-----Original Message-----
From: John Fleckenstein <JFMM490 at wadnr.gov>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, January 24, 2000 9:18 AM
Subject: Re: Iceland gull

Birds...oh yes.


<Big snip>

John Fleckenstein wrote;

On Sat. night around 10, my wife and I were down at East Bay in
Olympia, gaping at a 50 foot tri hull boat. <snip> We finally got
distracted by birds. The tide was very low with extensive mud flats.
30+ large shore birds were feeding on the flats. They were quite
vocal; a semi musical single note. They may have been yellow legs.
The area was lit by street lights, but I wondered if the birds would
be present even in the dark. A feeding bonanza like this tide
couldn't be too common. They probably don't need much light to feed,
but finding the flats and watching for predators can't be too easy.
Does anyone know about shorebirds feeding in the dark?

Probably Snipe John. Too bad you didn't have a bag to catch one.
Anyone ever go "snipe hunting"?

Ed Lamb, Bellevue WA, edsplace at worldnet.att.net