Columbia Estuary Report - 05/02/1999

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was on Coxcomb Hill (home of the Astor Column)
on Monday.

Heavy movements of SAVANNA SPARROWS, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and
AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES have been occurring throughout the week. Arrivals
this week include MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER and BAND-TAILED PIGEON.

About 500 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were feeding and resting along
the SW margin of Trestle Bay on Saturday. Flocks of migrating GWFG were
encountered on Wireless Rd and Clatsop Beach.

A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were on the Warrenton SP Saturday and Sunday
a male MANDARIN DUCK was with a male WOOD DUCK on Wireless Rd Sunday.

A FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL and a SOOTY SHEARWATER were seen from the
viewing platform at SJCR another storm-petrel was working the surf line
of Clatsop Beach, all on Saturday. Dead birds on the beach include
2 NORTHERN FULMAR, a SOOTY SHEARWATER, a RED-THROATED LOON and 2
WESTERN GULLS.

Shorebird movements along Clatsop Beach were nothing short of spectacular
this morning. A steady, light rain and less sub-optimal visibility
brought many shorebirds to the beach. At about 0830hr birds were
dropping out of the sky at such a rate that I gave up trying to sort
them
out. Most interesting were the flock of 25 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and the
number of LEAST SANDPIPERS on the beach.

Shore numbers for Clatsop Beach 05/02/1999
Semipalmated Plover 161
Black-Bellied Plover 59
Marbled Godwit 11
Whimbrel 9
Greater Yellowlegs 25
Short-billed Dowitcher 259
Sanderling 620
Dunlin 1365
Western Sandpiper 5330
Least Sandpiper 200
Red Knot 1
small calidris sp. 2000

--
Mike Patterson I don't swear for the hell of it.
Astoria, OR Language is a poor enough means of communication
mpatters at orednet.org and we've got to use all the words we've got....
Besides, there are damn few words anybody understands
Henry Drummond in "Inherit the Wind"

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html