Justine Busse and I also went to Ridgefield NWR, yesterday. While we
were there, most of the shorebirds at Rest Lake were out of sight behind
the vegetation, so we only had brief and distant views of LEAST and
WESTERN SANDPIPERS from the observation blind. We did see 5 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS and 1 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE out in the open. Also present at
Rest Lake were 3 GREAT EGRETS and 1 subadult WHITE-TAILED KITE. A
PEREGRINE FALCON made a brief attempt to catch one of the peep. Later,
we also got glimpses of, but mostly heard, a very vocal RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK. Almost everywhere we stopped along the loop, we saw large flocks
of CEDAR WAXWINGS, more than I have ever seen in one place.

Rachel Lawson
Seattle
Rachelwl at msn.com