I have been asked to suggest the best times this year to go
looking for specific shorebird species based on this year's tide
cycle. This is a squishy proposition because of things other
than tide which affect shorebird movements. Tropical Storm
Ignacio is apparently already having some effect on coastal
weather and will probably continue to do so throughout the week
this coupled with a strong afternoon tide cycle gives me hope for
an interesting week.

The vast majority of interesting (rarish) shorebirds occur in
Oregon in the last two weeks in August and the first two weeks in
September. This is the best time to be at some shorebirdy spot
along the coast. By virtue of its proximity to Portland, the
South Jetty of the Columbia is the best *known* shorebirdy spot
in Oregon (though I'd say Bandon Marsh is probably the best actual
*spot*).

Daylight tides at Clatsop Beach for August 19 to August 24

Tue Aug 19 1413 8.2
Wed Aug 20 1454 8.5
Thu Aug 21 1536 8.6
Fri Aug 22 1619 8.6
Sat Aug 23 1705 8.4
Sun Aug 24 1758 8.1

Any tide over 8.0 at the SJCR is a very high tide that will
cover most of the flats and this week the daydark tides are near
9.0 which makes the daylight tides even greater (it's a hydrology
thing). Plan to spend at least 2 hours and the best time is after
the official high tide.

If probability reigns this should be the week to look for Stilt
Sandpiper, Ruff and the odd godwit.

There are weak afternoon high tides Sep 1-9. I doubt they will
be sufficient to keep the ponds full. But, if the weather is
crumby (sw winds maybe some rain) they could produce some stuff.

The next strong afternoon cycle will be the week of Sep 14-21.
That would be a good week to look for the newly split golden-
plovers and Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

The first week in October looks good for juvenile Pectoral
Sandpipers, there should still be golden-plovers around and
October is Sharp-tailed Sandpiper season. This is the best time
for Lapland Longspur as well.

And, I think, there is value in dreaming big. Dotterel has never
been recorded in Oregon. The trend from elsewhere is mid-September.
Red-throated Pipit shows up with annoying regularity
in October in California. Oregon has no accepted records...

I have re-posted last years shorebird guide in a somewhat abridged form at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/archive/shore_guide.html

--
********************************* 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