On Friday (8/26/05), Gary Kuiper and I visited some
hotspots in northern Adams and southern Lincoln
Counties. Chilly early morning temperatures gave way
to a very warm, sunny afternoon.

Our first stop on the northern end of Sprague Lake
(Lincoln Co.), produced STILT SANDPIPER -22,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and SPOTTED SANDPIPER.
VESPER SPARROWs, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, ROCK WREN, and a
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW lined the roadsides. A large
concentration of BANK SWALLOWs, BARN SWALLOWS, and a
CLIFF SWALLOW seemed to cause the fence and power
lines to sag under their impressive numbers.

As a contingent of COMMON TERNs and at least FORSTER'S
TERN worked their up the lake, we attempted to find
unusual gulls along the distant western shore.
Although we didn't see any rare gulls, a significant
number of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs, WARBLING VIREOS, and
YELLOW WARBLERs were working through the foliage of
the shoreline shrubbery.

On the southern half (Adams County) of the lake, we
saw SEMIPALMATED PLOVER-2 (county lifer) , BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
(county lifer), WESTERN GREBEs, RUDDY DUCKS, and
EASTERN KINGBIRD. On the southern most access, we
found plenty of passerines that included GRAY
FLYCATCHER, PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER, RED-EYED VIREO
(county lifer), WARBLING VIREOs, ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER,
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, COMMON TERNS, WHITE PELICANS,
RED BREASTED NUTHATCH (in the large cottonwood tree by
the boat launch), RING-NECKED PHEASANT, GRAY
PARTRIDGE, and an adult PEREGRINE FALCON (county
lifer) that was finishing dinner on one of the small
islands.

Perhaps, the highlight of the day was an amazing sight
of a family of four River Otters swimming in formation
like a pod of porpoises. From our bluff top vantage
point, we enjoyed watching the otters cruising the
shoreline for over five minutes. Other mammals of the
day were Mule Deer and a Coyote.

Around noon, we arrived at Rocky Ford (Crab Creek) in
Lincoln County,
Apparently, a wave of LINCOLN'S SPARROWs were passing
through, as we saw at least eight of them in this
location. Finally, I added Lincoln's Sparrow to my
Lincoln County list!

Quite a few silent empids were present. DUSKY,
HAMMOND'S, and PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHERs flitted
around the riparian vegetation. MARSH WRENs, and
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER were in evidence too.

Although we stopped in at Sheep Lake (Whitman Co.) on
our return leg, there was only one AMERICAN AVOCET and
one BAIRD'S SANDPIPER to be seen. Fifty RED-NECKED
PHALAROPEs spun around on the southern end of the
lake, but there anything too exciting there.

At any rate, fall migration is certainly well
underway. It is good time to check your favorite
migrant trap.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA

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