Hey Tweets,

Where were all the experts today? I went down to Ocean Shores this morning
and spent about 4 hours looking around and didn't see another pair of bins
anywhere. I could have used some help in getting to the right place at the
right time and also some help in determining what I saw. First stop was the
jetty about 9:15. Walked(?) out to the end & saw a couple of wandering
tattlers and what I later determined were surfbirds. Lots of Heermann's gulls
at the end of the jetty. Several groups of brown pelican's flew by as did
both pelagic and double crested (I think) cormorants. Saw many other gulls
that I couldn't nail down, so moved on.

Went around behind the sewage plant and got a good look at the terns on the
sand bar. Both caspian terns and elegant terns were present. I don't count
birds..But there were more caspians then elegants. Again saw some more gulls
and comorants.

>From there went to Damon Point and wandered around. Realized after I went
past the gate that I should have parked there and walked to the beach to thr
south. Drove out to the end and couldn't find a place to park so headed back
in. In the bay to the north saw what I decided was a common loon in basic
plumage, perhaps a juvenile. A big bird, all gray, with a dark bill. Later
stopped by the gate (yes, I parked behind the pit toilets) and walked between
the closed areas to the south. The tide was out so I had lots of open ground
with just a small tongue of water coming in.Saw lots of shorebirds to include
semipalmated plovers, western and least sandpipers, and what I though were
sanderlings. More pelicans flew over and there was an immature great blue
heron working the inlet. It was here I made the find of the day (for me).
Acouple of small birds stayed about 20 yards ahead of me above the water
line. At first glance I thought the were western meadowlarks. Finally I got a
good look and was watching a pair of horned larks! They stayed in view for
quite some time and were still there when I left. I also saw some small birds
that looked like least sandpipers with downy feathers that were running
around in the dry sand & grass well above water line. There were about a half
dozen that stayed kind of together. Not sure what they were but they seemed
out of place for least sandpipers.

All in all a good day, but someone with more experience than I would have
been a great help. By the way, the wandering tattler and the surfbird werre
life birds for me. I've seen the horned lark before, but it was in a previous
life somewhere east of here.
All in all a great way to spend a day.

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
scrbjay at aol.com