Hello All,

We are home in College Place after a great weekend at Ocean Shores other than where we stayed in Elma right next to a race track unbeknown to us. Looked for the Smith's Longspur with no luck. However we did hear a rattle flight call several times-Very close to a longspurs flight call. This we learned was a Lesser Sand Plover. This was a life bird for us and the third to be found on the game range. MerryLynn will post my sole photo of this plover I took at 12:02 pm on 1 Sept. 2013- MerryLynn first spotted this plover right in front of us about 75' out along the western most finger of water at 11:50 am. We both looked at it and knew it was a Mongolian Plover (Lesser Sand Plover) right off. So we wanted to notify all the birders out on the game range, but not one person had a FRS two way radio-NO Cell phones DO NOT replace these very valuable communication tools. Please carry these great little radios! We did not and do not have folks Cell numbers. Fortunately the plover was relocated and seen by all in the area, though some at a great distance. Very nice species to at last see. Having missed the appearance of this plover the last two times it popped up on the Game Range by hours. It was great to meet new folks and to see old friends.

Later Mike and MerryLynn Denny




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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley

"If you haven't birded, you haven't lived"