This morning (April 22nd) my husband, Ray, and I noticed some birds we haven’t ever sen on on our lake since we moved here almost two years ago. After searching on the internet and in our Audubon book of birds, we discovered they are Black-Necked Stilts. They have been entertaining us all day. Wonder how long they will be here.
Paula Dirks
Spokane Valley
Bird Observations for April 2020 (in order seen)
Alan McCoy, South Spokane County, Open Ponderosa Pine habitat
4/1:
American Robin plentiful and noisy
Northern Flicker tapping and calling constantly
European Starling eating suet until I chased them off
Western Bluebird a couple pairs investigating my bluebird boxes – nest building but no eggs as of 4/21
House Finch singing constantly and gorging on sunflower seed
Dark-eyed Junco mostly Oregon race, eating at my ground feeder, and trilling while sitting in pines
Red-breasted Nuthatch calling every day though not visiting my feeders as much now
California Quail visiting feeders and hiding in my wildlife piles and in my Caragana hedge
Western Meadowlark a wonderful spring voice and early nester in nearby fields
American Goldfinch abundant, developing full breeding color, loves niger and sunflower seed
Mountain Chickadee summer breeder singing every day (but the Black-capped has left my yard for the summer)
Eurasian Collared-Dove every day visitor to my ground feeder
Pygmy Nuthatch year round friend now busy excavating a nearby snag, same snag as last year
Mourning Dove not as constant the first week, now every day at my ground feeder
Hairy Woodpecker visiting my suet doesn’t hang around as much as Downy but may breed here
4/2:
Downy Woodpecker daily visitor to my suet
Red-tailed hawk – seen most days hovering and today resting on a snag not far from my shop
Common Raven – heard and seen most every day, clicking and squawking and calling
4/3:
House Sparrow comes to my ground feeder, tries to nest in one of my bluebird boxes but I chase them away until they leave for good
Brewer’s Blackbird – a short flyover on this day and often seen on wires across the road
Red-winged Blackbird sometimes come to my ground feeder, male and female
4/4:
Canada Goose flyover not daily as last month but still common
4/6:
Killdeer nesting in fields all around
4/10:
Gull species – 4 heard at first and then finally found them flying and soaring very high overhead. The voice sounded much closer than they actually were. Also a Red-tail soaring close to them.
Hummingbird feeder - I put out one feeder but as of 4/22 I haven’t had any hummers visit
4/17:
Tree Swallow I hope they will nest in one of the bluebird boxes like they did last year
Cassin’s Finch – brilliant male munching black-oil sunflower seeds sharing space with goldfinches and house finches
4/18:
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon) male in breeding plumage, heard them first and then finally located one high in a pine
Ruby-crowned Kinglet a pair finding bugs to eat in our Forsythia. Male with brilliant ruby crown and singing its lovely song
4/19:
Say’s Phoebe finally heard its plaintiff call (had heard it in mid-March on my morning walks, but not at home)
4/20:
Cooper’s Hawk – male flying and soaring not far above my head,
We spotted a Merlin on West Euclid about a week ago, sitting in the top of a ponderosa pine (see photo below). We also have a pair of kestrels hanging out in the neighborhood, which we have never had before.
Bea and Jim Harrison
After a busy day's work on April 17th I drove out to nearby Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge to clear my mind and look for some interesting birds to photograph. I started down the Columbia Plateau Trail that crosses the Refuge and noticed a nearby Osprey. I got some nice photographs as she few off the nest - agitated when a Bald Eagle flew close by - and then returned.
Her nearby mate had joined in the Bald Eagle chase but came back with a fish that he proceeded to eat while perched on a telephone pole. The female was calling out to him for nearly the entire time.
Did you know that an Osprey is also called Sea Hawk, River Hawk, or Fish Hawk as it eats only fish? This raptor can dive as deep as three feet into the water for fish, but prefers to hunt in even shallower areas. It takes both birds 14 to 21 days to complete a new nest. They weigh 3 pounds and they often mate for life. Their typical lifespan is 7 to 10 years.
Carlene Hardt
Pearl Bouchard enjoyed seeing American Goldfinches on Upriver Driver along the Spokane River on April 16th and 18th.
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