Denny- I know we're past the weekend, but I was in San Diego most of
last week. The pelagic trip would have been a total bust, except that
the Xantus Murrelet was a lifer, as we saw a total of one bird that
was a true pelagic, a Sooty Shearwater, and we had to get close just
to make it fly. I've never been shut out on jaegers and storm petrels
before on the west coast, and only one shearwater! But it was clear
and calm, so nobody got sick.

I was out this morning and found more than 1100 cranes already back at
roost by 09:00. They were south of MP 30 along SR 26. The Corfu area
remains the best spot to see feeding birds up close. Take Road C SE
about a half mile south. Be there before 8 am or after 6 pm. I also
heard that the roost east of Smyrna north of the Lower Crab Creek Road
had birds last week. They will probably depart soon, but the food
supply remains abundant at Corfu. Probably 10 tons of corn remain on
the ground.

The saline wetland near the county line along SR 26 is picking up.
There were 70+ avocets, 20+ stilts, and 50+ peeps this morning. There
were 40 pelicans to the south on Sunday, and 9 there this morning.
Bob Flores saw an Eastern Phoebe this morning near Mardon Resort at
Potholes Reservoir, but we couldn't find it when we went back to look.

Randy


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: crane viewing
Author: <osprey at nwinfo.net> at ~internet
Date: 04/15/1999 12:46 PM


Hi Randy,

I am hoping to chase cranes this weekend. Can you tell me where the most
likely locations would be to find good numbers of them? Have they left the
Othello area yet?

Thanks,

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA


Denny Granstrand