Hi all -
A few highlights from a weekend birding around eastern WA -- Overall,
there were birds on the move, but there's definitely still a ways to
go before the big passerine push.

Stevens Co:
The Valley STP had a Pectoral Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, &
Red-necked Phalaropes Saturday afternoon [3 Sep].

Sunday morning [4 Sep], the Lake Roosevelt HMU, south of Kettle Falls
on Boise Rd from the bridge, was filled with birds. In the day use
area, Yellow-rumped Warblers were everywhere -- try though I did, I
couldn't pull any other warblers out of the flock, but mixed in were
many Black-headed Grosbeaks & Western Tanagers. Out on a sandbar in
the river [aka Lake Roosevelt], 2 SANDERLING were hanging out with
Baird's Sandpipers, another Pectoral Sandpiper & many gulls. On shore
puddles had Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs and large numbers of American
Pipits.

Spokane Co:
West Lake, near Medical Lake, had a nice flock of ~ 15 Red-necked
Phalaropes. [4 Sep]

Whitman Co:
At the boat launch at Rock Lake, 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were present,
along with the lingering Great Egret. [4 Sep]

Adams Co:
Monday [5 Sep] I started the day at Bassett Park in Washtucna - as
others reported, the bigger pulse of migrants has yet appeared. What
was present though:
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH - hanging out along the stream.
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE - 3, maybe 5
VAUX'S SWIFT - flock of about 15 cruised by
HAMMOND'S , LEAST, & GRAY Flycatchers - one or two of each
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATHER -1
White-crowned Sparrows are moving in/through, and several Lincoln's
Sparrows popped up.
On the warbler front, other than the Waterthrush, the dominant
species was Wilson's Warbler - I didn't find a single Yellow-rumped
in the morning there.

Franklin Co: [5 Sep]
Lyons Ferry -
BONAPARTE'S GULL - one fly-by.
Wilson's Warblers dominated the warbler front, but also present were:
Nashville, MacGillivray's, Yellow-rumped, Townsend's, & Yellow.
Several Warbling Vireos were around as well, as were Hammond's &
Pacific-slope Flycatchers.

Kahlotus - 1 Townsend's Solitaire & a Say's Phoebe joined a good
number of Chipping & White-crowned Sparrows & more Wilson's Warblers.

Mesa - At the Mesa STP, I didn't find the Red-necked Phalaropes
reported by Rick & Tina Turner, but instead had 4 Baird's Sandpipers,
1 Pectoral Sandpiper, and a Spotted Sandpiper.

Scootenay Reservoir: Mostly quiet, but a couple small flocks of
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were out on the water.

Sacajawea State Park, in Pasco - a Common Loon & one Snow Goose were
signs of fall approaching

Good migrant birding,

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA