columbia R. along Bingen’s riverfront, first heard and then seen at 13:13, in flight e. – w., just w. of The Lunch Grove (SJ).

10 on 13 Apr., calling, at Conboy Lake NWR, scoped from the Willard Springs Trail while they foraged in marsh“grass” still short enough that it didn’t hide their backs, heads and necks (SJ).

2 on 30 Apr., calling some, loafing on the stony beach at The Event Site, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR; they moved over to the gravelly sand bar at w. side of river mouth, after a bit (CCl, SJ).

Solitary Sandpiper – 1 on 16 Apr., at a big puddle along Kreps Lane, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

Spotted Sandpiper – 1 on 4 May, alt. plumage bird, calling, Hemlock Lake park, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

2 on 8 May, calling some, at Hood River mouth, Hood River Co., OR; 2 there again on 19 May (SJ).

2 on 15 May, at Klickitat R. mouth, w. side, at base of RR embankment (SJ)

Long-billed Curlew – 1 on 16 Mar., Sand Ridge Rd., 1.3 mi. nw. of jct. with Sixprong Rd. (TA, CJF, SJ).

2 on 24 Mar., Garner Rd., just n. of Swale Ck. crossing, in the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, DO, BMcK, SJ).

2 on 25 Mar., one heard calling to ne. of jct. Peterson and Alderdale roads; second seen closeby w. side of Peterson Rd., 4 mi. w. & 0.25 mi. s. of jct. with Alderdale Rd. (CJF, DG, SJ).

3 on 8 May, in the Centerville Valley: one flew n. across Centerville Hwy just e. of Mattson/Wilson roads; and 2 were n. of C’ville Hwy just e. of Niva Rd. “I think the 2 curlews may have been males because they band together to defend a nesting area. The one that flew in vocalising may have been reacting to the Red-tailed Hawk that was on the power pole” (DG, RG).

W. Sandpiper – 3 on 30 Apr., foraging and loafing, sandspit at w. side of Hood River mouth (one with 2 Leasts, and 2 with one Least in closer to the cul-de-sac), Hood River Co., OR (CCl, SJ).

3 on 8 May, at Hood R. mouth (SJ).

1 on 22 May, sandbar at w. side of Hood River mouth (SJ).

Least Sandpiper – 3 on 30 Apr., with Western Sandpipers, at Hood River mouth, Hood River Co., OR (CCl, SJ).

15 on 8 May, at Hood R. mouth (SJ).

1 on 22 May, sandbar at w. side of Hood River mouth; it has a wonky left leg, with “foot” (toes) bent backwards at “ankle”—it put weight on this broken (?) foot as it hobbled around foraging (SJ).

Dunlin – 1 on 7 Apr., calling, scoped closeby ~07:45 at Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR (SW, DO, BMcK, DG, SJ); it is in bright alternate plumage.

Wilson’s Snipe >1 on 4 Apr., heard calling at Trout Lake Marsh, but no winnowing heard (PM).

Bonaparte’s Gull – 7 on 8 May, loafing on sandbars at mouth of Hood R., Hood River Co., OR; one SY bird is by itself, nearer shore while 6 alternate plumage adults hang out together further away, out on a sandbar sliver offshore (SJ).

>18 on 15 May, seen only in flight with binoculars, flushed from loafing spot at Klickitat R. mouth when an adult Bald Eagle dropped in to drink, bathe; gulls went downriver (SJ).

2 on 18 May, first spring plumage, on sandbar at Hood River mouth; one there again the next day on the 19^th (SJ).

18 on 22 May, foraging and loafing on sandbar at Hood River mouth, 2 alternate plumage adults, 16 first spring birds. On 31 May, only 1 first spring bird present (SJ).

Ring-billed Gull - 31 on 8 May, many are SY, at Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR. One pair copulated 8 times in a row, without the male dismounting; female doing “bill up” movements during cop (SJ).

Western Gull – 3 on 19 May, adults, loaf on sandbar off Hood River mouth (smaller one a female?) (SJ).

Caspian Tern – 1 on 26 Mar., seen from I-84, flying down the Columbia R., e. of The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR (DG, RG).

1 on 30 Mar., flying n-nw. past w. end Wells Is., Hood River Co., OR, approaching Spring Creek Nat’l Fish Hatchery, Skamania Co., WA (FI, CJF).

1 on 6 Apr., loafing with gulls on narrow sandspit (high water levels today), w. side of Klickitat R. mouth ; 3 on 14 Apr., loafing at this sandspit, with heads tucked (SJ); and 2 there on 16 Apr. (WC & VAS group).

1 on 30 Apr., loafing briefly (09:47) with gulls on sandbar off Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 15 May, loafing at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).

6 on 16 May, dropped in on sandbar at Hood R. mouth (10:09); by 10:27 there were 13; at 11:13, I counted 23 moments before 3 kiteboarders waded out to their sandbar and chased them off to a sliver of sandbar further to the ne.; finally, at 11:24 there were 30 Caspian Terns with some gulls on the far sandbar sliver! (SJ).

5 on 18 May, loaf on sandbar at Hood River mouth; 18 there on 19 May, loafing and preening , but only 1 on 31 May (SJ).

Band-tailed Pigeon – 4 on 2 Apr., at feeder in Trout Lake (CM fide CJF).

1 on 18 Apr., heard singing, km 4.3 along trail in T. T. Munger RNA, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

2 on 28 Apr., flying from tree to towering snag, km 1.9 along trail in T. T. Munger RNA (SJ).

1 on 10 May, heard singing along the trail in the T.T. Munger RNA, between km. 0.6 & 0.7, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 20 May, heard cooing, along the trail in the T.T. Munger RNA, in vicinity of km. 3.7 at the line 7 crossing (SJ). Heard calling in this vicinity again on 31 May (AW).

1 on 1 Jun., heard cooing ~55m. to sw. of hemlock M15-2, in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Mourning Dove – 1 on 17 May, at the Wind River Canopy Crane Hut, on the ground at margin of parking area, Skamania Co., WA; apparently an uncommon transient, not known to breed here (AW, SJ).

1 on 2 Jun., again at the Canopy Crane Hut, on the ground nearby the parking area; may be a different bird. In Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Great Horned Owl >2 on 17 Apr., well-feathered young in nest in poplar along Swale Creek, n. of the Hoctor Rd bridge, one mile e. of hwy 97 and <3 miles s-se of Goldendale (SJ).

3 on 8 May, adult with 2 fledged young, in nest tree at old homestead along Basse Rd. near jct. with Eshelman Rd., Centerville Valley, within the Columbia Hills IBA (DG, RG).

N. Pygmy-Owl – 1 on 3 May, seen along Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of jct. with Canon Creek Rd., responded to imitations of it’s call (TA).

1 on 20 May, just s. of the trail above line 7, between km. 4.4 & 4.5, in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA. Owl swept in to perch “woodpecker fashion,” clinging vertically to small branch of fir sapling an inch or so below the entrance hole of a Winter Wren nest. Minutes earlier, while male wren sang nearby, nest was discovered when female’s departure caught my eye, after she’d fed young whose begging calls brought attention to their site. Owl was aware of my presence < 8m. away, but that didn’t stop it from trying several times to thrust it’s head close to, or into, nest’s tightly-woven (of tiny twigs), small ellipse entrance. Twice it flew 1-2 m. from nest to perch closeby, for brief spells, watching nest and me. After a third visit to nest entry, and unsuccessful attempts to get the nestlings, owl flew swiftly away in a low beeline < 2 feet above the ground. Several minutes later, an adult wren was back inside. The undamaged nest was armoured with dense fans of fir branchlets above and below, as it was built inside a “witch’s broom” deformity growing out from a slender branch that barely reached the ground, angling down at about 35 degrees. It’s entrance hole was 1 m. above the ground (SJ).

Barred Owl – 1 on 18 Apr., heard calling at 21:20, down along Jewett Creek, n. of NE Academy St. at NE Skagit Ave., White Salmon (JaE, PM).

1 on 2 May, heard calling ~10 times at 10:15 and again, < one km. further along the trail, 3 hours later one called 3 times, and it called a couple more times at 13:56, in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 3 May, heard calling at 17:20 on slope e. above Jewett Creek, at the end of Barnedt Rd., “hooting ‘who cooks for you?’ several times and quite loudly from somewhere in the Dougs.” (JaE, PM). This is likely the same bird as 18 Apr. record noted above.

1 on 24 May, adult, heard calling and seen along the trail at km. 4.0; this is 100m. to n. of plot 90 in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; it was mobbed by a troop of Grey Jays (AW).

