Little Spokane River Natural Area Field Trip (6/2 and 6/4/2013)
Leader Lindell Haggin
We met at the WDFW boat launch at the confluence of the Little Spokane and Spokane rivers. It was very birdy, even before we got on the trail. After 30 minutes of birding we got rained out on Sunday, June 2. Several of us met again on Tuesday, June 4, for a few hours to compensate. Nothing very unusual, but did get many good views of Black-headed Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, Yellow Warblers, Calliope Hummingbird and Bullock’s Orioles. Watched a Yellow Warbler add material to nest and pack it down with her body. Saw the female Oriole enter her nest and stay for several minutes. When she left the male came to the nest peeked in and decided he would just wait outside. Could be that she was also still in the construction phase and he was merely keeping watch to make sure no cowbirds got in. The Calliope perched on the same branch I saw it on several weeks ago, Sunday and today. Showed off with a little bit of diving. Saw a female Calliope inspecting some plant material near the Painted Rocks. Did not go to the flowers, but focused on those plants with spiderwebs at the tips. Other birds seen include:
Willow Flycatcher,
Red-winged Blackbirds,
Brown-headed Cowbirds,
Bewick’s Wren,
Song Sparrow,
Tree Swallow,
Cliff Swallow,
Violet-green Swallow,
Osprey,
Black-capped Chickadee,
Western Grebe,
Mallard,
Black-billed Magpie,
California Quail,
Ring-necked Pheasant (heard only),
Killdeer (HO),
Mourning Dove (HO),
Black-chinned Hummingbird,
Northern Flicker,
Eastern Kingbird,
Red-breasted Nuthatch (HO),
Cedar Waxwings,
American Robin,
Spotted Towhee (HO),
American Kestrel