Kelly,

Today along Old Goldendale Rd at the Toppenish NWR, there were at least 7
Virginia Rails calling plus 2 Soras. Yellowthroats were back, too.

At the south end of :ateral A, 1/4 mile south of the gate, were 10 species
of shorebirds, a good count for spring in eastern WA: Killdeer (10), L-b
Curlew (4), B-n Stilt (20+), Am. Avocet (6), Gr. Yellowlegs (3), Lesser
Yellowlegs (3), Western Sandpiper (1), Least Sandpiper (20+), Dunlin (20),
and Common Snipe (2). 57 species in all in a short afternoon trip to the refuge!

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA

>Tweeters,
>
>Wading about (or aboot if you're in Canada) today in the Black River
>floodplain southwest of Tumwater and flushed a Virginia Rail at two meters
>distance. So, I took a close look at where it flew from and saw a tidy nest
>with 7 eggs. It was constructed within a clump of Juncus growing from
>shallow water. The nest itself was 8 inches above the water's surface.
>Exciting for me as I find rails a pleasure to be around.
>
>Also, yellowthroats were around. I like them too.
>
>Kelly McAllister
>Olympia, Washington
>
>