Hello Birders,

I always enjoy reading mail from Jim Acton of Spokane. Today I am
back in town and am now reading back mail, which includes a letter from Jim
posted July 10th. This letter contains a detailed account and description
of an Upland Sandpiper first seen July 6 by Warren Hall and then seen and
heard by Warren and Jim through July 10. They found the bird at several
locations along Deno Road within the first mile west of Hayford Road,
T25N,R41E,S12/S13. This is north of the Spokane Raceway, and a
transmission line transects the area.
This species has recently been extirpated as a breeding bird in
Washington, and is now on the WOS Bird Record Committee review list. The
location this individual has been seen is along the public roads. However,
it flies out into extensive grassland which is 1) private property, and 2)
may possibly be the site of a nesting attempt. Please, please look for
this bird only along and from the public roads. This individual has also
been very quick to leave a perch (roadside fence post or distant power
pole) in response to disturbance.
If you see this bird, please describe your sighting to Tweeters. The
birding community and the WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife will be very interested.

Good birding,

Phil Mattocks
mattocks at eburg.com