Since I'm doing a big year there, I was initially bummed about not being able to start the year in Illinois, but given the current weather there, and the success I've had here so far, I'm definitely glad it'll be a few days before we head back to the frigid Chicagoland. This morning, a few hours spent birding within the borders of Spokane County yielded 46 birds, 18 of which were new for the year - gotta love starting over again! The best woodland treats were flyover Cassin's Finch and Red Crossbills, and the waterfowl highlights were Trumpeter Swan, Redhead, and Northern Pintail. An unexpected Northern Shrike and an American Dipper were also birds I was not necessarily counting on getting before heading back to the Midwest. I didn't really have a set number in mind for these first few days in Washington, but I'm surprised that 90 is already within reach for tomorrow's journey.
Not many pics today, but here are a couple that turned out well:
Redhead (young male)
Wandermere Pond, Spokane Co, WA
January 2, 2014
Ring-necked Ducks
Wandermere Pond, Spokane Co, WA
January 2, 2014
Trumpeter Swan
Spokane Co, WA
January 2, 2014
American Dipper
Little Spokane Confluence, Spokane Co, WA
January 2, 2014
Two days, 78 species. I'm excited to get one more day of birding in while we're still in Washington
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