1or 2 on 27 May, heard calling along the trail through the T.T. Munger RNA, closeby km. 4.0 at 10:14-10:15, and later near km. 1.7 at 13:22; in Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Long-eared Owl – 1 on 25 Mar., dead (fresh), caught up on barbed wire fence at jct. hwy. 14 with Sonova Rd., Benton Co., WA; right wing caught up on overhead barb while perching on second-from-top strand of fence, head and other wing hanging down (DG, CJF, SJ).

1 on 1 Apr., sitting down in nest in lower Alder Creek canon –apparently incubating or brooding (TA, CJF, SJ).

Vaux’s Swift – 1 on 29 Mar., in flight along hwy. 14, Hamilton Is. vicinity, North Bonneville, Skamania Co., WA (TH).

2 on 21 Apr., over ne. White Salmon, “up high in the evening sky” (JaE, PM).

2 on 21 Apr., calling, in flight over the tall trees at the interface of the old nursery beds and the T. T. Munger RNA in Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

2 on 21 Apr., at least 2 heard in the chimney at 18 McConiga Rd., w. of Lyle, roosting in the evening. Swifts nest in this chimney (BH).

2 on 22 Apr., calling, circling chimney about 19:30 at Bingen School Inn, Cedar and E Franklin streets in Bingen; within a min., one dropped down into chimney to roost for the night. Swifts regularly nest in this chimney (JN, SJ).

1 on 27 Apr., over NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon (CJF).

1 on 28 Apr., over The Creamery, E Jewett Blvd, White Salmon (CJF).

4 on 29 Apr., “low over open grazed pasture,” s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

Anna’s Hummingbird – 1 on 5 Apr., heard vocalisation associated with courtship display dive at Balfour-Klickitat park, at Klickitat R. mouth (CJF).

Calliope Hummingbird – 3 on 28 May, one at Panorama Point, 2 along lower Old Dalles Rd., Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA).

Rufous Hummingbird – 1 on 8 Mar., male, coming to feeder along NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon (CJF).

1 on 8 Apr., female, with billful of down, flew away from fluffy cattails in ditch at the old nursery beds, just n-nw. of the Wind River canopy crane hut, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

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 – 2 on 28 Apr., “hammering, squawking” in Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

Acorn Woodpecker – 1 on 10 May, heard only, along e. side of the Klickitat R. opposite the Balfour-Klickitat Day Use Area, just upriver from the mouth, at Lyle (BA fide CJF). This is very near (or at) the original site for this species when it first was found in WA.

Williamson’s Sapsucker – 1 on 28 May, male, along Dufur Rd., Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA).

Hairy Woodpecker – 2 on 20 May, pair feeding vocal young in nest cavity >40 m. up in a dead hemlock, in T. T. Munger RNA old growth, Skamania Co., WA; w. of the trail at km. 2.6, below the line 5 crossing (SJ).

1 on 27 May, female feeding vocal nestlings in cavity ~35 m. up in dead-topped 40 m. tall hemlock, in the T.T. Munger RNA old growth, Skamania Co., WA; downslope to e-se. from trail km. 3.6 and s. of line 7 crossing (SJ).

White-headed Woodpecker – 1 on 10 May, female, attending feeding station at home along Glenwood Hwy. near jct. with Canon Creek Rd. A male has been a regular there for some time (and has been well documented with photographs)…”maybe [they’ll be] nesting, I wonder.” (TA).

1 on 15 May, female, Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR; possibly a second bird present (KG).

N. (Yellow-shafted) Flicker – 1 on 7 Mar., male, along hwy. 142, 0.47 mi. n. of jct. with hwy. 14, Lyle; flew up from bank along e. side of Klickitat Trail into oak, where scoped. Yellow-gold underwings in flight, grey crown, forehead to nape, with wide scarlet chevron on nape, tan face, black moustache (SJ).

Olive-sided Flycatcher – 1 on 27 May, heard-only, calling “pip pip pip” & singing “quick 3 beers!,” around interface of regenerating clearcut and the old growth of the T. T. Munger RNA, to n. of trail km. 1.1 to 1.2, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ). On 31 May, possibly same bird once again heard calling in this area (SJ).

W. Wood-Pewee – 1 on 3 May, heard-only, calling a soft “phooeeee?” in Thornton T. Munger RNA, old growth coniferous forest, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA; may have been atop a dead tree snag above the canopy? (SJ)

1 on 12 May, heard only, calling soft “phooeee?” notes (at 07:42) in plot 45, T.T.Munger RNA (old growth), Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 15 May, Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

1 on 24 May, heard along the “Wigwam Trail”, Bates Rd.; first of the season (DG).

1 on 24 May, heard only, calling in regenerating clearcut adjacent T.T.Munger RNA, n. of km. 1.1 on trail, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

2 on 28 May, pair at nest along lower Old Dalles Rd., Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA).

2 on 31 May, singles heard calling, one n. of trail at ~km.1.0 and one just inside canopy crane entrance gate, T. T. Munger RNA (AW, SJ).

Willow Flycatcher – 1 on 24 May, heard only, calling, in the little swamp just inside the gate at entry to the Wind River Canopy Crane, in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 25 May, heard only, calling husky “whee do” a time or two in ditch riparian to n-ne. of Canopy Crane Hut at 08:53, in Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

3 on 27 May, heard calling and singing (“fitz’ bew”): one in little swamp just inside entry gate to canopy crane, and 2 out in regenerating clearcut to n. of trail km. 1.2, in and adjacent the T.T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 29 May, heard singing, St. Cloud MAPS banding site, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 29 May, heard singing in the Trout Lake NAP: “fitz’ bew” (SJ).

Hammond’s Flycatcher – 1 on 16 Apr., at the cemetery along Balch Rd. (WC & VAS group).

1 on 26 Apr., heard only, singing in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Trout Creek Division of Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA; song/calls included melancholy sounding “dew dew” notes. One singing on 3 May was seen in another spot in the RNA, while a second was heard singing at far end of the little swamp just inside the canopy crane entrance gate (AW, SJ).

2 on 29 May, singing males, in Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Grey Flycatcher – 1 on 27 Apr., flycatching at Ponderosa Park, several miles n. of Goldendale (DL).

1 on 28 Apr., at the Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

>1 on 10 – 13 May, seen and heard singing at Conboy Lake NWR (Bird School participants and instructors fide CJF).

1 on 15 May, Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

Dusky Flycatcher – 2 on 30 Apr., singing on 2300 ft. ridgetop due e. of s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

Pacific-slope Flycatcher – 1 on 16 Apr., along lower stretch of Major Creek (WC & VAS group).

3 on 20 Apr., heard at the Wind River Canopy Crane, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

2 on 30 May, pair around nest about 15m. above ground in a huge old growth Doug Fir; female flew directly to nest from her perch 2-3 m. away, on a dead branch that curves round from bole at epicormic branching spot, immediately settling down into nest without pausing on rim to feed young first, so I assume she’s still incubating. Nest is sited on vertical tree trunk, in behind a section of bark that’s growing in a slight arc up and outward from the bole; bark is very thick and deeply furrowed with lichen and moss clinging patchily. Female called slight “tnt” notes frequently while foraging off the nest, but became quiet just before flying to nest from the same dead branch, at 10:41, 11:19 and at 11:43. Nest was found when she made the first of these three flights. In plot 19, line 2, T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Empidonax flycatcher, sp. – 1 on 17 Apr., brushy thicket in draw below Chamberlain – Goodnoe Rd., at abandoned farm yard in Columbia Hills IBA; has eyering broken at the top (SJ).

2 on 22 Apr., quietly foraging a end of Rocky Rd., s. Trout Lake Valley; suspect Hammond’s, but looks were mostly distant with difficult profile angles and no vocalisations (KG).

Say’s Phoebe – 1 on 30 Jan., on Corps of Engineers equipment, The Dalles Dam, n. side of Columbia R. (SJ); this might be a wintering individual.

1 on 6 Feb., Rock Creek, Klickitat Co. (SC, AC, KG).

1 on 13 Feb., along Fifteen Mile Rd. 0.35 mi. to w. of jct. with Company Hollow Rd., ~6 mi. e. of hwy 197 in The Dalles, Wasco Co., OR (SJ).

2 on 18 Feb., along Van Hoy Rd. 0.15 mi. e. of jct with Wing Rd. (CJF, DG, SJ);

1 on 18 Feb., along Crafton Rd., 1 mi. n. of Van Hoy Rd.; this is <1.5 mi. nw. of 2 phoebes seen about an hour and a half earlier, so possibly this is one of those two (CJF, DG, SJ).

1 on 24 Feb., along Dot Rd. at the top of Old Lady Canon, >4.5 mi. s-se. of Dot (TA, BMcK, SJ).

1 on 27 Feb., lower Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 27 Feb., at The Syncline cliffbase near Locke Lake (PM).

