Hey Tweeters,
Made a short stop at the mitigation pond east of Alderton today about
4:00 PM. Had a pair (male and female) of Purple Martins perched on the snag
nearest to the road in the wetland. They perched there together for about 10
minutes before flying out over the fields. Perhaps they're finally making a
comeback and expanding out from the saltwater habitat that has been their
norm for the last couple of decades. I'll continue to check this pond through
the summer on occasion and hope to find them nesting, though starlings in the
area might make it tough for them.
Shorebird migration seems to be petering out, but a scattering of
Least Sandpipers, a breeding plumaged Spotted Sandpiper, and a very solitary
Solitary Sandpiper remain. Nice to see the Solitary foraging by walking
along, then pausing and trembling it's foot in the mud to stir up
invertebrates. Good birding!

Charlie Wright
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA