Tweets,

Knowing I was going to be out of town next weekend for the Shorebird
Festival, I decided to head to Bowerman today (the only off day in the next 3
weeks that I could possibly make it). The tide was due to be high about
10:15 so I figured I could leave Olympia about 7:00 and get there in plenty
of time.

As I went outside to get the paper about 6:00 it was starting to rain...hmmm.
Do I really want to do this? It might clear later and the weather comes
from the west. What the hell, lets do it. At least it stopped raining by
the time I got to Elma. Got to Bowerman about 8:30...and it wasn't raining!
In fact it was clearing up? My lucky day, but, boy was it windy.

On the way out to the boardwalk there were lots of MARSH WRENS singing and
proclaiming territory. Saw SAVANNAH SPARROWS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, SONG
SPARROWS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, and a NORTHERN HARRIER. Got to the
viewing area and darn near got blown over. Lots of wind and very few
shorebirds. Those that were there were just passing through...flying from
one end of the mud flat to the other. Did manage to see some DUNLIN,
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, and possibly DOWITCHERS flying around. The best views
were of CASPIAN TERNS and a couple of RING-BILLED GULLS.

At the sewage lagoon there were 2 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and a nice array of
waterfowl. There were a lot of CLIFF SWALLOWS working the lagoon and there
were a couple of BONAPARTE'S GULLS there also.

I did see a couple of OSPREY, 1 near Montesano and another between Montesano
and Elma in an area where I'd never seen an OSPREY before.

When I got home to Lacey, I had a couple of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH at my feeders.
I haven't seen a GOLDFINCH in a week or so.

Sheila McCartin was at Bowerman today and said they had about 3500 shorebirds
yesterday, but they seem to be running late this year. Sure glad they didn't
have the Shorebird Festival this weekend, like they did last year.

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
scrbjay at aol.com

We were few and they were plenty. Now we are plenty and they
are few.
Confucius