Subject: [Tweeters] Reardan Stilt Sandpiper
Date: Sep 11 20:50:02 2007
From: Gina Sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com


Lovely early September weather always temps the birder
to check out local migrant traps and favored shorebird
spots. A few highlights of Kim Thorburn and my birding
trip to southern Stevens County on Sunday (9/09/07),
and today's (Tuesday 9/11/07) foray into Lincoln
County with Jon Isacoff are listed below.

Davenport Cemetery - Lincoln Co. (9/09/07)
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was terrorizing hapless warblers
and other migrants. GRAY FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S FINCH,
WESTERN TANAGER were with the usual crowd.

While we failed to find any Common Terns at the Two
Rivers Marina (N. Ft. Spokane - Stevens Co.), we did
find a ROCK WREN, WESTERN TANAGER, and VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWs along the cliffs to the east.

South of Hunters, we noted two CLARK'S NUTCRACKERs and
a TURKEY VULTURE flying over the highway. At Hunters
CG, we were greeted a large family of bathing Robins,
PYGMY NUTHATCH, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, COOPER'S
HAWK, SPOTTED TOWHEE, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and a
highly cooperative PILEATED WOODPECKER that was
vigorously pecking at the base of a tree.

A pleasant leisurely lunch afforded us good views of
the Lake FDR, but nothing but RING-BILLED & CALIFORNIA
GULLs bothered to show up.

At the summit of Springdale-Hunters Road, we hiked
around a bit on Huckleberry Mountain. While the
habitat held promise of Dusky Grouse, we didn't see
any. However, there were plenty of WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWs, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLER - 2, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERs, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLET, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and MT. CHICKADEE to
entertain us.

The Corkscrew-Petroglyphs site yielded both ROCK WREN
and CANYON WREN (Stevens Co. lifer for me), and a
bonus CLARK'S NUTCRACKER.
Finally, a stop at Reardan-Audubon Lake (west side
cove) was loaded with shorebirds. Unfortunately, the
setting sun created intolerable viewing conditions.
Before we went blind, we could make out LESSER
YELLOWEGS, LB DOWITCHER, and a STILT SANDPIPER. On the
east side of the marsh we enjoyed marvelous views of
MARSH WRENs, WILSON'S SNIPE, EARED GREBE, RUDDY DUCK,
GADWALL, and AME. COOT.

On 9/11/07, Jon and I had much better viewing
conditions at Reardan. This time we easily picked out
GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 2, LESSER YELLOWLEGS -8, STILT
SANDPIPER - 1, LEAST SANDPIPER - 1, LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER, and KILLDEER. While viewing the shorebirds,
an uncommon (for Lincoln County) COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
sang a few bars.

At Davenport Cemetery, there large quantities of
Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows,
NASHVILLE WARBLER, and a couple of LINCOLN'S SPARROWs.
At the Lincoln County Museum, we found WILSON'S
WARBLER, HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, and more Yellow-rumps.

A trek down to Swanson Lakes provided us with long
distance views of BAIRD'S SANDPIPER -3, AMERICAN PIPIT
-3,and a much closer view of a PRAIRIE FALCON. By this
time, it was quite warm, and we departed the sun
baked, alkaline flats of the dusty shrub-steppe and
returned home.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA


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