Photo: Sage Thrasher by Mick Thompson
June 14, 2022
Windy weather in the Ellensburg area is pretty typical in June, but it did not interfere with some productive birding in the meadows and riparian areas around Thorpe or the sagebrush habitat of Umptanum Rd. The group saw several species that breed only east of the Cascades, including Veery, Gray Catbird, Black-billed Magpie, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Sage Thrasher, Brewer’s Sparrow, Cassin’s Finch and Yellow-breasted Chat.
59 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Virginia, Dianna, Ken, Rex, Jeff, Merilee, Val, Denny, Judy L., Melinda, Victor, Karen, Ann, Larry, Pam T.
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Mallard (5)
GALLINSCEOUS BIRDS: California Quail (2)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Great Blue Heron (1)
VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (6)
RAPTORS: Osprey (4), Bald Eagle (1), Red-tailed Hawk (3), Peregrine Falcon (2)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Mourning Dove (5)
HUMMINGBIRDS: Rufous Hummingbird (1)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (1)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (1)
FLYCATCHERS: Olive-sided Flycatcher (1), Western Wood-Pewee (10), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1), Eastern Kingbird (1)
SHRIKES, VIREOS: Warbling Vireo (3)
CORVIDS: Steller’s Jay (1), Black-billed Magpie (4), American Crow (6), Common Raven (3)
LARKS, SWALLOWS: Horned Lark (1), Violet-green Swallow (3), Cliff Swallow (25), Barn Swallow (1)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (1)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Red-breasted Nuthatch (2), Pygmy Nuthatch (1)
WRENS: House Wren (3)
THRUSHES: Western Bluebird (5), Mountain Bluebird (12), Veery (2), American Robin (5)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: Gray Catbird (2), Sage Thrasher (1), European Starling (6)
WARBLERS, CHATS: Yellow Warbler (5), Yellow-breasted Chat (1)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (3), Chipping Sparrow (1), Brewer’s Sparrow (6), Vesper Sparrow (2), White-crowned Sparrow (1), Dark-eyed Junco (4)
TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS: Western Tanager (6), Black-headed Grosbeak (8), Lazuli Bunting (3)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (5), Western Meadowlark (7), Brewer’s Blackbird (15), Brown-headed Cowbird (6), Bullock’s Oriole (5)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: Evening Grosbeak (1), Purple Finch (10), Cassin’s Finch (2), Red Crossbill (6), American Goldfinch (5), House Sparrow (1)