Subject: [Tweeters] Grant county shorebirds
Date: Sep 11 21:26:39 2011
From: Guy - lguy_Mcw at yahoo.com


Hey Tweets,
To finish my weekend report ...
After a nice morning on Mike Denny's semi-pelagic trip, I decided to try for a shorebird I had missed, Solitary.
So, following earlier reports, I headed for Lind Coulee. No shorebirds at all ... A few gulls and geese, all that nice mud, and no shorebirds. Wandered up the north arm, found some ducks, and a single Greater Yellowlegs. Then a flock of Pects flew in and landed downstream.
About then Scott Downs WOS trip landed next to me, and we found out why all the shorebirds were gone. A juvie Peregrine Falcon blasted thru, with a crop so full it looked like he had eaten a tennis ball. Not sure how he was able to fly ....
So, i was hot (95 degs), tired, and staring at a lot of empty mud, so I decided to head home.
Stopped in Moses Lake for a quick late lunch, and decided to try the Dike Road (rookery area) that Mike had recommended. Good idea ...
Greater Yellowlegs - 15
Lesser yellowlegs - over 20
Pect sandpiper. 26
Killdeer. over 30
Least Sandpiper around 30
Bairds sandp. One
American pipit. 2
BW Teal. 15 or so
Great Egret. 4
Spotted Sandpiper. 4
hooded merganer

And just as I was about melted, Scotts group found me again, and found the Solitary Sandpiper I had missed, and chased me down, and got me on it. Great looks. Thanks you guys !

On the way past, I decided to also check Wanapum dam, (Kittitas) hoping for terns .. No luck.
However, above the dam, 4 Horned Grebes, one lone Lesser Scaup, and 13 Red-necked Grebes, and 2 common loons ( still mostly in breeding plumage). Largest group of RN Grebe I have seen away from the salt water...
Nice end to a great ( if kinda hot) birding weekend ...

Guy Mcwethy
Renton, wa
Lguy_mcw at yahoo.com

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