Subject: [Tweeters] Labor Day weekend birds
Date: Sep 3 23:19:47 2006
From: Charlie Wright - c.wright7 at comcast.net


Hello All
My family and I camped at two spots in eastern Washington this weekend. On
Friday night we stayed at Perch Point on Potholes Reservoir. Two Swainson's
Thrushes flew over in the night, which we don't detect very often in the
Columbia Basin. Early the next morning, a Franklin's Gull flying by was the
first bird I saw. I later refound it with about 500 Ring-billed on the main
mudflat. Shorebirds here were fairly dull. Heading east, Hatton Coulee Rest
Area had a Pectoral and 20 Baird's Sandpipers.

We arrived at Washtucna late, and the bird activity was low. Did have a Gray
Flycatcher, 3 female Lazuli Buntings, and 7 of the 9 Eurasian
Collared-Doves. A Prairie Falcon gaped at us as we headed to the next point.
The small grove of poplars on Hwy 261 (where the town of Sperry is noted in
DeLorme) produced a Clay-colored Sparrow, 2 Brewer's Sparrows with just 10
Chipping Sparrows. Also 8 Barn Owls and 1 Great Horned Owl. Lyons Ferry was
on the slow side but still produced. The Northern Mockingbird was
cooperative both yesterday and this morning on the south end of the park.
This morning I had an American Golden-Plover flying overhead down the
Palouse River while calling, which was a most surprising highlight. A final
good bird for the trip was a Hairy Woodpecker at the Gingko Interpretive
Overlook area.

Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington