Subject: [Tweeters] Emerald Downs area shorebirds, geese and an ORV
Date: Oct 14 16:30:13 2008
From: Mark Vernon - ma_vern at yahoo.com



Today I walked around the Emerald Downs area, up the Interurban trail and over to M Street. In the pond at the field where all the bird action is I found a flock of 23 White-fronted Geese. A very large flock of Cackling Geese circled about but didn't land. There were over 40 Killdeers and 2 Wilson's Snipes. American Pipits were walking about with the Killdeers. I didn't find the American Golden Plover but I imagine it can be hard to see, if it was still there. I also found three Purple Finches which are always quite different looking from the regular House Finches. As a bonus there was a really cool looking Garter Snake on the paved trail with a red dorsal stripe!
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I walked back to Auburn and caught a north bound #565 bus. This was at 3:00 pm. The bus jumps onto Hwy 167 and gets a quick view of the area I had just explored. I thought I saw that same group of 23 White-fronted Geese flying south. I found out why....
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There was an off road vehicle in that pond in the farm field near Emerald Downs. It was driving in circles splattering mud and such. Look out Golden Plover!!!
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Mark Vernon
Renton, WA
mailto ma_vern at yahoo.com
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