This morning I went on a shorebird run starting at the Walla Walla River
Delta. It was as dead as I have seen it except for one time when the wind
was at almost hurricane level.

Only three shorebirds:
Killdeer - 15
Western Sandpiper - 60
Least Sandpiper - 15

Next I stopped at a pond just north of Highway 12 after it turns east
towards Walla Walla; it is east of Madam Dorian Park:
Killdeer - 6
American Avocet - 2
WESA - 400
LESA - 10
Long-billed Dowitcher - 12

The Iowa Beef ponds along Dodd Road and those south of the main feedlots
were devoid of shorebirds except for:
Red-necked Phalarope - 45

I drove north on Highway 12 toward Pasco and stopped at the McNary Pool and
found among the regulars:
White-fronted Goose - 35
Bonaparte's Gull - 3

The south pond across the highway had:
Killdeer - 6
Greater Yellowlkegs - 8
Lesser Yellowlegs - 3
WESA - 12
LESA - 4
Stilt Sandpiper - 1

A brief stop at the Yakima River Delta:
Killdeer - 10
Greater Yellowlegs - 20
Lesser Yellowlegs - 5
WESA - 20
LESA - 6
Pectoral Sandpiper - 2
Common Snipe - 1

The Stilt Sandpiper was in close proximity to both yellowlegs for good size
comparisons. It was an adult in winter plummage.

On the island west of Wallula were over 90 American Pelicans.

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA



Denny Granstrand