Dick Weber and I visited Ocean Shores and Gray's Harbor yesterday
to experience the shorebirdfest. The weather was wet and dreary,
and most importantly shorebirdless. Except for about 4 dunlin and
a small flock of distant unidentifiable shorebirds, the mudflats
(about 1 hour B4 high tide) were void of shorebirds. Others we met
were having similar results, perhaps because of the weather, perhaps
because of the late shorebird migration. In any case, it appears
that the peak will be a week or so later than previously predicted.

A few semi-interesting sightings we did note were 2 Caspian terns,
several Brant, 4 Black turnstones, 1 breeding plume horned grebe,
several loons, 1 Black Oystercatcher, 12 Sanderling, 2 Pigeon Guillemot,
4 Water Pipits, all at the Ocean Shores area;

Quite a few ducks including 1 redhead, 1 green-winged teal,
1 Common Goldeneye, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, all at the
Sewage treatment pond near the Gray's Harbor airport;

100 Tree Swallow, 4 Rough-winged Swallow, 4 Barn Swallow, 2 Cliff Swallow,
1 Short-eared Owl (calling), all at the airport mudflat shorebird
viewing area.

Neil J. Fergusson ******************
1405 1/2 NE 56th St. * Baffins *
Seattle, WA 98105 * or *
(206) 517-5466 * bust *
cccc at u.washington.edu ******************