hello tweets.

please forgive my typos in this report. the computer decided that
it did NOT want to ftp my original report, so i had to re-type the
entire report this morning. even though i am an excellent speller,
i freely admit that i am a baaaad typist.


Zoology 464, The Natural History of Birds
Field trip number four

Birds seen on 25-26 April 1998 on a road trip to the Bottle
Beach/Westhaven/Ocean Shores areas. We left Seattle at 645am
25 April and returned 400pm 26 April. Weather conditions varied
greatly on Saturday (25 April) from cool and cloudy, occasional
rain, punctuated by a single brief (but impressive) bout of
hail, followed by sunshine; breezes light to moderate. Sunday
weather was more consistent; overcast with some sunbreaks,
moderate breezes.

Total species: 104 (seen or heard)

Common Loon, Gavia immer, most were in breeding plumage and were
typically found alone or in aggregations of pacific loons
Pacific Loon, Gavia pacifica, many hundreds (total), gathered in
groups numbering between 20-50 individuals. Almost all were in
full breeding plumage, although i saw one that was in winter
plumage.
Red-throated Loon, Gavia stellata, at least three fly-bys (only).

Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena, at least one individual in
full breeding plumage was seen near Ocean Shores
Horned Grebe, Podiceps auritus, at least one individual in full
(glorious) breeding plumage was seen near Ocean Shores
Western Grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis

Common Murre, Uria aalge
Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba

Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pencillatus, many
Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus, many

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, a group of aproximately 30 birds
was clustered on a mudflat below the bridge next to the oyster
farm
Green (Green-backed) Heron, Butorides virescens, one bird flew over
our van as we left Olympia
Common Egret, Casmerodius albus, at least one, and possibly two,
were seen with the previously-described group of mudflat GBH

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, we saw several subspecies as they
migrated over us in huge groups at gray's harbor, including the
Dusky Canada goose, B. c. occidentalis, and the Cackling Canada
goose, B. c. minima. All flew over in large groups, numbering
50-200 birds. These groups of geese tended to fly close to the
shoreline and so would often pass directly over our heads so we
could get good looks at them and clearly hear their distictive
vocalizations.
Black Brant, Branta nigricans, many groups passed by, probably
numbering several thousands in total within an hour. With rare
exceptions, these flocks would fly much farther away from the
shoreline, in contrast to the migratory patterns displayed by
flocks of Canada geese. Also saw many feeding at Ocean Shores,
where we had many good long looks.
White-fronted goose, Anser albifrons, mixed in with the large
groups of migrating brant.

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca, still a splendid sight
Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris, another splendid sight
Greater Scaup, Aythya collaris
Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis
Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula, always beautiful
Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus, 2.4.0 fly-by (my students
loved this species)
White-winged Scoter, Melanitta deglandi
Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata, including one dead on the
beach at Ocean Shores, allowing us some uncommonly good looks at
this beautiful duck
Common Merganser, Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator

Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
Semi-palmated Plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, their numbers appeared
to be increasing over the weekend
Black-bellied Plover, Squatarola squatarola, mixed in with other
shorebirds
Surfbird, Aphriza virgata, poking around among the rocks of the
breakwater at Ocean Shores
Black Turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala, poking around among the
rocks of the breakwater at Ocean Shores, in close proximity to
the surfbirds

Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, one individual in the company of several
dozen shorebirds was feeding in a small pond in the cow pasture
across the street from the Bottle Beach turn-out. It flushed and
flew over our heads, calling noisily, as we popped out of the van
for a closer look.
Greater Yellowlegs, Totanus melanoleucus, Bottle Beach
Red Knot, Caldris cantutus, mixed in with great flocks of migrating
shorebirds, composed primarily of western sandpipers
Rock Sandpiper, Erolia ptilocnemis
Dunlin, Erolia alpina
Short-billed Dowtcher, Limnodromus griseus
Long-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus
Western Sandpiper, Ereunetes mauri, many. Several dozens were being
mist-netted for banding and measuring by a researcher and my students
were allowed the distinct pleasure of handling, and then releasing,
these birds.
Sanderling, Crocethia alba

Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
California Gull, Larus californicus
Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens
Western Gull, Larus canus
Mew Gull, Larus philadelphia
Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla

Caspian Tern, Sterna caspia, many, patiently demonstrating their
distinctive fishing technique for my students

Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis, including one bird at ocean
shores who demonstrated a remakably harrier-like method of
hunting, reminding me of my resolution to describe this species
to my students as "the great immitator."
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, several birds, including two active nests
Merlin, Falco columbarius, one put on a great show by chasing flocks
of shorebirds. My students were duly impressed. The falcon did not
appear to catch anything.

Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (heard only)

Rock Dove, Columba livia, *yawn*

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna
Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus, at the campground (westhaven
area)

Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, one fly-over
Northern (red-shafted) Flicker, colaptes autatus (heard only)

Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
Violet-green Swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Stegidopteryx serripennis, at Ocean
Shores
Cliff Swallow, Hirundo pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, at Ocean Shores and elsewhere. I think
that spring has finally arrived, now that our swallows are finally
home again.

American Crow, Corvus bradyrhynchos
Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri

Chestnut-backed chickadee, Poecile rufescens, including two who made
their dramatic introduction to my students by getting into a fight
in the branches above our camp stoves. one bird fell from the branches
and almost landed in the warming pot of spaghetti water.
Common Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus

Marsh Wren, Cistothorus palustris
Winter Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, singing their long-winded songs
at the campground
Bewick's Wren, Thryomanes bewickii

Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula

American Robin, Turdus migratorius
Varied Thrush, Ixoreus neavius, towering over a robin at the entrance
to the campground

European Starling, Strnus vulgaris, *yawn*

Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni, at the campground

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica magnolia
Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
Orange-crowned Warbler, Vermivora celata
Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla
Townsend's Warbler, Dendroica townsendi
Black-throated Grey Warbler, Dendroica nigriscens

Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
Brewer's Blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus
Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, *yawn*

American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis
House Finch, Carpodaeus mexicanus
Purple Finch, Caprodaeus purpureus
Red Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
Spotted (Rufous-sided) Towhee, Pipilio erythrophthalmus
Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichesis
White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia articapilla
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco, Junco hymenalis

we also saw several other species or their tracks ...

deer (tracks only) on the beach at ocean shores. two sets of tracks
went down to the water's edge, but there were no returning sets of
tracks. hrm?
Grey Whales foraging in surf, right where the waves broke. there
were at least three adults and one calf. these whales were
incredibly amazingly close to shore, and we watched them for at
least half an hour as they rolled around in the seafoam as the
sun went down. it was glorious.
California Sea Lions, at Ocean Shores, Also one dead baby on the
beach.
Harbor Seals
Takin, weird shaggy bovids in a large pasture near Olympia


Deborah Wisti-Peterson email:nyneve at u.washington.edu
Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash, USA
Visit me on the web: http://weber.u.washington.edu/~nyneve/
^~^~^~Graduate School: it's not just a job, it's an indenture!~^~^~