Columbia Estuary Report - 7/30/97

Andrew Emlen, Mike Baker and I just spent the last two mornings
mist-netting sandpipers at the SJCR shorebird flats. We caught
34 birds including a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. At least 4 more
Semi's were in the back ponds today. All the LEAST SANDPIPERS
and most of the WESTERN SANDPIPERS were hatching year birds. At
the peak of the morning there were about 250 birds working the
various ponds.

A single ELEGANT TERN was on the river beach along with the
usual 400+ CASPIAN TERNS.

Two day shorebird count at the SJCR:
Black-bellied Plover - 1
Semipalmated Plover - 2
Whimbrel - 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 5
Western Sandpiper - 125
Least Sandpiper - 125
Red-necked Phalarope - 1



--
********************************* One of us might lose his hair
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * but you're reminded that it once was ther
* mpatters at orednet.org * from the embryonic whale
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters to the monkey with no tail -- TMBG