4 on 27 Feb., one heard singing at gas station along hwy. 97 just n. of jct. with hwy. 14, one singing on East Rd. bridge over Pine Ck., and 2 chasing along Sixprong Rd., 0.53 mi. e. of jct. with Sixprong Extension (TA, CJF, SJ).

1 on 5 Mar., Horseshoe Bend Rd. bridge over Swale Ck., Wahkiacus (SJ); heard here again on 9 Mar. (TA, CJF, SJ).

1 on ~8 Mar., sitting on a fence at the baseball fields, North Bonneville, Skamania Co., WA (TH).

4 on 9 Mar., one at Olson Rd. bridge over Little Klickitat R.; 1 heard calling just w-nw of jct. Olson & Horseshoe Bend roads; 1 heard calling w-nw of jct Palomina Dr. & Horseshoe Bend Rd.; and one mentioned above, at Wahkiacus (TA, CJF, SJ).

1 on 23 & 27 Mar., Bingen Pond: heard singing in sw. corner vicinity on 23^rd and seen atop teepee brushpile along e. side of the pond on 27^th (SJ).

3 on 17 Apr., one pair at abandoned BPA visitors centre along Hoctor Rd.: one ad. flushed from nest on ledge just inside bldg.; mate flew upwards at about a 45 degree angle, hovering and singing. At another site, one flew to rocks immediately e-ene. of big juniper along e. side of Oak Hill Dr. Bird disappeared , then brought up a foecal sac from below—must be a nest in a well (?) here (SJ).

Ash-throated Flycatcher – 1 on 2 May, heard calling and seen along McConiga Rd., s. of Old Hwy 8 to w. of Lyle (BH).

2 on 10 May, song and call of one at Catherine Creek—Forest Rd. 1230-021, and one along s. Major Creek Rd. (CJF, BA).

Numerous on 14 May, seen and heard at Catherine Creek, including a chase between two birds (CJF).

W. Kingbird – 4 on 17 Apr., one in the Swale Creek watershed, Centerville Valley (MD, JD), one up along Dalles Mountain Rd. (DO, CC), one, calling, at abandoned farmstead along Chamberlain – Goodnoe Rd. (SJ), and 1 somewhere in the se. sector (DG, RG), all in the Columbia Hills IBA.

1 on 28 Apr., along Snowdon Rd. at Ladiges Flat, where they nest annually (DG).

1 on 30 Apr., on a fence along Old Hwy 8, near McConiga Rd. (BH).

1 on 1 May, in the southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

4 on 14 May, 2 pair, at 2 sites at Catherine Creek; one, of a pair that chased a Red-tailed Hawk, was missing several rectrices (CJF).

Loggerhead Shrike – 1 on 27 Feb., along Sixprong Rd., 2.5 mi. s. & w. of jct with Sixprong Extension; this is 9.3 mi. w-sw. of Alderdale (TA, CJF, SJ).

2 on 25 Mar., singles: 1 along Peterson Rd. 0.6 mi. w. of jct. with Warner Rd.; other along Alderdale Rd. at Klickitat/Yakima Co. line, but inside Klickitat Co. (CJF, DG, SJ).

1 on 1 Apr., singing, mature big sage tract along Sand Ridge Rd., 0.4 to 0.7 mi. se. of jct. with Van Horn Rd. (TA, CJF, SJ).

1 on 16 Apr., visited a feeder site in Trout Lake this morning; all the songbirds dispersed (CM fide CJF).

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.

Cassin’s Vireo – 1 on 17 Apr., heard singing at Cold Springs Conservancy on the Little White Salmon R., Skamania Co., WA (PM).

1 on 18 Apr., heard singing along Jewett Creek, near White Salmon (PM).

1 on 22 Apr., singing male, s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 24 Apr., singing in Badger Gulch, in the Rock Creek watershed (DL).

1 on 28 Apr., heard singing in T. T. Munger RNA, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (SJ); one heard singing closeby on 3 May, elsewhere in the RNA (AW, SJ).

1 on 11 May, singing in an Oregon Ash patch at Whistle Punk Trailhead, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, Skamania Co., WA (BA, KaG, CJF, et al).

Hutton’s Vireo – 1 on 14 Mar., singing, along For. Rd. 8810-010 in Gifford Pinchot Nat’l Forest, ~1 mi. se. of Trout Lake Creek campground, Skamania Co., WA; this is ~0.25 mi. n. of the Klickitat Co. line and 3.5 mi. w. of the sw. corner of Yakima Co. (KG). The previous earliest Hutton’s in w.most Klickitat Co. was singing along Jewett Creek on 22 Mar.’02, near the Kreps Ranch corral on Barnedt Rd., White Salmon (PM).

1 on 24 Apr., singing in Trout Lake NAP (JaE, PM). A pair was present in the same area in spring 2003. On 29 May, a male and a second adult-sized bird were seen foraging low in this same spot, the male carrying a big juicy green caterpillar (and twice, at widely spaced intervals, he sang a soft “zuweeee?”, at least once with the caterpillar in it’s bill); the second bird was silent, but I noticed that there were 2 fine “hairs” still attached to the nape, remnants of nestling down, I believe—thus it appears this was a male attending an adult-sized juvenile. Didn’t hear any begging, but without leaving the brush they were both in, the caterpillar disappeared from male’s bill. Bird/s also called soft, blurry “dvet” or “vit” notes, under it’s/their breath, in a manner of speaking, and a brief “dzwit?”. Observed for about 15 min. from 07:15 onwards; later, at 15:19 male was heard singing “zuweeee?” over and over again from this area (SJ).

Warbling Vireo – 1 on 27 Apr., Mt. Pleasant in western Skamania Co., WA (WC).

1 on 4 May, singing in Hemlock Lake park, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 8 May, at St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 9 May, heard & seen at Trout Lake Marsh (PM).

3 on 10 May, at Balfour-Klickitat Day Use Area, close to the Klickitat R. mouth, at Catherine Creek, and along s. Major Creek Rd. (CJF, BA).

1 on 12 May, first of the season at their place along Bates Rd. (DG).

2 on 12 May, one singing in riparian along Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, at edge of abandoned nursery field sw. of Bunker Hill, and 1 singing in riparian along Wind River Rd., just nw. of MP 6 and se. of Pilot Knob (SJ).

1 on 19 May, the first, at a home along Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of jct. with Canon Creek Rd.; in an oak, in habitat that is mainly oak with some pine (TA).

1 on 26 May, gathering spider web nest material in the Allen Oaks, off upper Major Creek Rd. (TA, BR, DG, et al).

Red-eyed Vireo – 1 on 25 Apr., singing along Jewett Creek, n. of the corral on Barnedt Rd., White Salmon (PM). I think this is a very early individual as most seem to arrive here after mid-May, in my experience (SJ).

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).

Grey Jay – 4 on 17 May, family group: one adult standing watch atop tall fir snag while mate tends, feeds >2 fledged juveniles that fly and move around with ease, along trail in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, between km. 1.8 & 1.9, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

~6 on 28 May, along Dufur Rd., Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA).

~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).

Steller’s Jay – 33 on 19 Apr., three small flocks (14, 12, 7) flying n-nw. over Herman Creek Rd. and the powerline cut just s. of this road, at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR, suggests return migration (SJ).

2 on 21 Apr., female begging of (soft whimpering-whine calls uttered while rapidly fluttering wings, like a fledgling) and twice fed by male at the Wind River Canopy Crane, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ). Courtship feeding!

Western Scrub-Jay – 1 on 4 Apr., in another poplar near it’s nest with 5 eggs, s. side of Bingen Pond, at 17:57. This nest, relined for current use, was first occupied in spring 2003 or earlier. Bird was silent during nest check (SJ).

Clark’s Nutcracker – 1 on 24 Apr., came to feeder along Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of Canon Rd. (TA); came to suet again the next morning (25 Apr.).

2 on 28 Apr., Cleveland shrub steppe NAP, “first observed in burned snags n. of Bickleton Hwy, then flew s. to a lone burned oak snag in the NAP; apparently finding some large larval items” (DL).

2 on 10 May, “two Clark’s together…showing up the past few days” at feeding station aforementioned, along Glenwood Hwy (TA).

2 on 19 May, “Nutcracker showed up [at feeding station aforementioned] with a juvenile in tow! He had [a] shorter bill…and just a hint of down. He seemed a little lost and was begging food from anybody who’d put up with him, even the finches” (TA).

Com. Raven – pair on 15 Apr., feeding 4 young in nest on “The Syncline” above Locke Lake; young appear to be several days old, maybe as much as a week old. Four fledged young assembled atop The Syncline on 18 May, attended by adult pair. Watched one young fly from nest up to clifftop, with ease—maybe had done so on earlier occasions? if the 18^th wasn’t the actual fledging date (SJ).

