Sometime in March every year, it is like an alarm goes off in my birding brain that says time to go East, the shrub/steppe/sage birds are returning to Kittitas County. In a pattern that has played out almost every year since I returned to serious birding in 2012, I begin mentally planning a trip to Kittitas County which starts just east over Snoqualmie Pass and continues east to the Columbia River, easily accessed in about an hour over Interstate 90. If it is early March, it is still dark at 7:30 a.m. and Daylight Savings Time has not yet clocked in, so instead of leaving at 6:00 a.m. or even 5:00 a.m. which I might do for this trip in May, I can leave as late as 7:00 a.m. planning to arrive at my first usual stop at Bullfrog Pond at 8:30 a.m. when it is just about light enough for the birds to be out. In early March there won’t be many there but a couple of months later that will change dramatically. Farther east, though, certainly by mid-March the special birds of the shrub/steppe/sage habitat that essentially starts in Ellensburg will be making their first appearances in bright new breeding plumage, pairing up and singing. It’s a good time to be birding and it will keep getting better over those next two months although some of the earlier arrivers will be quieting down.

For a variety of reasons, my instate birding activity in 2024 has been less active than usual. I did not even visit Eastern Washington for the first time until March 24th and I just returned from my second visit two days ago on April 12th. Birding was good both days with noticeable differences from one to the other with new arrivals. I will most likely return in another two or three weeks when migration will have been in full swing bringing in many returning species.

Some numbers: my life list for Kittitas County is 213 species. The most recent addition to that list was a Baird’s Sandpiper in September 2022 preceded by my Washington State Lifer Black and White Warbler in June that year. At least per my Ebird records, the first species I recorded in the County was a Sage Thrasher in May 1974 – along with several other sage habitat species. So yes I have been birding in the county for almost 50 years, albeit with a 36 year gap between 1975 and 2011. Probably not unlike many other Washington counties, the large majority of my species for Kittitas County have been seen in the Spring (March through May) – fully 177 of the 213 (almost 85%) with a large portion of the others, especially waterfowl added in the Winter. Each year over the past 5 years, I have made at least one trip to Kittitas County during March and April and have noted between 62 and 82 species in those months in those years. Altogether, over those 5 years I have seen 114 species during those two months and seen an addition 63 species during the month of May during that time. So far this year I have seen 65 species in the County and could reasonably expect another 40 or so with some good birding if I visit in May when many passerines have returned.

I have presented those numbers for context, but it is the make-up of those numbers, especially the species just east of the Cascades and the adjoining shrub/steppe/sage desert-like habitats farther east that is the real focus of this blog post and the major reason I return to the same birding spots each Spring. These species initially include Mountain and Western Bluebirds, Say’s Phoebe, Rock and Canyon Wren’s, Brewer’s, Sagebrush and Vesper Sparrows, Prairie Falcon, Western Meadowlark, Loggerhead Shrike, Chukar, Sage Thrasher, Pygmy and White Breasted Nuthatch, White Headed Woodpecker, Red-Naped and Williamson’s Sapsuckers, Mountain Chickadee, and House Wren. Later in May I can find Nashville, Yellow, Wilson’s, and MacGillivray’s warblers, Eastern and Western Kingbirds, several Empidonax flycatchers, Veery and Swainson’s Thrush, Bullock’s Orioles, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Breasted Chat, Black Headed Grosbeak, Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds and many others. All of these species can be found elsewhere in Washington – further east or further south, but the 83 miles from Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage on the Columbia River along Interstate 90 is easily birded in a single day and with additional time, I can venture south or north from the Interstate to get to more forested, agricultural or riparian habitats that add to the species variation. It is great Spring time birding.

I generally make a first stop at Snoqualmie Pass for coffee, a restroom and in May to look for Rufous Hummingbirds at a house with many feeders at Hyak and MacGillivray’s Warblers in brush along the roads. Then it is back to I-90 and east with a stop at Bullfrog Pond and/or Wood Duck Road a couple of miles west of Cle Elum. The latter is often good for Western Bluebird, Chipping Sparrow, Pygmy Nuthatch and Cassin’s Finch among other species. Bullfrog Pond is usually quiet until late April but afterwards can be super birdy. I have seen 99 species at this location including 7 species of woodpecker, 8 flycatchers, 7 thrushes, and 8 warblers.

After Bullfrog my route varies but usually includes a long visit to the Northern Pacific Railroad Ponds and perhaps the adjoining fish hatchery in South Cle Elum, a few miles further east. This hotspot has been very productive as I have 112 species there including 13 duck species, 6 swallows, 4 wrens, 6 warblers, 6 sparrows and a good mix of most every other group. I have been there on two separate days where there was a fallout of sorts of Yellow Rumped Warblers – over 100 seen each day. It is my “go to” spot for Pygmy Nuthatches as they have nested there every year I can remember. One day I had all three area chickadees – Mountain, Black Capped and Chestnut Backed – in a single tree and later had the three nuthatches – Pygmy, Red Breasted and White Breasted in another single tree. Cle Elum is also good to gather food for the rest of the trip either at the Safeway west of town or at the Cle Elum Bakery along the main street downtown.

It is about 25 miles from Cle Elum to Ellensburg where I have to make a big decision about which route to take. Although I often combine at least parts of the two options, depending on whether I am going to carry on either further east to Grant and/or Adams counties or further south to Yakima County, which in either case usually precludes going the other direction. The first option is to take Exit 109 into Ellensburg and then follow Umptanum Road which first goes north and then turns southeast becoming North Wenas Road in maybe 10 miles or so. The second option is to keep going east on I-90 and exit in the City of Kittitas to eventually make it to Old Vantage Highway which continues east to the Columbia River. With either there are multiple possible stops or side trips before hitting the main target areas with good sagebrush. [Note: recent fires the past two years have severely damaged a lot of sage in both areas.]

If I take the Umptanum Road route, a first stop might be at Irene Rhinehart Riverside Park which generally has many of the same species seen at the Cle Elum stops. Usually I carry on to Durr Road which is a turn off not long after the road becomes dirt (recently well maintained). This road and the miles along Umptanum Road heading further south are maybe the best in Washington for both Western and Mountain Bluebirds as well as other sage and shrub steppe species including especially Brewer’s and Vesper Sparrows, Loggerhead Shrike and occasionally Sage Thrasher. The 7 photos below were all taken in the last month.

If I am going to carry on to Yakima County I continue south with a stop near “Kindle Lane” – a private road onto gated private property. In the pines there I regularly find White Headed Woodpeckers. Two days ago I found two there – one of the highlights on a day where I was also able to backtrack and then bird on into Vantage with many more highlights for the day. In May the entire area is good for a variety of passerines.

If I have taken this southern route but am not going on further south, I backtrack into Ellensburg and generally head east on I-90 exiting at the Kittitas exit and then head a bit north on Road No. 81 before again heading east to Old Vantage Highway. Road No. 81 is usually good for a Swainson’s Hawk. On Friday I did not see one on way way in but later that evening one was perched there on my way out. There are often exceptions to this route to look for species in and around Ellensburg including in recent years a Costa’s Hummingbird that was coming to a feeder in Ellensburg. Note that Calliope Hummingbirds as well as Anna’s and Rufous can also be found in the area and once I had a Black Chinned.

Ellensburg is also a reliable place for Ospreys that arrive in March usually earlier than their appearances west of the Cascades. There are usually several active platform nests easily viewed from main roads with many photo ops. Most years my first Ospreys are from either the aforementioned Railroad Ponds or Ellensburg.

