Subject: [Tweeters] Bennington Lake Broad-winged Hawk
Date: Aug 29 00:23:28 2012
From: Gina Sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com


When Jon Isacoff and I arrived at Bennington Lake around noon yesterday (Monday 8/27/12), we found a surprise bonus bird. Even though both of us were focused on twitching the Wilson's Plover, we were distracted by a juvenile BROAD-WINGED HAWK that was catching a thermal near the boat launch. Although I ?initially tried to dismiss the bird as small, immature Red-tailed Hawk, the bird presented itself as something quite different. This was a compact hawk with short, rounded wings, and a slender tail that gave me a brief pause as to consider whether it could be an accipiter However, it was indeed a Broad-winged Hawk, and a state lifer for both of us. After the BWHK gained altitude, it made a beeline toward the southeastern horizon ?and departed from view.

Like some of the other birders reported, it took us a quite a while for us to locate the Wilson's Plover. It was nowhere to be found east of the boat launch, and we bush whacked around the inlet of on southeast corner and only came up with Killdeer. Meanwhile, a NORTHERN HARRIER and an adult COOPER'S HAWK ?patrolled the lake shore and I began feeling much more pessimistic about our prospects of finding our target bird.?

After re-reading the previous posted directions, we checked the mouth of the canal on the northwestern side of the lake, and we were greatly relieved to find the WILSON'S PLOVER at close range. Kevin Black and Keith Brady joined in on the viewing pleasure of this amazing state record. Other birds of note included WILSON'S SNIPE, WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, CEDAR WAXWING, GREAT BLUE HERON, BELTED KINGFISHER, and at least six VAUX'S SWIFTs.

It was great day to birding and thanks again to the Dennys for their amazing find!

Yours in Spokane,

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA