Subject: [Tweeters] The Inaugural Semi-Pelagic Potholes Field Trip
Date: Sep 11 21:50:01 2010
From: Mike & MerryLynn - m.denny at charter.net


Hello All,

This morning was the first annual WOS semi-pelagic Potholes Res. birding safari. Nine adventurous WOS members joined Captain Levi Meesburg and myself on this shake down birding trip of Potholes Res. in Grant Co., Washington. We all met at Mardon Resort at 6:15 AM and by 6:35 had shoved off on yet another great birding adventure in the central Columbia Basin. This was the first September Potholes Res. birding fieldtrip held for WOS members. Pulling away from the brand new docks at Mardon Resort we all began to scan the water, shore and sky for birds. It was cool, right at 46 degrees F. All were bundled and ready for the hunt for our target birds. We were looking for terns, Sabine's Gulls, jaegers, shorebirds and Clarks Grebes. The lake was mirror smooth and the sky mostly clear. We turned towards Potholes State Park along the western shoreline. We first encountered dozens of Western Grebes, many with a single begging half grown chick in tow. We then located three Bairds Sandpipers along the sandy beach. The following is a note on the high lights of the trip.

Bairds Sandpiper-13 birds
Sanderling-23 birds
Peregrine Falcon-1
Bank Swallow-700+
Barn Swallow-1000+
Clark's Grebe-30
Eared Grebe-1
Horned Grebe-4
Sabine's Gulls- 9...4 Ad. 5 sub-ad. largest number I have ever seen in fall migration in the Columbia Basin.
Common Tern-30
Forsters Tern-14
Black Tern-1 sub-adult
Parasitic Jaeger-2, one distant sub-adult, one light morph adult right over us and attacking the Sabine's Gulls.

More to follow in the WOS field trips write up section.

Thank-you so much to all those that supported and participated in this fun adventure.
Later Mike Denny



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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley

"If you haven't birded, you haven't lived"