Subject: Columbia Estuary Report - 11/09/97
Date: Nov 9 14:38:22 1997
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at orednet.org




Columbia Estuary Report - 11/09/97

You'd never know it was November by the weather. There's a strong
SE wind, but the temperature is at least 60.

A MERLIN was at Trestle Bay on Saturday. 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,
10 DUNLIN, and 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS were on the shorebird flats.
Large numbers of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES and BONAPART'S GULLS are
at the South Jetty.

A flock of 300 DUNLIN were on Youngs Bay.

Most interesting today was a probable BLACK PHOEBE in Seaside at
the old Butori Mill Ponds off Avenue S. The site is exactly where
one one expect a phoebe. I saw it only briefly fly past, but I
think I can safely eliminate junco (heavy black hood, black back,
no obvious white in the outer tail.) It flew to an inaccessible
part of the ponds and I never saw it again, but I heard plenty of
phoebe-like "plink" notes. If anyone happens to be in the Seaside
area, I'd sure appreciate them checking this sight out. It's kind
of a cool place even if you don't find a phoebe.

The Sunset Beach to Del Rey run produced 430 SANDERLINGS, 570
DUNLIN and a dead RHINOCEROS AUKLET. 46 BONAPART'S GULLS were at
Seaside Cove with way too many surfers as were 4 late BAND-TAILED
PIGEONS.

--
********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
* mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk from a handsaw.
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws