With every day flying by here on the Colville River Delta, every day feels more and more like fall. Apparently, seasons go straight from spring to fall, and forgo summer. Today started with a cool NW wind and high puffy gray overhead clouds, and I couldn't help but think I should be lakewatching on Superior. It felt even more like fall with the weather coupled with the big flocks of obviously-ready-to-migrate shorebirds. Pectoral Sandpipers, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes and Semipalmated Sandpipers are all grouping up in large flocks, feeding like crazy, and looking a little antsy. A few failed-nesting Dunlin are thrown in the mix as well.

The Long-tailed Jaegers seemed a bit more hostile than usual today. They were due for a nest check, and the eggs were replaced by Jaeger chicks.

Our ever present, and loud and obnoxious Bar-tailed Godwit pair had their first egg hatch today. The other 3 were quite close to hatching as well, and are probably out as I write this.

I also had the chance to get some male Godwit pictures last night when the sun came out for about a half hour. I haven't edited most of them yet, but here is one of my favorites!

Lots of other nests hatching like Brant, White-fronted and Snow Geese, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Dunlin, and Lapland Longspurs, among the others. I even saw Semipalmated Sandpiper chicks running around the tundra today. Things are happening fast, soon there will be little work to do. Then it is on to data entry!