Subject: Toppenish NWR White Pelicans
Date: Jun 22 15:55:36 1998
From: StahlfeldE at aol.com - StahlfeldE at aol.com


Tweeters,

Susan and I visited Toppenish NWR Sunday afternoon, about thirty miles south
of Yakima, WA. Not a whole lot there at the time, but the highlight was a
flock of approximately 60 White Pelicans taking off and soaring over the
refuge. Didn't see Pelicans on the refuge's checklist. With a flock that
large we couldn't be the first to see pelicans there; does anyone know whether
the checklist is out-of-date, or is this another example of seeing pelicans
this year lots of places they usually are not?

Also saw about a dozen Black-necked Stilts, with what looked like young (same
coloration, but about half the size of the adults), at the pond on the west
side of 97 just north of the refuge entrance.

Also had a very cooperative Snipe sunning himself on a fence post on the east
side of Lateral C, just north of the creek. We looked at him from about 15
feet for at least 5 minutes while he just sat there, occasionally turning his
head more sideways to get a better look at us. Susan suggested we should get
a camera if more birds pose like that.

Also saw a kingfisher midway between Granger and Toppenish, if anyone is still
keeping track of kingfishers. Flying away from us, so couldn't tell whether
it was a male or female.

Eric Stahlfeld
Burien