I took a quick tour of some spots on the coast today. There were still
two Buff-breasted Sandpipers at the pond on Damon Point (at Ocean
Shores), in the vegetation along the far (south) side. And I admit I
would have missed them if another kind birder hadn't directed me to
them. In a little flock of Canada Geese at the golf course were two very
peculiar geese. One I judged at the time to be very much like a hybrid
Canada x blue-morph Snow, and when I got home I checked my references for
information about hybrids with Canadas; Madge and Burn, _Waterfowl_, note
that rare hybrids of this kind have been reported. This goose had a
diluted Canada head and neck, as if a Canada had been somewhat bleached;
its bill and legs were pink, rather than black; tail feathers white, and
the body as a whole a somewhat patchy, nondescript gray. The second
goose had the same pink bill and legs, white tail feathers, and even
patchier gray and white body, neck, and head. My impression was that
this is what might result from a backcross between a hybrid like the
first goose and a Snow, of either morph. These two birds stayed
together, and I might even suggest that they were a parent and an
offspring of the year migrating together.

Nothing much at the Game Range, except for many Brown Pelicans, which I
saw in large numbers all along the coast. I found a few Surfbirds and
Black Turnstones at Westport, then went on to Tokeland. Not much at the
great southwest mudflats, except for many more pelicans and seven L-b.
Curlews. At the end of the point, near the pier, a flock of (I estimate)
150 Marbled Godwits flew around for a long time, kept trying to land on
the shore near the pier and kept getting scared off. I didn't see any in
the flock that looked like a different species. Two Whimbrels stayed on
the shore unperturbed all this time.

Heading east toward Raymond was another flock of about 160 pelicans (I
counted this time). Farther east, there were no kites at their usual
place just south of Frances, where I can almost always see them. I don't
know when they migrate.

BTW (I may have posted this before): Birders driving from Aberdeen to
Westport would be well-advised to stop off for a few minutes at Southarbor
Road, about 8 miles from Aberdeen. The road goes past a few houses, then
turns sharply to the left (and becomes gravel), then sharply to the
right. Where it dead-ends at a private driveway, you can park easily and
you're right next to the railroad tracks (which don't appear to be used
much); from there, you can scan vast mudflats at low tide. There was
nothing much there today except Caspian Terns, but it's worth going a few
minutes out of the way to see territory very similar to Bottle Beach, in
the same area.

The Buff-breasted Sandpipers were lifers, and very neat. The geese were
very interesting. On the whole, a fine day.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794