I went to Ocean Shores last weekend looking fot the Curlew and would
recommend the following. I am assuming that you are not familiar with
Ocean Shores. There are a couple of places that I would recommend Brown
Point Jetty which is the north jetty of Grays Harbor, the golf course and
the beach north of Shiloh Inn.
Upon entering Ocean Shores (through the stone pillars) go to the four way
stop (by Mc Donalds). Continue straight through the intersection. About
100 yards on the left will be a fire station. The golf course is across
from the station and the area right along the road there had whimberel,
godwits, dunlin, short-billed dowitchers, blue-winged and cinnamon teal.
The whimberel and godwits (40-50) were in the golf course and the rest on
the canal. Should be easy to find.
After the golf course I would continue along the same road unitl you
get to the marina (I probably wouldn't spend much time around the marina).
Marine View Dr. intersects at the marina, take a right. About 0.1 miles on
the left is the entrance to a state park (I can't remember the name) that
is on a spit into the harbor. We didn't see much there (brant, brown
pelican, savannah sparrows). Marine View takes you to Ocean Shores Blvd,
take a left. Brown Point Jetty will be on the right there is ample
parking. The jetty might produce black turnstone, surfbird, wandering
tattler, western and herring gulls. The curlews were originally seen in
the grass area at the head of the jetty (near the parking lot. Other birds
to look for include pelican, cormorants, shearwaters, other pelagics.
There is a sewage treatment plant about 0.5 miles from the jetty. The
grassy area between the parking lot and the treatment plant is a likely
spot for the curlews.
When you return to town you could backtrack the original route (there is a
small blue MARINA sign at the turn to Marine View. Ocean Shores Blvd is a
more direct route, but it is very bumpy. There is access to the beach at
the north side of the Shiloh Inn. You can drive onto the beach there and
then north. At low tide, the beach is wide and flat and you can easily
drive it. Look for flocks of shorebirds alond the beach. We saw dunlin,
western sandpipers, sanderlings (not in breeding plumage), red knot (one),
ruddy turnstones, marbled godwits and semiplalmated plovers. The flocks
are easy to approach and can be studied using binoculars or scopes from
your vehicle. There are other access points to the north of Shiloh Inn
that you can get off the beach. Good luck and good birding. I will be at
Fort Stevens (Oregon) this weekend.
Scott

----------
> From: Jerry & Sandy Converse <sanjer at televar.com>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu; charless at umich.edu
> Subject: Re: B-thighed Curlew reports
> Date: Thursday, May 14, 1998 9:09 AM
>
> Charles Swift wrote:
>
> >
> > I'm thinking of driving over from Idaho to chase the curlew and would
be
> > interested in any current reports. Also any guesses as to weather for
the
> > next couple of days that may keep the birds in the area.
>
>
> We are also going after the Curlew and any other shorebirds out there.
> We will leave Friday evening and go to the South jetty or Ocean Shores,
> (it's 50 miles closer for us.)
>
> We hope to arrive Saturday around 11:00 AM. If anyone is going to be at
> either place, we sure could use help on Shorebird ID.
>
> Jerry and Sandy Converse
> Grand Coulee, WA