I visited this morning with Peyton Cook. Water levels were very high at
the Wash and Narrows and not much was around other than continuing
impressive (and unprecedented in my experience) numbers of Bank Swallows.
There were about 150 over the water in the northern section of the western
arm of Sturgeon Lake (the area across from the Narrows). They slightly
outnumbered Barn Swallows while we were there! Peyton and Nick Mrvelj
sorted through at least 300 from the Wash about a week ago. The recent
Franklin's Gull was not around.
Shorebird habitat was scarce, but Round Lake (the western bay of Mud Lake
accessible from Sauvie Island Road) is starting to get good habitat. A
Solitary Sandpiper was among the Greater Yellowlegs and a very obvious
Semipalmated Sandpiper was with a small group of Westerns allowing a nice
comparison of field marks.
Good birding,
Philip Kline
