[obol] Bank Swallows, Sauvie Is., Mult. Co.

[Wink Gross]

I spent a few hours this afternoon on Sauvie Island.  Unfortunately,
I timed it wrong, tidewise, and there was little mud to be found.
(Apparently, high tide in Sturgeon Lake is 7 or 8 hours behind
Astoria [Tongue Point].  You do not want to be there at either high
or low tide.  Tricky business.)

The road to The Wash is still closed--punishment for littering and
vandalism, I guess.  So it's an extra half mile each way.  I only
found a couple of GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS for
my trouble.

At Sturgeon Lake Dike, there were 11 DOWITCHERS (presumably Long-
billed) and another GREATER YELLOWLEGS.  In compensation, however,
were 3 juvenile BANK SWALLOWS sitting on the wires near the green
barn across the road from the dike (the 1999 Say's Phoebe barn,
if that helps anyone).  Cute little guys, obviously smaller than
the other swallows with them, with dark bands across the breast, a
dark streak down the belly, and white crescents behind the ears.
A new Sauvie Island bird for me.

Wink Gross
Portland