It was a fairly ordinary October, though there were some nice bits of sun. Winter storms set in by the last week or so, but they did not bring any storm driven seabirds with them.
A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was with PECTORAL SANDPIPERS at Wireless Rd. Peak Pectoral numbers there were around 6-8. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER numbers continue to hover around 30.
A CURLEW SANDPIPER spent a week at the Nehalem Sewage Ponds in the company of dowitchers, Pectoral Sandpipers and a Least Sandpiper.
Dave Bailey found a ROCK SANDPIPER at Seaside Cove.
A CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (and possibly two) spent several days at the South Jetty of the Columbia River Salicornia flats. The LAPLAND LONGSPUR peak was 35. There were still at least 3 Lappies on Oct 31. Two young PEREGRINES have been regularly patroling the flats, a small very dark male and a large very pale female.
The sparrow patch above Little Beach hosted a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW seen by Steve Warner and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW seen by Dave Bailey. Neither bird hung for long.
I was also able to do considerable amphibian surveying this month. A team search at Circle Creek turned up 8 species including two Pacific Giant Salamanders and a Columbia Torrent Salamander. Three visits to Ecola Creek Watershed produced 6 species including both Ambystoma and a Columbia Torrent. Surprisingly, I found no Western Red-backed Salamanders at Ecola.
Posted by mbalame at November 1, 2005 2:00 AM