Date: 7/29/26 3:33 pm From: Kim Thorburn via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Shorebirds in the Columbia Basin
Hi Tweets,
I'm collecting observations of shorebirds in the Columbia Basin shrubsteppe. We don't have the large salt lakes (prehistoric Lake Lahontan
residua) of the Great Basin with their high numbers of birds but I'm observing interesting phenomena. Most of my efforts are at Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area (state land) in Lincoln County. Swanson Lake is a shallow saline lake that is available for spring migration. In dry years like this one, it is dry by the end of June, so often not a site of fall migration. There are other ponds and some wetlands that are usually year-round. Most of the water bodies are stressed by our years of drought, especially the lack of snow which is needed for groundwater recharge. Nonetheless, there's still some water and mud that the birds find.
The ponds and lakes don't have a lot of vegetation cover, shoreline sedges and other graminoids. The wetlands have cattails and bulrush but are also usually choked with reed canary grass. Here are some observations:
1.
Dunlin arrive at Swanson Lake in early March and stay until early May while they undergo molt from basic to alternate (breeding). This year there were at least 30. When they're not feeding, they take cover in the shoreline rocks where they are very cryptic.
2.
On June 18, 2026, I counted 20-25 greater yellowlegs feeding in a year-round pond. They were all adults still in breeding plumage. On June 30, I saw only 1 greater yellowlegs at the same pond. On July 26, I saw about 20 greater yellowlegs feeding in the pond. They were all juveniles.
3.
The peeps seem unpredictable and are more abundant in either season when there's lots of mud. Least sandpipers tend to be the most abundant.
4.
Six long-billed dowitcher were present on July 26. If there's water, I usually see them in early August.
5.
I documented Wilson's phalarope breeding at the year-round pond. I saw only one pair and they seemed to both participate in brooding. I have not been able to locate the nest and confirmed only one chick on July 28. On June 18, the female faked broken wing, then mobbed me while the male was in the pond feeding. On June 30, both the male and female mobbed me, starting where the female performed broken wing, until I left the pond. I caught a quick glimpse of one chick before it disappeared in the shoreline vegetation. On July 28, I saw two phalarope, an adult male and a juvenile. They were feeding independently.
6.
American avocet and black-necked stilt are abundant in the spring but seem to disperse in May or early June in these drier years. American avocet numbers seem to be declining.
7.
Wilson's snipe are common in the wetlands and their numbers seem stable, as do spotted sandpiper numbers. Killdeer also seem fine.
8.
I sight long-billed curlew more often in ag fields than shrubsteppe. Their numbers seem to be declining.
9.
Other species-black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, Baird's sandpiper, semi-palmated sandpiper-are sporadic and most common in the spring.
I believe the Columbia Basin shrubsteppe is important breeding and migratory habitat for this highly vulnerable family of birds.
