Subject: Atkins Lake report
Date: Aug 27 20:05:54 1995
From: Scott Ray - scray at WOLFE.net


Tweeters,

The second visit of the day to Atkins Lake (8 miles west of Coulee City on
Hwy 20, Douglas Co.) yesterday afternoon produced among many shorebirds, a
juvinile RED KNOT. The bird was was seen later (7pm) by Dan Stephens, but
neither Andy Stepniewski nor I could not relocate the bird this morning
(Sunday). A storm front with high winds moving from the northwest blew
through the area last night and probably took the bird with it. When I
visited the lake the first time Saturday at 11am the Knot was not seen. My
experience last week with the adult Knot at the WW River Delta and this bird
suggests to me that Knots move through the interior quickly, not lingering
long when they stop. Both birds were seen for a maximum of several hours
before departing.

However, while Andy and I tried to relocate the Knot we found a tame
fall-plumaged BOBOLINK in the brushy margins. It was also seen feeding
along the lake shore in short grass. To my knowledge this is the first
Bobolink record for Douglas County. I'm be curious to know if other records
exist.

Other birds this morning at Atkins Lake and another un-named pond about 5-7
miles north along Raod L NE this morning included:

100+ Greater Yellowlegs
100+ Lesser Yellowlegs
6+ Solitary Sandpipers
2 Spotted Sandpipers
50 Western Sandpipers
1 Semi-palmated Sandpipers
80+ Baird's Sandpipers
25+ Least Sandpipers
1 Pectoral Sandpiper
3 Stilt Sandpipers
8 Long-billed Dowitchers
many Wilson's Phalarope
many Northern Phalarope
5 Sanderlings

Atkins Lake is very exciting this year. 16 shorebird species were present
in two days. There are probably several miles of shoreline that will
continue to improve as the water drops.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Scott Ray Washington Birder Newsletter
Yakima, WA PO Box 191
scray at wolfenet.com Moxee, WA 98936