Pair on 16 May, feeding 4 young adjacent to nest on cliffs at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR; young are at the “brancher” stage—fledged, in that they leave the nest, but at least one returned to nest while I was watching—frequently flapping/exercising wings, but not yet able to fly sustainably (SJ).

Adult/s on 22 May, feeding at least 2 well-grown young in cliffside nest high on sw. face of Wind Mountain, Skamania Co., WA; one young (at a time) vigourously exercised it’s wings (SJ).

2 on 24 May, adults heard feeding begging young in the distance to ne. of trail km. 0.6, in second growth forest adjacent the old growth T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA. Nest found, by following sound of begging young, in a lone old growth Doug fir towering above the surrounding trees, built upon a burl that has half a dozen stout branches fanning out from the bole about 35 m. above ground; whitewash is splashed over the vegetation below the nest. Young not seen; they were probably hunkered down in the nest, as adults flew at me when I neared nest, calling loudly in protest. Possibly one young may already have fledged as it seemed like it’s calls were heard from trees closer to me, before I found the nest (SJ).

Purple Martin – 2 on 20 Apr., calling, flew in to perch atop a dolphin at the Wind River mouth, Skamania Co., WA. At 09:15 a starling came along and usurped the martins. One to two starlings were atop two other pilings/dolphins there, in the backwater n. of the hwy. 14 bridge, and a flicker perched in front of a cavity in a fourth piling (SJ).

1 on 24 May, heard only, calling over the Wind R. near it’s mouth, Skamania Co., WA; heard from above the river along Hot Springs Rd. 1/3 mile above jct. with hwy. 14 (SJ).

>10 on 28 May, at Government Cove, Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA).

Tree Swallow – 1 on 27 Feb., male, perched on a wire along Stoller Rd., s. Trout Lake Valley. “My previous early record for Tree was 4 Mar.’02 at Conboy L. NWR.” (KG).

2 on 3 Mar., calling , in flight over , and perched in dead willowtop, ne. corner of Bingen Pond; possibly more than 2 birds (TA, CD, DG, DO, SJ).

20 on 6 Mar., calling, in flight over Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).

2-3 on 26 Apr., calling in flight over, possibly perched in canopy of, old growth forest near se. corner of Thornton T. Munger RNA; this species frequents the abandoned nursery fields nearby (now grassy meadows) and uses bird boxes placed on a building near the Canopy Crane Hut, Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Violet-green Swallow >2 on 26 Feb., ID near certain, heard only, calling, over Husum and Bingen (KG).

1 on 3 Mar., male, flying over ne. corner Bingen Pond (TA, CD, DG, DO, SJ).

5 on 8 Mar., circling in front of s. cliff face at Beacon Rock, Skamania Co., WA, likely Violet-greens. Seen from distance, silhouetted; violet-greens heard calling earlier around n. face (SJ).

6 on 9 Mar., ~0.5 mi. s-sw of hwy. 142 crossing of Canon Creek (TA, CJF, SJ).

3 on 2 Apr., checking out birdboxes along Bates Rd. (DG).

N. Rough-winged Swallow – 1 on 6 Apr., heard only, briefly, calling at Klickitat R. mouth (SJ).

>1 on 7 Apr., Bingen’s riverfront, foraging with small flock of Violet-green, Tree and Cliff (1) swallows just e. of the V Cove (BMcK, SJ).

1 on 10 Apr., calling, in low flight over Northwestern Lake and perched briefly in an ash along n-nw. shore in the park, Skamania Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 26 Apr., heard only, calling in flight above the canopy of old growth forest in Thornton T. Munger RNA, Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Cliff Swallow – 3 on 30 Mar., two over mouth of the Wind River, w. edge of Home Valley, Skamania Co., WA, and 1 over Bingen Pond. In both locations Cliffs were loosely associated with foraging Tree and Violet-green swallows (SJ).

~6 on 5 Apr., heard calling and seen over Balfour – Klickitat park, just upstream from Klickitat R. mouth (CJF).

50 on 6 Apr., in flight over Klickitat R. mouth at 14:05 (SJ).

1 on 13 Apr., calling, heard only, over Conboy Lake NWR just n-ne of hdqrs. (SJ).

Barn Swallow – 2 on 4 Apr., foraging low over Bingen Pond with ~100 Tree and Violet-green swallows in late afternoon; both have intense tawny underparts of adult birds (SJ).

1 on 10 Apr., calling, in flight over channel between Sand Is. and mainland beach at Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 18 Apr., along Herman Creek Rd. at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR; 2 there on 19 Apr., one singing in flight (SJ).

1 on 21 Apr., on volleyball net pole at the Canopy Crane Hut, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (SJ). AW says that he has seen Barn Swallows here earlier this spring.

2 on 23 May, pair with nest under porch roof at the Canopy Crane Hut, Skamania Co., WA; incubating bird on nest early in the a.m. Checked contents when bird was off nest in the afternoon and find 5 eggs (SJ).

Mountain Chickadee – 1 on 15 Apr., in crown of big-leaf maple along trail at n. side of Locke Lake (SJ).

2 on 28 Apr., Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

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.

White-breasted Nuthatch – 1 on 26 May, in the Allen Oaks, off upper Major Creek Rd., a first record for this site (TA, BR, DG, et al).

Canon Wren – 1 on 18 Apr., heard only, singing from w-sw cliff face of Wind Mountain, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

Bewick’s Wren – 1 on 20 May, about half way down Allen Oaks Rd., off upper Major Creek Rd.; only the second record for this area (DG).

House Wren – 1 on 8 Apr., heard only in the willow pasture near the birdhouse used in past years, Bates Rd.; one on 13 Apr. was seen in vicinity of the greenhouse, not far from the spot where heard on the 8^th, possibly the same bird (DG).

1 on 25 Apr., in a yard along NE Academy St., White Salmon (JaE, PM).

1 on 28 Apr., Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

1 on 7 May, 1^st of the season, southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 29 May, singing male, Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Winter Wren – 2 on 12 May, one flushed from nest at navel height in flat top of suppressed Noble Fir sapling, plot # 45 vicinity, T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; male singing close to nest (SJ). For BBA records: in T4N R7E Sec. 20; elev. ~1450 ft.

2 on 20 May, male singing nearby, female feeding vocal young in nest 1m. above ground in a “witch’s broom” growing out from a fir sapling’s downward angling branch; a N. Pygmy-Owl came calling (see account above). In the T. T. Munger RNA (SJ).

>4 on 24 May, 2 pairs attending broods of fledged young along the trail in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

>2 on 25 & 26 May, pair attending begging young in plot 25, line 3, T.T. Munger RNA; used nest found at nipple height in hanging moss cluster near top of a suppressed hemlock sapling—likely the nest that fledged the aforementioned brood (AW, SJ).

>3 on 29 May, adult with at least 2 adult-sized juv., still showing wide, flabby yellow gape flanges, and begging , at Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Marsh Wren – 1 on 7 Apr., heard only, singing briefly at 12:40, se. corner of Bingen Pond (SJ).

Golden-crowned Kinglet – 2 on 18 Apr., copulation observed at <20 m. in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA; male’s crest was erect during cop (AW).

2 family groups on 3 Jun., adults tending fledged young in two spots along the trail through T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; in one case the pair boldly scolded the human intruder that stumbled upon them, while the fledged young scattered from a thicket of suppressed fir and hemlock (AW, SJ).

W. Bluebird – 3 on 3 Feb., one female, 2 males, High Prairie, in draw off w. side of Swale Creek Canon, 5 mi. s. of Wahkiacus (CJF, DG, BMcK, TA, SJ).

1 on 6 Feb., along hwy 14, to e. of jct. with John Day Dam Rd. 3.1 mi. (SC, AC, KG).

4 on 19 Feb., Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

1 on 20 Feb., male, at hwy 35 & Woodworth Rd., 0.5 mi. n. of Mt. Hood (community), Hood River Co., OR (TA, NC, SJ).

5 on 27 Feb., investigating birdboxes in the Sunnyside Rd. – Stoller Rd. area of the s. Trout Lake Valley, one day ahead of last year (KG).

Mountain Bluebird – 1 on 24 Jan., a few miles s. of Maupin, Wasco Co., OR (KG).

12 on 6 Feb., along hwy 14, to e. of jct. with John Day Dam Rd. 3.1 mi. (SC, AC, KG).

2 on 13 Apr., pair, along Kreps Lane, Conboy Lake NWR, along with pr. W. Bluebirds and an Audubon’s Warbler (SJ).

1 on 17 Apr., male, along Hoctor Rd. at top of the curving grade to n. 1.65 mi. of jct. with Old Hwy 8, Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd. and Goodnoe Stn. Rd. (DL).

Townsend’s Solitaire – 1 on 30 Jan., lower Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 9 Apr., calling incessantly and singing once, in oaks near 230 NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon (CJF).

3 on 16 Apr., Conboy L. NWR headquarters, at Willard Springs Trailhead (KG).

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).

Swainson’s Thrush – 1 on 7 May, calling at dusk, along Little Mountain Rd., se. of Trout Lake (KG).

1 or 2 on 13 May, at St. Cloud Recreation Area MAPS station, Skamania Co., WA: twice heard call note of one n. of net #6 and one was caught in net #8, a recapture originally banded in 2003 (CJF, JoA).

1 on 19 May, calling, at margin of little swamp at terminus of Whistle Punk Trail, just before the bridge, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA. Swamp is just inside the Canopy Crane gate entry (AW, SJ).

On 22 May, at the MAPS station, St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA, Swainson’s are “just beginning to tune up their vocal chords and sing; males caught are just beginning to develop breeding condition” (CJF).

2 on 24 May, calling above the Wind R., along Hot Springs Rd. 0.5 mile above jct. with hwy. 14, and 2^nd was heard further up the road below the steel tower powerline cut, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

On 29 May, Swainson’s were “still warming up vocal chords, but not in full swing with singing” at St. Cloud Recr. Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 2 Jun., heard singing full throttle early this morning at The Snake Pit, forest service housing near the Wind River Work Centre, Hemlock Rd., w. of Stabler, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

Hermit Thrush – 1 on 2 Apr., bathed in backyard pond along NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon; this is a migrant as none wintered here (CJF, SF).

1 on 5 Apr., at Doug’s Beach State Park; although this is a wintering site, bird may well be a migrant passing through (CJF).

1 on 15 Apr., calling, in “Wigwam Woods” along Bates Rd.; 1^st of spring there (DG).

2 on 17 Apr., one along Oak Flat Rd., on oak-pine wooded, n. facing slope and one along Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd., in vegetation on burrowed bank under burned-down farmhouse foundation, both in the Columbia Hills IBA (DL).

1 on 18 Apr., heard singing in the T.T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW); next encountered were 2 on 27 Apr., heard singing in the RNA, plots 9 & 11 (AW, SJ).

1 on 29 Apr., singing at dusk in the southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

2 on 17 May, pair, seen copulating on the trail in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA (AW).

Varied Thrush – 3 on 21 Apr., calling, at two stops in T.T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ); this species is not known to breed here. At least one was heard calling on 28 Apr. at km. 2.3 and one was heard uttering ~4 song phrases on 10 May at km. 1.6 along the main trail in the same RNA (SJ).

1 on 11 May, singing, recorded at 05:05 at the Wind River Canopy Crane, T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (SG, Michigan State Univ., during bioacoustics study).

1 on 24 May, male, seen along the trail at km. 0.4 in the T. T. Munger RNA at 07:50; this is just nw. of the canopy crane (SJ); on 26 May a male was heard singing at 06:43 in this same area, along the trail just n. of km. 0.3 (AW, SJ).

Sage Thrasher – 5 on 1 Apr., at least 2 singing, mature big sage tract along Sand Ridge Rd., 0.3 to 0.6 mi. se. of jct. with Van Horn Rd. (TA, CJF, SJ).

Eurasian Starling – 3 on 21 May, adult with 2 fledged young, the first of this spring season, being fed on the fence alongside the parking lot at Bingen School Inn, Cedar and E. Humboldt streets in Bingen; earlier in the week, at feeding times, vocal nestlings were heard begging in a locust cavity in front of the hostel (SJ).

>5 on 25 May, family group, including recently-fledged young, begging of adult/s, between the canopy crane and the canopy crane hut, abandoned nursery beds area of the Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA; one young bathed in a puddle. Starlings nest on the crane boom (AW, SJ). On 26 May a family group of 7 starlings was seen around the canopy crane hut in a.m. (AW).

Am. Pipit – 3 on 17 Apr., calling, flew up along Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd. (SJ); also on 17 Apr., a large flock was seen in the grass and down along the creek, Oak Creek Rd.(DO, CC), both observations in the Columbia Hills IBA.

1 on 30 Apr., heard-only, calling in flight over Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

Cedar Waxwing - >30 on 4 Apr., feasting on holly berries in tree along State St. in front of Hood River library, Hood River Co., OR (BS, SJ); CJF has been hearing waxwings this past week at 209 E. Eugene St. in Hood River.

12 on 9 Apr., at 209 E. Eugene St., Hood River, Hood River Co., OR (CJF).

11 on 28 Apr., deferential flycatching in Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

23 on 30 Apr., in trees n. of the Hood River County Historical Museum, upriver on the e. side of the Hood R. mouth (SJ).

17 on 7 May, calling, assembled in (slow leafing out) maple behind the Methodist Church on the corner of Columbus and Broadway in Goldendale, eventually trickling off to nw. toward Ekone Park (DL).

Orange-crowned Warbler – 1 on 31 Mar., singing s. above I-84 at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR (CJF, SJ).

1 on 5 Apr., heard singing at Doug’s Beach State Park (CJF).

1 on 6 Apr., heard singing down along Jewett Creek, White Salmon (PM).

1 on 6 Apr., heard singing a few times in oak draw at Catherine Ck. (CJF).

1 on 12 Apr., singing at St. Cloud Recr. Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 13 Apr., the first of spring along Bates Rd. (DG).

1 “in yard last week” (report via email 23 Apr.) (JaE, PM).

1 on 22 Apr., foraging at end of Rocky Rd., s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

2 on 24 May, adult/s attending a begging, stub-tail fledgeling above the Wind River, seen and heard below Hot Springs Rd., 0.5 mile upslope from hwy. 14, Skamania Co., WA; an adult responded immediately, appeared instantly, when I imitated a pygmy-owl (SJ).

Nashville Warbler – 1 on 9 Apr., singing at Catherine Creek, along trail above w. side of creek (SJ).

1 on 10 Apr., calling, Northwestern Lake park / picnic site, foraging in blossoming big-leaf maple; a bit later it flies e. across lake from Skamania to Klickitat county (SJ).

3 on 16 Apr., one along lower Major Creek; 2 in vicinity of Balch Lake (WC & VAS group).

2 on 18 Apr., heard singing along Jewett Creek, near White Salmon (PM).

1 on 19 Apr., along (s. of) upper Major Creek Rd. (DG).

1 on 17 Apr., male, calling and foraging (not singing), s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 24 Apr., at Badger Gulch in the Rock Creek watershed (DL).

1 on 4 May, singing on territory, n. side hwy 14 near MP 51, sw. side of Wind Mtn., Skamania Co., WA. Heard singing there (MP 51) again on 22 May (SJ).

1 on 24 & 25 May, singing above the Wind R., along Hot Springs Rd. 0.5 mile above jct. with hwy. 14, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

Yellow Warbler – 1 on 15 May, singing male, Willard Springs Trail, Conboy Lake NWR (KG).

1 on 22 May, singing male, Hood River mouth, Hood River Co., OR; foraging in crotch-to-waist-high, little willow and cottonwood saplings growing in the gravelly sandbar below the dyke road cul-de-sac, w. side of mouth (SJ).

>9 on 29 May, half a dozen singing males, several with mates, in the Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler – 1 on 22 Apr., with dozens of Audubon’s, at end of Rocky Rd., s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 24 Apr., with flock of Audubon’s, in Badger Gulch in the Rock Creek watershed (DL).

Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler – 5 on 21 Apr., heard at several stops, in treetops and calling in flight overhead in the T.T. Munger RNA, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA; these are the first arrivals recorded here (AW, SJ).

35 on 22 Apr., flew s. to n. over W Lakeview Blvd from the willow grove at the ne. corner of Bingen Pond; a few hours earlier, in steady light rain, 20 or more were on the move going s. and e. through brushy riparian at the sw. corner of the pond and ~10 were seen moving into brush, willows at e. side of ne corner (many of these appeared to be females, unlike flocks of Audubon’s observed earlier this spring that seemed to be exclusively males) (SJ).

Black-throated Grey Warbler – 1 on 9 Apr., male, singing along trail w. above Catherine Creek (SJ).

1 on 10 Apr., male heard singing, Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 15 Apr., in “Wigwam Woods” along Bates Rd., lured in close, along with a few Ruby-cr. Kinglets, by “pishing”; this is the 1^st of spring there (DG).

1 on 17 Apr., male, singing and foraging, s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 20 Apr., heard singing and recorded at the edge of the little swamp at the terminus of the Punk Whistle Trail, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW). Two counter-singing males were seen / heard there on 21 Apr. (AW, SJ).

