Subject: Columbia Estuary Report - 4/26/98
Date: Apr 26 15:10:56 1998
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at orednet.org




Columbia Estuary Report - 4/26/98

There were plenty of birds moving through this week taking
advantage of the breaks in the unsettled weather. WILSON'WARBLERS,
SWAINSON'S THRUSH and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATHERS all checked in
right on schedule. A TOWNSEND'SOLITAIRE was in the Hawtorne at
the end of my street on Friday morning.

Impressive numbers of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS have been moving
through. Dan Fay reports that at least 100 have been working over
his garden the past few days. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are a now
arriving at local feeders and a noisy flock of EVENING GROSBEAK
spent Sunday morning in the fir trees across the street from my
house.

There were 3 PURPLE MARTINS at the boxes at Hammond Boat Basin.
A high flying MERLIN was seen there as well.

On Saturday PACIFIC LOONS were moving north past the SJCR at a rate
of 42/min. The Sunday count from Ecola State Park was only 3 in
30 minutes of watching. There weren't many COMMON MURRES (by
Ecola Point standard) either, but there were 150 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS
staging in the inlet between Ecola Point and Indian Point. A
NORTHERN (Steller's) SEALION was hauled out in the middle of
the displaying BRANDT'S CORMORANTS and HARBOR PORPOISES were
frolicking in the relatively calm ocean just beyond the breakers.

In shorebird news the diversity of species is increasing. Both
flavors of DOWITCHER can now be found at Wireless Rd and SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS are moving along Clatsop Beach with the DUNLIN. A running
count of Clatsop County shorebird movements is in place at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/shorebird/shore_98.html

Wireless Rd 4/24/98
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 8
Long-billed Dowitcher 2
Dunlin 20
Western Sandpiper 60
Least Sandpiper 70

Clatsop Beach 4/25/98
from Sunset Access to Del Rey
Semipalmated Plover 39
Sanderling 259
Western Sandpiper 24
Dunlin 1260



--

Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR _Birds and other Wildlife of the
mpatters at orednet.org Columbia River Estuary_
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/book_ad.html