A trip with 10 observers saw 10 shorebirds species and 85 species
altogether today, mostly south of Klamath Falls. Killdeer,
Black-bellied plover, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Least
Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs (1 near Fugate Road on
Lower Klamath Lake Rd), Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, and Marbled Godwit
(1 at White Lake) were the only shorebirds seen. Other species seen
included: TUFTED DUCK (still present in Straits Drain north of the CA
Hwy 161), female Greater Scaup and Green Heron (Lake Ewauna), Golden
Eagle on nest with nestling and 18 Sandhill Cranes (Lower Klamath Lake
Road, Great Horned Owl on nest with 3 young, peregrine falcon in small
tree on eastside of Lower Klamath NWR tour route, and over 5 Sage
Thrasher on Merrill pit Rd. near Stateline Rd., and numerous
Swainson's Hawks seen in the agricultural areas that we traveled
through.
Old Midland Road alkali lake west of Tingley Rd. remains good for
shorebirds, and Township Road pastures are now receiving flood
irrigation, so that area will likely be worth looking at for the nest
2 weeks. Today there were about 2K White-faced Ibis, 700 Ring-billed
Gull, and nearly 100 Franklin's Gull on the western end of Township
Road. So, hopefully the next pulse of shorebirds will find that area
and not be so dispersed as today.
Kevin Spencerrriparia@charter.netKlamath Falls, OR
