Today, I covered a lot of ground in search of shorebirds. The biggest surprise today was discovering a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at Basset Park in Washtucna. The best shorebird spot today was at the Hatton Coulee Rest Area at the intersection of Highways 26 and 395. Not only were the ponds full of birds, but there was a small grass fire that quickly grew into a large one in the short amount of time I was there. Here is a quick summary of what I found:

Clarkston - Swallows Park, Asotin County 8:30am

Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 6
Wilson's Snipe 1 (80% sure as I didn't get a great look - was in flight)

Alpowa Creek mouth, Asotin County 9:50am

Killdeer 4
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Baird's Sandpiper 1
Caspian Tern 3 (one juvie)

Deadman Creek mouth/pond - Garfield County 11:10am

Wood Duck 2
American White Pelican 1

Washtucna - Basset Park, Adams County 12:30pm

Wild Turkey 4
Downy Woodpecker 1
Western Wood-pewee 2
Say's Phoebe 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK 1
Western Tanager 1

Washtucna STP, Adams County 1:15pm

Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Baird's Sandpiper 1
Red-necked Phalarope 1
two peeps went un-Id'd

Hatton Coulee Rest Area ponds, Adams County 2:15pm

American Avocet 12
Black-necked Stilt 10
Killdeer 10
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 8
Western Sandpiper 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Baird's Sandpiper 10
Red-necked Phalarope 2

Sheep Lake, Whitman County 3:40pm

American White Pelican 7
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Baird's Sandpiper 1

Good birding!

Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com