Tweets--

Tuesday, my teaching partner and I took 48 students to
Gray's Harbor National Wildlife Refuge (formerly Bowerman
Basin)..

It as overcast and coolish..with occasional sun breaks..
we weren't even out to the end of the Boardwalk when we
saw the first of 11 (count 'em..11) merlin attacks on
the shorebirds.. there were Dunlin, red knots, sandpipers
plovers, Caspian terns, and even a Wimbrel..
It was a good day..not the birds in numbers we would have
liked, but maybe 10k or so.. it certainly kept the merlins
busy..

the attacks were in two different ways.. the first one was
spectacular..a nice sized female streaked from behind us,
dropped down on the deck--pumping all the way-- and flared
out over the mud wingtips nearly in the water.. she was
going like a heat seeking missile, but of course she was
spotted by the Dunlin (that's their job :) they rose up
out of the mud and began what I call the "Shorebird Ballet"
They rolled up in a ball tightly and undulated back and
forth..when they did that they flashed their white bellies
..in the sunlight it's nearly like a mirror..it is a
spectacular sight and works well as the falcon often gets
confused..this merlin missed on the first try..pitched up
as she still had some speed on, wheeled and busted another
flock that was undulating back and forth..it was an A-MAZING
sight!! and the shorebird dance is one of the most beautiful
things to see in nature.. she missed on that try and headed
off across the mud flats..

the next time she ( or some other merlin) showed up she was
at about 400 feet, and pumped down on the Dunlin flock..
she busted right through them, but missed again..

We were there for 3 1/2 hours and saw attack after attack,
but not even one Dunlin bit the dust that i could tell..

On the way back to campus we noticed both adult Ospreys
on the nest visible from the road in Montesano..and
we counted 13 Turkey Vultures

..great way to start and spend the day...

it's a dirty job, but.. :) :)

Tom



Tom Foote footet at elwha.evergreen.edu
Lab II
The Evergreen State College (360) 866-6000 x6118
Olympia, WA 98505