Tweeters,

Yesterday about 3 P.M., I checked the small wetland just east of
Lyman, in Skagit County, as described by Gary Bletsch in the attached
message sent on April 24. Surprise-- the SOLITARY SANDPIPER was back
(or more likely, it was a different individual). Just as Gary noted,
it was right next to the Lyman-Hamilton Road (so close, in fact, that
I didn't see it at first, hidden behind clumps of grass, till it made
a short flight out into the open).

This is the third time I've checked this spot since Gary's report.
The
first time, on April 26, there were 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, a WILSON'S SNIPE, and 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, as well as WOOD
DUCKS, CINNAMON TEAL, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The second and third
visits (on April 30 and May 4) were brief stops on my way to and from
eastern Washington-- this place is barely off the North Cascades
Highway. On April 30, there were no ducks, and only 2 shorebirds-- a
GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a SNIPE. Yesterday, as well as the SOLITARY
SANDPIPER, there were 12 LEAST SANDPIPERS, a MALLARD, and 3 CINNAMON
TEAL. I guess it was "third time lucky" for the SOLITARY SANDPIPER.

Although there have been quite a few westside reports on TWEETERS in
the last couple of weeks, Solitary Sandpiper is a rare migrant in
western Washington, and can be hard to find. Thanks for posting that
report, Gary-- it was my first Solitary in Skagit County, and I've yet
to see one in Whatcom County.

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net




----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Bletsch <garybletsch at yahoo.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 1:53 PM
Subject: nice shorebirds near Lyman (Skagit cty)


> Dear Tweeters,
>
> There is a nice assemblage of marsh birds at a vernal
> pool, east of Lyman (Skagit County). This pool is on
> the north side of the Lyman-Hamilton Road, between
> Hamilton Cemetery Road and Healy Road. Today there
> were:
>
> 4 Mallards
> 6 Green-winged Teal
> 1 or more Cinnamon Teal
> 2 calling Wilson's Snipe
> 1 Lesser Yellowlegs
> 1 Greater Yellowlegs
> 1 Solitary Sandpiper (right by the road)
> 25 or so Least Sandpipers
>
> Last year, this wetland was rather a disappointment
> for shorebirds, but over the last few days, there have
> been lots of them, mainly Greater Yellowlegs and
> Killdeer.
>
>
> =====
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Gary Bletsch
>
> near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington
>
> garybletsch at yahoo.com
>
>