With the water having been high on the Yakima River Delta in Richland for so
long, it was time to travel a bit to see shorebirds. Bonnie Dunham and I
went to the Paterson Slough Unit of Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge near
Plymouth, WA today.

On the rocks in the Columbia River we were disappointed at a low number of
medium sized terns. The one present was Forster's. Other typical species
such as American White Pelican, Caspian Tern, California and Ring-billed
Gulls were there. The only shorebirds on the rocks were 9 Killdeer and a
Spotted Sandpiper. Once we got to the interior pond, shorebirds were
present in fairly good numbers and diversity.

American Avocet 6
Black-necked Stilt 8
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Long-billed Dowitcher 7
Short-billed Dowitcher 1 juvenile
Red-necked Phalarope 50 - estimated
Killdeer 6
Semipalmated Plover 1
Western Sandpipers 150 - estimated but obviously the most numerous bird
there
Least Sandpiper 6 noted but probably more present
Semipalmated Sandpiper 3 noted but possibly more present
Sanderling 1

There were also 10 Bonaparte's Gulls (at least 1 juvenile) there. The ducks
were mostly still in molt. The Short-billed Dowitcher was feeding by itself
along the reeds of the island. It was close enough to see the dark tertials
with orange edges and bars as described in Sibley.

Going early to this location is a must as heat waves destroy scope clarity
by 10:30 or so.

Nancy
Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland WA