1 on 30 Apr., female, southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

2 on 22 May, singing at the MAPS station, St. Cloud Recreation Area. Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

Townsend’s Warbler – 2 on 21 Apr., males, silently foraging in alders and conifers at margin of the little swamp at terminus of the Punk Whistle Trail, just inside gate to the Wind River Canopy Crane, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 28 Apr., heard-only, singing along Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 4303, Skamania Co., WA (AW). This is adjacent the T. T. Munger RNA on the e. flank of Trout Creek Hill.

2 on 29 Apr., singing males, s. Trout Lake Valley (KG).

Hermit Warbler – 3 on 4 May, one singing male plus 2 others heard-only singing nearby, along Wind River Rd., a short ways to n. (2 males) and s. (1) of Conrad Lundy Jr. bridge over the Wind R., Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

2 on 24 May, pair, both male and female seen, male singing: above Wind R. along Hot Springs Rd. 1/3 mile upslope from jct. with hwy 14, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 29 May, singing male heard in the Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Am. Redstart – 4 on 29 May, three singing ASY males, 1 calling female, Trout Lake NAP; two of the males and the female were in an area where 3 nests were documented a few summers ago; the 3^rd male was in another spot not too far away (SJ).

Northern Waterthrush – 1 on 29 May, singing male, Trout Lake NAP; at 08:42, bird could be heard singing from a long ways off. When I tracked it down at 11:48, male was singing from a dead branch perch ~25 feet above the water/ground. First thing I noticed was the whitish underparts with breast heavily streaked with blackish—lots of short streaks, with throat more flecked with tiny dark streaks and with stripey dark streaks continuing down onto flanks from sides. Centrally, belly is washed with yellow (easy to see) and undertail coverts are creamy, less yellow, unmarked, as is belly (unmarked). Wide dark line through eye, dusky extending down onto auriculars, with whitish wide superciliary and a brown crown (though from my angle about 20 m. away, looking steeply up at bird, I cannot see very top of head, even when it peers down at me). Upperparts are brown: wings, tail, back (again, center of back not visible from my original viewpoint; when I moved off a ways, could see back a bit better). Tail is slightly forked, brown above and below. Once I got on to it, bird sang in four intervals (3 times from high dead branch, once from lower spot hidden by brush), with the off time spent low in or below brush, unseen. Last song was at 13:47. Song is a rich, rapid, loud and ringing whistled “chwit-chwit-chwit-chwit wet-wet chur-chur-chur-chur” with the last note suddenly slurring downward. I am familiar with this species in ne. Washington in it’s usual breeding haunts and in winter in the tropics. This is a first record for Klickitat County (SJ).

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).

MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1 on 25 Apr., in a yard along Bates Rd. (DG).

2 on 30 Apr., males, on 2300 ft. ridgetop due e. of southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

4 on 4 May, two males (one singing), Hemlock Lake park; the singing bird is claiming the just-clearcut-earlier-this-spring strip between parking area and Gifford Pinchot NF rd. 43, and 2 males singing and calling in the Wind River Arboretum, all in Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

3 on 10 May, one singing male in ditch riparian willows at edge of abandoned nursery fields n. of the canopy crane hut, another calling at interface of old growth forest and regenerating clearcut (n. of trail km.1), and a 3^rd calling, glimpsed at verge of Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 4303, T.T.Munger RNA in the Wind River Experimental Forest, Trout Creek Division, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 11 May, singing male, in an Oregon Ash patch at the Whistle Punk Trailhead, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, Skamania Co., WA (BA, KaG, CJF, et al).

2 on 14 May, singing males, heard-only at Catherine Creek (CJF).

2 on 22 May, females, caught at the MAPS station, St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA; migrants? (CJF).

Com. Yellowthroat – 1 on 7 Apr., male, calling at s. side of Bingen Pond, near se. corner, at 13:10; it flew from teasel and reed canary grass into a blackberry thicket along the trail (SJ); heard singing at Bingen Pond on 9 Apr. at ~17:45, while walking along W. Lakeview Blvd. (SJ).

1 on 9-10 Apr., heard singing in little swamp at terminus of Punk Whistle Trail No.59, just inside the gate to the Wind River Canopy Crane, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW). Two males were seen there on 12 Apr. (AW, SJ).

1 on 10 Apr., singing, Northwestern Lake park / picnic site, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

3 on 10 Apr., heard calling at Rooster Rock State Park, Multnomah Co., OR (SJ).

3 on 13 Apr., heard / seen at Conboy Lake NWR, hdqrs and along Willard Springs Trail (SJ).

1 on 15 Apr., male, at Trout Lake Marsh (KG).

1 on 16 Apr., male, along Laurel Rd., Conboy L. NWR (KG).

1 on 19 Apr., male, calling, in broom and blackberry along RR tracks, Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 8 May, male heard-only, singing and calling in willow brush at Hood R. mouth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

2 on 10 May, pair, at Hemlock Lake park, near Wind River Work Center in Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

4 on 22 May, males, caught in nets at the MAPS banding station, St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

1 on 26 May, male, heard-only, singing in carex wetland at confluence of Taxus Creek and the unnamed creek draining the little swamp at terminus of the Punk Whistle Trail (just inside the entrance gate to the Wind River Canopy Crane); this is in the T.T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Wilson’s Warbler – 1 on 27 Apr., heard singing in a dense little thicket of Doug fir saplings near the edge of the former nursery beds (grassy meadow now), closeby the gate in to the Wind River Canopy Crane, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 30 Apr., foraging and singing on 2300 ft. ridgetop due e. of southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

3 on 4 May, two males, calling in ditch riparian at Wind River Canopy Crane Hut, Gifford Pinchot NF rd. 417, and 1 male at Hemlock Lake park (later heard singing), all in Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 12 May, first of the season at their place along Bates Rd. (DG).

2 on 22 May, singing at St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

Yellow-breasted Chat – 1 on 23 May, singing, in vicinity of the Wishram air quality station (CJF).

W. Tanager – 1 on 29 Apr., heard calling along E 7^th St. near La Clinica, in The Dalles, Wasco Co. OR (PM).

1 on 30 Apr., heard calling down along Jewett Creek, to n. of NE Academy St. at NE Skagit Ave., White Salmon; first heard singing there on 2 May, along Barnedt Rd., up Jewett Ck. from Kreps corral (PM).

1 on 1 May, singing at White Salmon (KG).

1 on 3 May, heard-only, along upper Major Creek Rd. (DG).

3 on 4 May, one female calling soft “wheet?” notes at Hemlock Lake park; 2 heard-only calling “bddick”(one sang briefly) along Wind River Rd., just n. and s. of Conrad Lundy Jr. bridge over the Wind R., all in Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 7 May, heard-only, calling and singing along the Klickitat Trail at Wahkiakus (BH).

1 on 12 May, male, flew through plot # 45, viewed from canopy perch above, in T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (AW). First of the season at this site.

2 on 12 May, male & female together, foraging quite low in hazelnut, cascara & sour cherry in riparian along Wind River Rd. just nw. of MP 6, immediately se. of Pilot Knob, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

Spotted Towhee – 1 on 28 Apr., Cleveland shrub steppe NAP (DL).

2 on 16 May, pair, both with billsful of food to feed young (begging calls heard at feedings), in brush under the powerline at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR; suspect fledged young, rather than nestlings. My proximity was scolded (SJ).

Chipping Sparrow – 1 on 6 Apr., heard only, singing at Catherine Creek (CJF).

2 on 9 Apr., flew up from trail just w. of Catherine Creek; 1 then sang briefly (SJ).

2 on 16 Apr., cemetery along Balch Rd. (WC & VAS group).

1 on 19 Apr., upper Major Creek Rd. (DG).

1 on 21 Apr., foraging on mat of tiny weeds in gravel pkg. lot at the Canopy Crane Hut, Gifford Pinchot NF, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 26 Apr., hit the window but recovered, along McConiga Rd., w. of Lyle (BH).

1 on 30 Apr., on 2300 ft. ridgetop due e. of the southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

Brewer’s Sparrow – 1 on 1 Apr., se. corner of mature big sage tract along Sand Ridge Rd., 0.6 mi. se. of jct. with Van Horn Rd. (TA, CJF, SJ).

Vesper Sparrow – 2 on 24 Mar., pair, male singing, n. slope Dalles Mountain Rd., in the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, DO, BMcK, SJ).

Lark Sparrow – 2 on 14 May, singing males, “at top of Catherine Creek in open area” below the Allen Oaks property (CJF).

1 on 28 May, at Hood River Meadow, Forest Rd. 3545 in Mt. Hood National Forest, Hood River Co., OR (MC, DAA). This may be a first county record?

Sage Sparrow – 2 on 1 Apr., singing, mature big sage tract along Sand Ridge Rd., 0.2 to 0.5 mi. se. of jct. with Van Horn Rd. (TA, CJF, SJ).

