Subject: [Tweeters] Potholes Least Tern/Whitman Phoebe Relocated
Date: Jun 15 17:04:22 2012
From: Jonathan B. Isacoff - isacoff at gonzaga.edu


Not at the same time, obviously! Wayne Weber reports seeing the Rosalia Eastern Phoebe today between 10 and 11am. Separately, Gina Sheridan and I went to Potholes to relocate the LEAST TERN discovered yesterday by Matt Yawney. Scoping from the original spot (see Matt's directions below), we located a flock of 10-15 small white terns way out looking towards Potholes SP to the South. We then relocated about 2 miles to a parking area/overlook to the Southeast where we got very good scope and bin views for about 5 minutes from about 400 yards of a LEAST TERN very actively feeding with 7 Forster's Tern and 1 COMMON TERN. The Least was clearly identifiable by its small size, very short tail, and black linings on the outer edges of the primaries. What a great bird! We also had the pleasure of running into Matt shortly after seeing the bird.

Directions from Matt to the original viewing spot:

From I-90exit 174 (the one just past Blue Heron Park in Moses Lake). Go across the freeway overpass, turn right on I90 Frontage Rd. Turn left on a gravel rd with advertised fishing. There is a closed of gravel pit to the right and if you keep following the main rd you come to a bi potholes sign pretty quickly. Drive for 5-10 mins south winding down the gravel rd. Turn right when you get to a T-section. Take your next right )about 1-2 miles further down into a valley, you will see some small wetland ponds to the right as you go down. Ahead you will see a large treed area. The egrets and herons nest in these trees. Follow the rd past a parking lot. Shortly you enter the trees and start to enter a section where there is large water on both sides of the rd. That's the spot.

To the viewing spot where we observed the bird: follow above to the T-intersection, and go about 1 mile to a fork in the road, with the right fork going down to the valley and the left fork staying up on a small ridge. Take the left fork about a mile to the end where there's a gravel parking area and overlook facing West, but giving a nearly 180 degree view of the main reservoir and the North Potholes reserve. The LEAST was feeding to the Northwest of this spot when we saw it but it and the other Terns moved around considerably and covered a lot of territory.

Good birding,
Jon Isacoff, Spokane
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