Photo: Eastern screech owl by Partha Saha

Hello everyone,

What a great spring day! We could tell that the birds felt spring in the air because they were singing like crazy, especially the Eastern Phoebes and the Northern Flickers.

We were surprised by a flock of 11 Buffleheads on the Columbia Basin. We regularly see one or two but to have a flock of 11 is a special treat. Our other surprise was an Osprey who flew over after diving into the east lagoon and catching a big fish.

We had several firsts of the season: Yellow-rumped Warblers, female Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Tree Swallows, Caspian Terns, and the turtles were out basking.

Brown Creepers were everywhere we looked. Fox Sparrows too. The Canada Geese have begun to lay their eggs and we saw several incubating on nests. Two beautiful Blue-winged Teals were in the east lagoon, along with our resident Northern Shovelers.

BIRDERS: Stacey, Daniela, Mark C., Mike M., Cheryl, Jennie, Jen, Mike R., Renate, Pam.

TIME: 8:00am to 11:30am     

WEATHER: 50 degrees, mostly cloudy

Compiler: Cheryl

Photographers: Mike R. and Jennie

1. Canada Goose   Number observed: 24

2. Wood Duck   Number observed: 7

3. Blue-winged Teal   Number observed: 2

4. Northern Shoveler   Number observed: 2

5. Mallard   Number observed: 16

6. Bufflehead   Number observed: 11

7. Red-breasted Merganser   Number observed: 5

8. Killdeer   Number observed: 2

9. Ring-billed Gull   Number observed: 55

10. Caspian Tern   Number observed: 2

11. Double-crested Cormorant   Number observed: 9

12. Great Blue Heron   Number observed: 3

13. Osprey   Number observed: 1

14. Belted Kingfisher   Number observed: 1

15. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Number observed: 4

16. Downy Woodpecker   Number observed: 2

17. Northern Flicker   Number observed: 15

18. Eastern Phoebe   Number observed: 14

19. American Crow   Number observed: 5

20. Black-capped Chickadee   Number observed: 2

21. Tree Swallow   Number observed: 2

22. Golden-crowned Kinglet   Number observed: 15

23. Brown Creeper   Number observed: 11

24. European Starling   Number observed: 18

25. American Robin   Number observed: 21

26. House Sparrow   Number observed: 15

27. House Finch   Number observed: 3

28. American Goldfinch   Number observed: 2

29. Fox Sparrow   Number observed: 14

30. Dark-eyed Junco   Number observed: 14

31. Song Sparrow   Number observed: 9

32. Swamp Sparrow   Number observed: 1

33. Red-winged Blackbird   Number observed: 19

34. Brown-headed Cowbird   Number observed: 5

35. Common Grackle   Number observed: 7

36. Yellow-rumped Warbler   Number observed: 3

37. Northern Cardinal   Number observed: 10

If you’d like more information about a bird, check out the All About Birds ID guide:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/

Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.

Good birding everyone,

Jennie