Savannah Sparrow – 2 on 9 Mar., 1 in weeds along Horseshoe Bend Rd. 0.2 mi. w. of jct with Palomina Dr.; heard singing a bit later (TA, CJF, SJ), and 1 heard only, singing along hwy. 142 just 0.1 mi. s. of Blockhouse Ck. crossing (CJF).

3 on 24 Mar., one singing, Dalles Mtn. Rd., 0.45 mi. w. of jct. with Mattson Rd., and two singing along Garner Rd. just n. of Swale Ck. crossing, both in the Columbia Hills IBA (TA, DO, BMcK, SJ).

2 on 25 Mar., fence at s. side Peterson Rd. alongside CRP lands (DG, CJF, SJ).

1 on 5 Apr., singing in field at Mt. Zion air quality stn. off hwy.14, MP 24, Skamania Co., WA; this is the first of the season there (CJF).

2 on 8 Apr., singing in meadow at old nursery beds adjacent the Wind River canopy crane hut, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

2 on 8 May, foraging in low vegetation and on ground, gravel bar at mouth of Hood R., Hood River Co., OR; migrants, as this species does not nest here (SJ).

1 on 23 May, nest found with 4 fully-feathered nestlings, at Mt. Zion air quality station, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

Slate-coloured Fox Sparrow – 1 on 5 Mar., Horseshoe Bend Rd., between Wahkiacus bridge over Klickitat R. and jct. with Schilling Rd.; may be intergrade with Sooty (SJ).

2 on 13 Mar., one singing softly, along Forest Rd. 23 at jct with Mt. Adams Recr. Rd., just n. of Trout Lake (SJ).

1 on 27 Mar., along Bates Rd., in the willow pasture (DG).

1 on 17 Apr., along Hoctor Rd., 1.8 mi. e. of jct. with Fenton Lane, in a small brushy thicket adjacent dry-now cattails, isolated by many acres of open farmland, in the Columbia Hills IBA; definitely a migrant (SJ).

1 on 26 Apr., along upper Major Creek Rd., heard singing “quick three beers!” introduction to song (DG). This may be the Thick-billed type? A nest with young was found not far away, along Bates Rd., 2 or 3 years ago.

1 on 14 May, along Bates Rd. “we have a slaty fox sparrow singing in the house yard by the old woodshed—maybe it will nest here.”(DG).

Song Sparrow – 2 on 22 May, fledged juveniles, caught in the nets at the MAPS banding station, St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA (CJF).

Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1 on 9 Apr., Rocky Road, lower Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 18 Apr., along Allen Oaks Rd., s. of jct with upper Major Creek Rd. (DG).

1 on 19 Apr., along the RR tracks at Wyeth, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 22 Apr., at feeding station off N. Columbus Ave. and s. of the Little Klickitat River in Goldendale (DL).

2 on 23 Apr., Bingen Pond: one along s. side trail at sw. corner, with 9 Golden-crowned and 2 White-crowned sparrows, foraging out in the open among low weeds, and one heard-only calling along e. side trail nearer ne. corner (SJ).

1 on 24 Apr., at feeder along NE Academy St., White Salmon (JaE, PM).

2 on 25 Apr., along Allen Oaks Rd. (DG).

1 on 3 May, as of 3 May email, one “still appears at odd times most days” at feeder along N Columbus Ave., Goldendale (DL).

>1 on 10 – 13 May, singing, at South Prairie wetland, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 66, Skamania Co., WA (Bird School participants and instructors fide CJF). Breeding is possible, even probable, at this site, though it has yet to be documented.

Harris’s Sparrow – 1 on 16 Mar., weedy margin of Sand Ridge Rd., 0.3 mi. nw. of jct. with Sixprong Rd., along with >30 White-crowns and a couple Golden-crowns (SJ).

White-crowned Sparrow - <100 on 5 Apr., in blackberry clumps at Wishram air quality station., n. side of hwy. 14 at MP 91.5; noted that 90% were in various stages of head molt, gaining alternate plumage; doing a lot of head scratching (CJF).

>60 on 17 Apr., along Chamberlain-Goodnoe Rd. “a couple of large flocks were encountered…one flock was upward of 60 individuals” (DL).

>30 on 18 Apr., at feeder along N Columbus Ave. in Goldendale, with others hanging around in trees and bushes nearby. The flock thinned out after ~3 days and now [29 Apr.] there are usually periodic visits by from 5 to 10 (DL).

Golden-crowned Sparrow – 1 on 18 Apr., at feeder along N Columbus Ave., Goldendale, with flock of white-crowns (DL).

1 on 25 Apr., feeder along Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of Canon Rd.; a first at this location. It was with a flock of white-crowns (TA).

5 on 4 May, three or 4 at the Canopy Crane Hut, Gifford Pinchot NF Rd. 417, and 2 along Wind River Rd., just n. of the Conrad Lundy Jr. bridge over the Wind R., Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Oregon Junco – 2 on 24 May, pair feeding begging young, probably already fledged (but unseen), below Hot Springs Rd. 0.45 mile above jct. with hwy. 14, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 26 May, female with billful of food in vicinity of carex meadow along Taxus Creek, plots 24-25, line 3 of T.T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

Slate-coloured Junco – 1 from 14 to 20 Mar., lower Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 2 Apr., feeder at 230 NW Garfield Ave., White Salmon (CJF).

Black-headed Grosbeak – 1 on 23 Apr., yard along NE Academy St., White Salmon (JaE, PM).

1 on 23 Apr., Mt. Pleasant, western Skamania Co., WA (WC).

2 on 28 Apr., singing males, one along Bates Rd. (DG) and one along upper Major Creek Rd. (CJF, BMcK, DG).

1 on ~1 May, male, Glenwood Hwy. in vicinity of jct. with Canon Creek Rd. (as of 3 May email, male “has been around for the past few days.”) (TA).

1 on 4 May, heard-only singing along Wind River Rd., immediately s.

of Conrad Lundy Jr. bridge over the Wind R., n. end of Carson, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

1 on 8 May, singing, property along McConiga Rd. (BH).

1 on 8 May, heard-only singing, upslope to s. at the Memaloose rest area, eastbound along I – 84, Wasco Co., OR (SJ).

3 on 9 May, coming to a feeder along N Columbus Ave in Goldendale: male at 11:30, male & 2 females at 13:15. “The male and one or 2 females were seen together and alone several other times throughout the afternoon. The females looked clearly larger than the male.” On closer scrutiny, in the next few days, it turns out one “female” is likely a SY male, molting into alternate plumage (DL).

1 on 12 May, heard singing, calling, in T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA; first of the season (AW, SJ).

1 on 16 May, singing from topmost spire of Doug fir along Elm St., between hwy 14 and E Humboldt St., Bingen; flew s.sw across hwy toward the RR tracks and Bingen Pond. On 28 May, one singing male was heard at 16:43 closeby the Bingen School Inn, in this same general vicinity, possibly a different (migrant?) bird (SJ).

3 on 22 May, 2 male, 1 female, caught in net at MAPS banding station, St. Cloud Recreation Area, Skamania Co., WA; “in breeding mode” (CJF).

Lazuli Bunting – 2 on 3 May, males, on ground at feeder along N Columbus Ave., Goldendale (DL).

1 on 7 May, singing male, southern Trout Lake Valley (KG).

1 on 10 May, first of the season, under bird feeder at a home along Glenwood Hwy near jct. with Canon Creek Rd. (TA).

1 on 11 May, in the Allen Oaks, upper Major Creek Rd. (DG). One or two heard (singing) there again on 26 May (TA, BR, DG, et al).

Many on 10 – 13 May, seen/heard singing at Catherine Creek: “lousy with Lazuli Buntings” (Bird School participants and instructors fide CJF).

1 on 20 May, male, at feeder of home next to the Wind River Arboretum, 1.3 mi. w-sw. of Stabler, Skamania Co., WA (MS).

1 on 29 May, singing male at Trout Lake NAP (SJ).

Red-winged Blackbird – 2 on 15 May, pair, seen from Willard Springs Trail observation platform. The pair were “not happy with…presence [of a Sandhill Crane pair], the male blackbird landing on the lower back of one of the Sandhills on repeated occasions” (KG).

Tricoloured Blackbird – 2 on 6 Feb., males, along hwy. 14 to e. of jct. with John Day Dam Rd. 6.3 miles (SC, AC, KG).

1 on 11 Feb., male, at cattle feedlot along Old Hwy 8, s. of jct with Dot Rd. 0.1 mi.; this is ~3.5 mi. n. of Sundale (CJF, DG, SJ).

Yellow-headed Blackbird – 6 on 16 Apr., at least 6 foraging on the ground with a mixed blackbird flock near Glenwood (KG).

