Columbia Estuary Report - 5/18/97

There are still plenty of loons moving north though the majority
now seem to be RED-THROATED LOONS. At least two ARCTIC TERNS
were feeding with BONAPART'S GULLS off the South Jetty of the
Columbia River. A single BROWN PELICAN, 51 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES
and several northward moving flocks of NORTHERN SHOVELERS were
seen as well.

A single female PECTORAL SANDPIPER was at the South Jetty ponds
both Saturday and Sunday along with a basic plumage BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVER. Shorebird movements seem to be generally over. The
Clatsop Beach transect (5.5km) produced a scant 85 SANDERLINGS and
3 DUNLIN.

A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was making extended use of thermals just north
of Camp Rilea. This is a late record for spring migration.

New arrivals this week included:
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Swainson's Thrush
Warbler Vireo
Black-headed Grosbeak

The following wildflowers are currently in bloom at Fort Columbia:

Pacific Waterleaf
Bittercress
Pacific Rhododendron
Creeping Buttercup
Western Buttercup
Candy Flower
Common Delphinium
Fringecup
Manroot
Cow Parsnip
Foxglove
Thimbleberry
Pacific Bleeding Heart
Dove's Foot Geranium
Clarkia
Fairy Bells
False Lily-of-the-valley
Yellow Monkey Flower
Inside-out Flower



--
*********************************** I got the blues so bad one time
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * it put my face in a permanent frown
* mpatters at orednet.org * but I am feelin' so much better
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters I could cake-walk into town