On Monday (8/27/07), Kim Thorburn and I enjoyed an
excellent day birding portions of the Waterville
Plateau in Douglas County. We had an exciting
conclusion to our day on the Dry Falls Dam section of
Banks Lake. Although the weather began cold (40
degrees) with a brisk north wind that hampered bird
activity, conditions improved through the day.

Our first stop in Douglas County, was the public
fishing access on the southwest corner of Banks Lake.
Apparently, the strong north wind seemed to have to
have swept all the birds off the lake. We only saw an
American Coot and a Ring-billed Gull. Whipped up by
the wind, there were whipecaps on the lake and
breakers crashing into the causeway.

Just south of the junction of St. Andrews Road and
Hwy. 17, we stopped to view shorebirds on a small
alkaline lake. A good portion of the shoreline was
being utilized by BAIRD'S SANDPIPERs. Many of 30+
Baird's were roosting in rocks along the shore. On
Stallard Lake, we found another flock of BAIRD'S
SANDPIPERs, but not much else in the way of
shorebirds.

Continuing on west of St. Andrews, we began
encountering SAY'S PHOEBEs, BREWER'S SPARROWS, VESPER
SPARROWs, and several juvenile SAGE THRASHERs. The
Sage Thrashers were hunting insects from the
fenceline, and they would often run in the middle of
the road to pick up grasshoppers and other tasty fare.

In a rather comical fashion, we saw big Mule Deer ears
(attached to bona fide Mule Deer) that were poking
above the tule beds of a dried up lake. The best
mammal of the day was LONG-TAILED WEASEL that ran
across the road. While holding it's tail up high, the
weasel carried a good size Montane Vole in it's mouth.
Yum, gourmet breakfast for the weasel!

At the corner of 5th Ave. and Heritage Road, there is
shelterbelt of pines trees with a deciduous
understory. In the past, we have seen some interesting
migrants here, and today was no exception. While there
were half a dozen WESTERN WOOD PEWEEs milling around,
we found a nice OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (county lifer
for me), and a couple of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETs here
too.

Thinking that the Waterville city park (Pioneer Park)
might be a decent migrant trap, we birded that site
next. Although we did find WESTERN TANAGERs, PINE
SISKIN, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHes there, the park
didn't live up to my high expectations. En route to
Waterville, we did see a family of CHUKARs on the
shoulder of US 2 (half mile west of Jameson Lake
Road).

Fortunately, the Waterville STP, was pleasantly birdy.
A swallow contingent on the power lines consisted of
BARN, CLIFF, BANK, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs. While a
single YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER indulged itself in
flycatching, a MARSH WREN scolded us from the tules. A
hungry looking COOPER'S HAWK patrolled marsh edges.

On the southern most lagoon, a very nice selection of
shorebirds brightened our day. On the same partially
submerged pipeline, we enjoyed superb, side-by side
views of BAIRD'S SANDPIPER - 6, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
(county lifer) - 1 , and WESTERN SANDPIPERs - 11.
Along the rocky shore, there were KILLDEER, SPOTTED
SANDPIPER, and a very nice SOLITARY SANDPIPER. Four
RED-NECKED PHALAROPEs were swimming on the lagoon.
Some of the eclipsed plumaged ducks included AMERICAN
WIGEON, EARED GREBE, AMERICAN COOT, CINNAMON TEAL,
RUDDY DUCK. NO. SHOVELER, GADWALL, and MALLARD.

When we arrived at Douglas Creek, the wind had died
down and the temperature had risen into the low 70's.
As we walked down the canyon that is lined with
fruiting trees (i.e. Chokecheery, Hawthorn, and Blue
Elderberry) as well as rose hips, it was so quiet that
we thought that we may have wasted our time on this
visit. Even though the birds were quiet, we hit a hot
spot of bird activity. In quick succession, we saw
WARBLING VIREO - 10 (county lifer), RED-EYED VIREO -1
(county lifer), PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER-1 (county
lifer), YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT -1, NASHVILLE WARBLER -1,
and WESTERN TANAGER. Both ROCK WREN and CANYON WREN
called from the rimrock above us.

Farther down the road at the creek crossing, we found
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, WILLOW FLYCATCHER (county
lifer), WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, WARBLING VIREO, and
SPOTTED TOWHEE. On our return to the highway, we saw
CHUKAR, more families of active SAGE THRASHERs, VESPER
SPARROW, BREWER'S SPARROWs, SAY'S PHOEBEs, NO.
HARRIERs, and HOUSE FINCHES.

Under calm, early evening conditions, we stopped again
at the fishing access on the southwestern corner of
Banks Lake. An EARED GREBE was inshore, an alternate
plumaged COMMON LOON was cruising at the midway point
of the lake, and 30+ RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were beyond
the loon.

Farther out still, we could see three buoyant gulls
working the lake surface. While two of them were basic
plumaged BONAPARTE'S GULL, the third was a beautiful
adult SABINE'S GULL.

After chatting with a local fisherman, and enjoying
marvelous views of the spectacular Sabine's Gull for
over twenty minutes, Kim suddenly said "there is
something really different!). I broke away from the
scope, and gazed overhead in time to see at an
immature PARASITIC JAEGER flying southward. It was
thoughtful of the jaeger to fly over us in Douglas
County, and to proceed directly into Grant County.

Although the other three gulls had come in closer, I
didn't think that they would make it over into Douglas
County. However, as we headed over the Dry Falls Dam
causeway, we could see the gulls flying rapidly
westward. At the County Line Ponds turn out, I looked
back for the gulls and I could see that the
Bonaparte's Gulls had reached the Douglas County
shoreline. Later, the Sabine's Gull made it to the
Douglas County shoreline as well. Needless to say, it
was a great day to be a county lister!

Even though there weren't any migrant shorebirds on
the county line ponds, we did see three CASPIAN TERNs
fly over our position in Grant County. Finally, we
made and evening stop in Hartline and found a few
migrants such as GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, TOWNSEND'S
WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, and
WESTERN WOOD PEWEE.

It just goes to show, that anything can happen during
migration. Sometimes persistence has it's rewards.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA



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