1 on 26 May, female, calling a couple deep “chuck” notes, dropped in on the Wind River Canopy Crane Hut, spiraling down in a few tight loops to alight on spire of a fir sapling at ~06:30; by 06:36 it had dropped to the ground where it foraged in the thin grass. This is adjacent the abandoned nursery beds of the Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA; it is a first record for the canopy crane area (AW, SJ).

Brewer’s Blackbird – 1 on 22 Apr., female, calling, circled over Wind River Canopy Crane Hut vicinity at about 07:55, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 13 May, female foraging on lawn and in the garden at Bingen School Inn in Bingen; she collected 4 juicy items, including a couple green caterpillars that she leapt up from the sidewalk to pluck from mint. She dropped the first 3 in order to shake-to-death a green caterpillar, then picked the others back up and flew off. Presumably she has nestlings to feed (SJ).

Brown-headed Cowbird – 10 on 18 Apr., (7 male, 3 female) foraging on lawn along walkway at the mouth of Rock Creek, Skamania Co. Fairgrounds, Stevenson, WA (SJ).

9 on 23 Apr., at least 9 (6 male, 3-4 female) along W. Lakeside Blvd., nw. corner of Bingen Pond (SJ).

2 on 25 Apr., yard along NE Academy St., White Salmon—seen on or before the 25^th (JaE, PM).

>1 on 26 Apr., singing male heard, Bates Rd.; on 28 Apr., numerous “pairs” with males displaying (DG).

1 on 3 May, female, atop conifer sapling at the Canopy Crane Hut; 8 on 4 May, five displaying males, 3 females, atop conifer sapling at the CCH, Gifford Pinchot NF rd. 417, Skamania Co., WA (DS, AW, SJ).

Bullock’s Oriole – 1 on 4 May, at Bingen Pond: heard-only, calling, across the pond from the sw. corner pumphouse. Sounds like it’s in the ne. corner willow grove (SJ).

1 on 9 May, calling, in young cottonwoods on s. side of pond, Hess Park, just n. of The Dalles dam (SJ).

2 on 22 May, one heard calling/singing in willow-alder riparian, w. side of Hood River mouth and one, calling, in flight to low trees at w. end of The Event Site, Hood River waterfront, Hood River Co., OR (SJ).

1 on 22 May, calling/singing SY male, foraging in oak canopy, nw. corner of Cedar & E. Humboldt streets, Bingen; one on 24 May, singing & foraging in locust tops at Bingen School Inn (SJ).

Purple Finch -- “have been back [at feeders along Strong Rd., s. Trout Lake Valley] about a week or so now” as of 15 Mar. (KG).

1 on 21 Mar., male, first seen at Gadway’s feeders along Bates Rd.; heard only calling there a day or two earlier, the first returning birds (DG).

1 on 6 Apr., heard singing at Catherine Creek (CJF); one heard singing there again on 9 Apr. (SJ).

Cassin’s Finch – 1 on 30 Mar., adult male, 1^st noted at feeder off N. Columbus Ave., Goldendale (DL).

1 on 22 Apr., male, heard-only, singing a scattering of notes similar to, but clearer, brighter than, Purple Finch and not rolling and muffled-sounding like the latter’s song ; then heard the characteristic “tiddy-up” calls and knew there was a Cassin’s high in the canopy of massive old growth conifers in the T. T. Munger RNA, plot 7, a short ways to w. of the Wind River Canopy Crane, Skamania Co., WA. There are no Ponderosa Pine here. Looked for, but did not see, the bird (AW, SJ).

4 on 28 Apr., one female-plumaged bird & 3 male, at feeder along N Columbus Ave., Goldendale (DL).

Red Crossbill - >40 during the last two weeks (as of 16 Apr.) at feeder off Jennings Rd. in Trout Lake (MY fide CJF).

6 coming to Mack feeder, recently (as of 16 Apr.), in Trout Lake (CM fide CJF).

>100 on 26 Apr., fly overs at the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA. This species was abundant here from mid-late April, feeding on plentiful hemlock cone crop, but by the end of May few crossbills remained (AW, SJ).

1 on 28 Apr., ASY male at feeder in Goldendale, along N Columbus Ave. (DL).

50 on 29 Apr., apparently foraging in oaks, in Dillacourt Canon, off the lower stretch of the Klickitat River (BH).

3 on 28 May, near Cascade Locks, along Herman Creek, Hood River Co., OR, “feeding on cottonwood buds!!!” (MC, DAA).

Pine Siskin – 50 on 22 Apr., calling a bit, fly se. over E. Franklin St., Bingen , continuing on over the Bingen School Inn playfield (SJ).

Only a few Pine Siskins accompanied the big flocks of Red Crossbills foraging on the abundant hemlock cones in the old growth forest of the T. T. Munger RNA during the latter half of April and the early part of May; in Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Am. Goldfinch – 3 on 4 May, alternate plumage males, atop conifer saplings, on volley ball net and on ground at Canopy Crane Hut in the abandoned nursery fields of the Wind River Experimental Forest, Trout Creek Division, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

1 on 10, 12 & 13 May, singing male atop conifer saplings closeby the pkg. lot at the Canopy Crane Hut; there seems to be only a tiny amount of potential nesting habitat here (AW, SJ).

2 on 12 May, singles heard only, calling in flight over old growth forest, plot 45 (at 07:17 and 07:52) in the T. T. Munger RNA, Skamania Co., WA (SJ).

2 on 30 May, male & female, apparently a pair, in conifer saplings and Russian olives near the Wind River canopy crane hut, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ).

Evening Grosbeak – flocks on 18 Apr., heard in Goldendale “vocalising in one particular tree or another, apparently near feeders. I haven’t seen or heard any around my place” off N Columbus Ave. (DL).

>13 on 20 Apr., calling, in oak tops at nw. corner of Cedar & E. Humboldt streets in Bingen (SJ).

“Have been around for a week” at feeder along NE Academy St., White Salmon (email report 23 Apr.) (JaE, PM).

1 on 26 Apr., heard only, calling in flight above the canopy of the old growth forest in the Thornton T. Munger RNA, Trout Creek Division of the Wind River Experimental Forest, Skamania Co., WA (AW, SJ); twice on 28 Apr., one or two were heard calling in flight over a RNA trail here (SJ).

As of 7 May, Evening Grosbeaks have been coming to a feeder off N Columbus Ave, Goldendale, for the last 3 days; mostly males (DL).

Two or 3 times this species called in flight over the Trout Lake NAP on 29 May, only 1 or a few at a time (SJ).

Observers:

JoA – John Alexander

BA – Bob Altman

DAA – David A. Anderson

DPA- David P. Anderson

JA – Jack Anderson

TA – Ted Anderson

WC – Wilson Cady

NC – Nora Campbell

MC – Mike Charles

CCl – Claudia Cleveland

HC – Harold Cole

AC – Anne Condon

SC – Susan Cooper

CC – Char Corkran

CD – Carroll Davis

JD – John Davis

MD – Mary Davis

BD – Bruce Dishaw

NE – Nate Einbinder

JE – Joe Engler

JaE – Janet Essley

SF – Stewart Fletcher

CJF – Catherine J. Flick

DG – Diane Gadway

RG – Roger Gadway

SG – Stuart Gage

KG – Kevin Glueckert

KaG – Kathy Gunther

KH – Karen Hadley

BH – Bob Hansen

TH – Tom Herzig

FI – Frank Isaacs

SJ – Stuart Johnston

KK – Ken Knittle

DL – Dan Lichtenwald

CM – Cheryl Mack

BMcK – Bob McKenzie

PM – Paul Moyer

JN – Jim Newman

DO – Debbie Olson

BP – Bud Papstein

MP – Mark Press

AR – Alan Richards

BR – Barbara Robinson

MS – Matt Schroeder

BS – Brian Sharp

DS – Dave Shaw

AW – Adrian Wolf

SW – Sara Wu

MY – Marge Yarnell

Abbreviations / Acronyms:

ASY – after second year

CRP – Conservation Reserve Program

IBA – Important Bird Area

MAPS – Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship program

MP – Milepost

NAP – Natural Area Preserve

NF – National Forest

NWR – National Wildlife Refuge

RNA – Research Natural Area

SY – second year

VAS – Vancouver Audubon Society

Records from Multnomah, Hood River and Wasco counties in Oregon and from Skamania and Benton counties in Washington are identified as such. All other records are from Klickitat County, WA.

The Thornton T. Munger Research Natural Area, including the Wind River Canopy Crane facility, is part of the Trout Creek Division, Wind River Experimental Forest, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Skamania County, WA.

If you find that I have made a mistake in entering your record/s please let me know and I will immediately correct it. We strive for accuracy!

This is a co-operative project of “The Larks.”

Compiled by Stuart Johnston

<johnstonstuartf@hotmail.com>