Although there are great birding opportunities all along Old Vantage Highway on into Vantage itself, most of my interest is in the sagebrush areas about halfway between Kittitas and Vantage. As I mentioned before much of the sage in the area was destroyed in recent fires – very sad to see and devastating to birds and birders. Fortunately it is a large area and there is lots of good habitat remaining. Similar to Durr Road the area is really good for Brewer’s and Vesper Sparrows, Sage Thrasher and Say’s Phoebe. The area around the “corrals” used to be really good for Sagebrush Sparrow but the sage is now gone and so too are the sparrows. Now the go to place for them is hiking in a short way uphill from the “Pumphouse Road” parking area on the north side of Old Vantage Highway. On Friday I had at least 4 there – all active even though they first arrived there almost two months ago. A favorite spot a couple of miles west of there is what I call “Deb’s Awesome Sage”, named in honor of Deb Essman, a good friend and super birder who lives in the town of Kittitas and who first showed me the spot many years ago. It is always good for Sage Thrasher and usually for Brewer’s and Vesper Sparrow’s as well.

You can never count on one, but I have seen Prairie Falcons along this stretch of Old Vantage Highway several times including this past Friday – a lucky photo of a quick flyover. Not as plentiful as along Durr or Umptanum Roads, but there are usually Mountain and sometimes Western Bluebirds around as well. Another species that might be seen anywhere in the areas I describe is a Loggerhead Shrike. I had only a VERY distant one last week but other times, they have been seen posted on a wire or post waiting for some large insect or small bird for prey.

Continuing east, a few miles before reaching the Columbia River, I turn off left/north onto Recreation Road which continues on to the Columbia as well – at Rocky Coulee where there is a small camping area and a boat launch. This is a great area for both Rock and Canyon Wrens, and Say’s Phoebes are seen every Spring. It can also be a good area for Chukars up on the rocky slopes as well as swifts, swallows and waterfowl in the Columbia. For several years about 10 years ago, Black Throated Sparrows were found on this road and it is still often good for Lark Sparrows.

I have seen and/or heard Chukars at Rocky Coulee several times but they are by no means regular. This past Friday I found two Chukars at the Wind Farm on Old Vantage Highway – a good sage area a bit before “Deb’s Awesome Sage”. I believe this is the furthest west I have ever had this species. There are a number of other gallinaceous birds possible and that I have seen in Kittitas County – Ring Necked Pheasant (Common), Wild Turkey (common), California Quail (common), Ruffed Grouse (regular but hard to find), Sooty Grouse (up in the hills – regular at Liberty), and Gray Partridge (regular but hard to find in the agricultural fields). There may also be Spruce Grouse – high up in the backcountry – never seen by me.

If I have reached Vantage early enough, I may head south along the Columbia River on Hunzinger Road watching for waterfowl on the river, stopping at Getty’s Cove, where the Black and White Warbler was found, or a bit further south on rock cliffs for Canyon Wren or Wanapum State Park, where among other species I have seen Long Eared Owl. And speaking of owls, but not in the Spring and only later into the summer, in a whole different part of Kittitas County, the Teanaway Valley, I often go to the Liberty Area which is on Highway 97 connecting the Cle Elum/Ellensburg area with Leavenworth to the north. It is my go to area for Flammulated Owls (always heard but still never seen) and where I have also had Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Long Eared Owl and even Spotted Owl. It is a great birding area for woodpeckers including Williamson’s Sapsucker, plus Common Poorwill, Northern Goshawk and lots of passerines. My local list there is 60 species.

Kittitas County has rivers, mountains, agricultural fields, sagebrush, forest and semi-arid near desert. The first month or two of the new year I am generally concentrating on the wintering waterfowl and raptors found in my home Snohomish County or just north in Skagit County – both west of the Cascades. As the ducks, swans and geese start to leave, my birding mind turns to other places and I want to either hit the coast or head east to Kittitas County and beyond. This year, as the Spring is coming alarm went off in my brain, the decision was to head east, partially lured by its usually much drier and sunnier climate but mostly by those sagebrush birds and my familiarity with so many great birding spots there learned over years of visits. And then I return home and feel so fortunate to also have Puget Sound and its great birds at my doorstep. Not many states where you can see Sagebrush Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds and White Headed Woodpeckers one afternoon and then Pigeon Guillemots, Surf Scoters and Pelagic Cormorants the next morning. Washington is a great place to bird!