>Spent several days out on the Long Beach Peninsula. Between storms, had
>some good birding on the ocean side, the bay side, and in the forest at
>Leadbetter Point.
>
>On the ocean beaches, only Sanderlings, Dunlins, and Black Bellied Plovers.
>
>On the bay side:
>
>GREATER YELLOWLEGS
>DOWITCHERS (It's beyond me to differentiate short and long-billed)
>PINTAILS (Hundreds)
>GREEN-WINGED TEALS (Hundreds)
>AMERICAN WIDGEONS (Hundreds)
>EURASIAN WIDGEONS
>BUFFLEHEADS
>HOODED MERGANSERS
>WESTERN GREBE
>COMMON LOON
>BLACK TURNSTONE (Working piles of oystershells at Nahcotta)
>BALD EAGLES (Three adults and one immature)
>
>Along the loop trail through the woods at Leadbetter Point:
>WESTERN FLYCATCHERS
>GOLD-CROWNED KINGLETS
>BUSH TITS
>FOX SPARROW
>BULLOCK'S ORIOLES (Several dozen, scattered along the trail)
>STELLARS JAYS
>Had I known more about what I was hearing, I might have been able to
>identify a number of others which I could see flitting through the trees
>but could not recognize.
>
>Driving home this afternoon we stopped at the Columbian White Tailed Deer
>refuge and saw four Tundra Swans, two adults and two immatures.
>
>Grant Hendrickson
>ghendric at esd112.wednet.edu

Grant, sounds like you had good birding at Leadbetter Point. The dowitchers
there are probably all Long-billed at this time of year. They can be
identified by their 'peep' call note.

It's unlikely that there would be any Western Flycatchers or Bullock's
Orioles around at this time of year, as both have left by September (it's
worth checking both your field guide for migratory status and your Guide to
Bird Finding in Washington for exact seasonal occurence). I can't suggest
what might look like one of these species to cause confusion (Ruby-crowned
Kinglet for the flycatcher? Evening Grosbeak for the oriole?). Or were you
just testing to see if anyone reads these messages?


Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound email: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416