Subject: not-so-solitary Solitary Sandpipers
Date: May 6 08:04:01 2004
From: Gary Bletsch - garybletsch at yahoo.com


Dear Tweeters,

On Wednesday, 5-05-04, there were not one
but--surprise!--two Solitary Sandpipers at the wetland
alongside Lyman-Hamilton Road, east of Lyman (Skagit
County). A quick check of my records revealed that it
was only the third time I have seen two of these birds
in one spot (and I have yet to see more than two).
There were also five Cinnamon Teal there, two male
Wood Ducks, a female Hooded Merganser, a Greater
Yellowlegs or two, and a few Least Sandpipers.

This morning there was just one Solitary Sandpiper,
along with one Least Sandpiper.

Last night at Cockreham Island, near the boat launch,
there was a Great Horned Owl (lurking by the woodland
edge at dusk), my first Western Wood-Peewee of the
year, and at least three Swainson's Thrushes. The
thrushes were saying "whit," and the Peewee was
singing in a subdued fashion. Out in the river was my
first Spotted Sandpiper of the season. Also in the
area were:

several flocks of Brown-headed Cowbirds, attending to
various ungulate herds;

several flocks of 20 + Northern Rough-winged
Swallows;

lots of Savannah Sparrows.


=====

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com





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