Subject: [Tweeters] Grant County Weekend
Date: Oct 16 21:44:16 2005
From: Doug Schonewald - dschone8 at donobi.net


Hi Tweets,

In an effort to fill a few holes in the year list Barb and I spent the
weekend camping at Sun Lakes State Park and using this as a base to bird the
surrounding areas (saves getting up at O-Dark-Early).
Saturday we birded the Sun Lake State Park area and then headed north
toward Grand Coulee. Several good birds were located and the weather was
wonderful.

Sun Lakes State Park:

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - located Saturday and photographed, not relocated
Sunday
SURF SCOTER - pair originally located by Stephan Schlick continues

Coulee City STP:

Dunlin - several and first of the year for us
Pectoral Sandpiper - several
Bonaparte's Gull - 19 feeding in the upper pond

Northrup Point:

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - 3 all of the tan-striped morph offering excellent
views
Black-capped Chickadee - inordinate numbers 15-20 feeding on aphids in the
trees

North Dam Rest Area:

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - another of the tan-striped morph
THAYER'S GULL - 1 juvenile
possible ICELAND GULL - this bird was viewed in flight only, but at fairly
close range. A first winter bird, both the primaries and secondaries were
very translucent with no hint of dark in the primaries. Body was quite
light, bill was completely dark (not a Glaucous Gull). Looks were not
definitive in my mind, but keep an eye out for this bird if you are in the
area.

Today we went to the south of Sun Lakes in search of my personal county
nemesis, White-winged Scoter. We were unsuccessful there, but did manage to
find a few good birds nonetheless.

Blue Lake:

PACIFIC LOON - 1 with a good number of commons
Golden Eagle - 1 immature soaring along the cliffs

Soap Lake, North Beach:

Baird's Sandpiper - 1 lingering
Lesser Yellowlegs - several
Pectoral Sandpiper - 11

Soap Lake, East Beach:

SURF SCOTER - 1 immature/female with Ruddy Ducks
STILT SANDPIPER - one lingering overlong
Lesser Yellowlegs - several
Dunlin - 5

Cheers

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
dschone8 at donobi.net

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