Dave Beaudette and I spent the day (8/17) searching a large portion of Grant
county for shorebirds. Numbers were fairly good and a few shorebird
highlights were noted.

However, the bird of the day was a PARASITIC JAEGER found on Potholes
Reservoir. The bird was viewed for approximately 5 minutes as it rested on
the surface. The bird was resting approximately 200 yards offshore from the
dam face, slightly west and north of the outlet spillway. We managed a few
decent digiscope photos while the bird rested and preened. We were then able
to watch as the bird took flight and headed westward. The bird was again
located as we drove westward across the dam and was observed somewhat closer
as it continued west.

Our shorebird day began at the Quincy STP where shorebird numbers were quite
low and birding was slow.
Quincy STP:
Spotted Sandpiper - 5
Western Sandpiper - 1
Red-necked Phalarope - 4

We then continued on to Babcock Ridge Lake. Babcock Ridge Lake lies
approximately 2.5 miles west of Quincy on the north side of WA-28 (see
Delorme pg 68, B-.6 & 1.1). Shorebirds were here in good numbers.
Babcock Ridge Lake:
Killdeer - 15
Black-necked Stilt - 9
Greater Yellowlegs - 2
Lesser Yellowlegs - 3
Solitary Sandpiper - 3
Least Sandpiper - 4
Western Sandpiper - 18
Baird's Sandpiper - 1
Long-billed Dowitcher - 7
Wilson's Snipe - 3
Sora - 1

>From Babcock Ridge Lake we traveled to Soap Lake where we also found
shorebirds in good numbers. We birded East Beach, West Beach, a new area
found at the end of Lakeshore Drive (northwest corner of Soap Lake), and the
north end of Soap Lake at WA-17, MP 78.
East Beach:

Black-necked Stilt - 2
American Avocet - 8
SANDERLING - 1 molting adult, 1 juvenile
Least Sandpiper - 2
Western Sandpiper - 70
Bonaparte's Gull - 1

West Beach:

Red-necked Phalarope - 100+

Lakeshore Drive:
Killdeer - 2
Least Sandpiper - 1
Wilson's Phalarope - 7
Red-necked Phalarope - 40

Our next stop was at the Perch Point area on Potholes Reservoir. Again we
found shorebirds in good numbers.

Perch Point:

Semipalmated Plover - 1
Killdeer - 30+
Greater Yellowlegs - 2
Spotted Sandpiper - 3
Least Sandpiper - 6
Western Sandpiper - 100+
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1 juvenile
Baird's Sandpiper - 3
Long-billed Dowitcher - 12
Wilson's Snipe - 1

Form Perch Point we went to Lind Coulee. The water is still high, but
shorebirds were present in both number and diversity.

Lind Coulee:
Semipalmated Plover - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 9
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4
Spotted Sandpiper - 1
Least Sandpiper - 12
Western Sandpiper - 240
Baird's Sandpiper - 4
Long-billed Dowitcher - 7
Wilson's Snipe - 2

Other birds noted during the day included 2 Greater Yellowlegs on Migraine
Lake (below Soda Lake Dam, Delorme Pg. 53, A-.5 & 6.6), 8 Black-necked Stilt
at Birders Corner (Intersection of Dodson Rd. & Frenchman Hills Road), and 1
Greater and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs along Dodson Rd. on the way back home.

Good Birding

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
dschone8 at bentonrea.com