Subject: Central Columbia Basin Grand tour
Date: Sep 10 22:10:25 1995
From: Scott Ray - scray at WOLFE.net


Tweeters,

Where might one expect to find the following species in one day of birding?

Common Loon
Sandhill Crane
Steller's Eider
Surf Scoter
Sabine's Gull


Well, all of these birds may be found breeding near the MacKenzie River
delta in northern Canada, AND today(9/10) all these species were found in
eastern Washington!

Andy Stepniewski and I started our day just after dawn at the Walla Walla
River delta where the STELLER'S EIDER was found by Mike Denny and where it
has been easily observed since yesterday morning. The general concensus is
that the bird is an adult male in partial eclipse plumage rather than an
immature male as I first reported. The bird provided excellent views,
cruising past a group of 8 birders in virtual remote controlled fashion 10
feet from the group.

However, we missed the SABINE's GULL which has been hanging around the
delta. There were several hundred Western and a few Least Sandpipers, 1 or
2 Pectoral, 15+ Long-billed Dowitchers, several Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs, 3 Stilt Sanpipers, 1 or 2 Semi-palmated Plovers, etc.

40+ or so miles up the Columbia River and north of Ringold, was a tight
group of 14 Great Egrets, the largest concentration I've seen in WA outside
their breeding grounds at Potholes Reservoir. They were observed
intermittantly feeding and moving NORTH.

Soap Lake produced an immature SABINE's GULL and a motley female SURF SCOTER
along the western shore.

A flock/raft of 18 Common Loons was seen resting on Blue Lake in Grand
Coulee. These birds, all adult, were in the tightest flock I've ever
witnessed, not separated by more than 3-5 feet.

The day ended at Atkins Lake with 55 Sandhill Cranes. The shorebird peak
appears to have passed at Atkins Lake where only a few shorebirds were seen.
Several Sanderlings were still present.

Scott

_____________________________________________________________________________
Scott Ray Washington Birder Newsletter
Yakima, WA PO Box 191
scray at wolfenet.com Moxee, WA 98936
http://www.wolfenet.com/~scray/