I spent the good part of the day birding the east and west ends of
Riffe Lake today. The water level continues to drop, exposing lots of
mud and creating standing ponds. Now, if we can get some shorebirds
to come through and use these ponds, I'll be able to report them.
After a thorough search, I had 8 KILLDEER at the west end of the lake,
and 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER at the east end.
Good numbers of waterfowl continue at the east end, and the west end
is starting to pick up. Sparrows seem to have disappeared, but the
AMERICAN PIPIT numbers are up, over 40. The GREAT EGRET is still very
happy being at the east end of the lake. I think its going on a month
now. Deep water scanning produced COMMON LOONS and WESTERN GREBES at
both ends of the lake. WESTERN GREBES were also seen on Mayfield Lake
from the boat launch in Ike Kinswa State Park. A single RED-NECKED
GREBE was at the concrete tower at the west end of the lake, as was a
RUDDY DUCK and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. Fourteen GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen at the east end.

Seen today were;
East end of the lake:

Greater White-fronted Goose 14
Cackling Goose 1
Canada Goose
Wood Duck 1
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Common Loon 2
Western Grebe 5
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 1
Western Sandpiper 1
Ring-billed Gull 2
California Gull
Common Raven
American Robin
American Pipit 40+



West end of the lake:

Greater White-fronted Goose 1
Canada Goose
American Wigeon 7
Mallard
Green-winged Teal 5
Ruddy Duck 1
Common Loon 1
Red-necked Grebe 1
Western Grebe 5
Great Blue Heron
Osprey 1
Killdeer 8
California Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Common Raven
American Pipit 2


Dave Hayden
dtvhm AT nwrain.com
Centralia, WA