Leadbetter Point - 8/17/97

Henry Gilmore, Cindy Lawes, my wife Teresa and I took a hike
along the beach from Leadbetter Point, WA this morning. The
Tide was well out when we started, but we could see many BLACK-
BELLIED PLOVERS on the flats.

We saw 5 SNOWY PLOVERS on the beach. Two were still downy chicks
and one was a fully grown hatching year bird. A tight little
group of 10 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were also working the upper parts
of the beach. There were 1000+ SANDERLINGS on the beach at the
waterline.

SOOTY SHEARWATERS could be seen out over the ocean. Several
flocks of BLACK SCOTERS, and a flock of NORTHERN PINTAIL were seen
heading south.

Shorebird List:
Black-bellied Plover 20+
Semipalmated Plover 1
Snowy Plover 5 (3 HY)
Black Turnstone 2
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 1000+
Baird's Sandpiper 10
Western Sandpiper 25


--
********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
* mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk froma handsaw.
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws