Columbia Estuary Report - 8/21/98

Two long-legged, long-toed small Calidrid sandpipers were holding
the center of the small pond in the wetland near the Skipannon River
near Warrenton this afternoon. Both had bright face patterns with
well defined supercillia. Most distinctive was the flaring (broadening)
of the of the supercillium behind the eye. These two were rigorously
defending the center of the pond from WESTERN SANDPIPERS and
(definitive) LEAST SANDPIPERS.

While I would like to give specific directions to the wetland site,
it is owned by parties who do not want a lot of bunny huggers mucking
up a perfectly go industrial site.

In other news, Neal Maine saw a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON at the Mill
Pond wetland in Seaside on Wednesday. A LONG-BILLED CURLEW flew over
SJCR on Thursday.

Shorebird action is still pretty slow on the Columbia River. SJCR
low tide birds this morning included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER.

Today's High tide Counts:
SJCR -
Black-bellied Plover 2 (alternate adult molting to basic)
Black Turnstone 1
Wandering Tattler 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 3 (juvenile)
Western Sandpiper 23
Least Sandpiper 25

Skipannon -
Long-billed Dowitcher 3
Western Sandpiper 5
Least Sandpiper 23 (included anomalous birds above)

Wireless Rd -
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Least Sandpiper 6


--

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