Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded half a day, starting along Brady Loop Rd. near
Brady, south of Hwy.12, in E. Grays Harbor Co. with a good number of
several species of shoebirds including: 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 1
PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, and 42 RUDDY TURNSTONES among 78 BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, 28 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 12 WHIMBRELS, 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS,
4 LONG-BILLED DOWICHERS, 32 DUNLIN, and 38 WESTERN SANDPIPERS. We birded
this road two times during the day, with only the PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER
observed on the second attempt. It was a good comparision to observe both
GOLDEN PLOVERS together with 95% of the BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS being in full
breeding plumage, by their size, and coloration differences. Both of the
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS were in near breeding plumage, with the white
stripe extending from just below the brownish cap to the upper flanks,
whereas the PACIFIC seemed a little smaller, and was NOT in breeding, but
approaching, with mostly mottled black smudges on the belly and lower
breast, white stripe extending well past the flanks, with a mottled
golden-brown back, being much more "golden" in appearance than the
AMERICAN, with both species being smaller than the nearby BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, which seemed more striking in appearance. The PACIFIC tended to
stick by itself, and not with the other shorebirds. The RUDDY TURNSTONES
were my first, being a quality record number for an inland location, and
especially watching them forage in recently plowed, grassy fields. The
birds were all observed a very close range during our second visit, as they
foraged close to the road. We also birded Ocean Shores and vicinity, with
relatively good weather condtions, with partly to mostly sunny skies and
moderate wind at times, with the ONLY rain encountered after we were done
birding from Elma to Olympia. At the Hoquim STP 70+ RED-NECKED PHALAROPES
were still present, along with 38 BONEAPARTE'S GULLS with 12 in breeding
plumage, 2 GR.WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, and a pair of CINNAMON TEAL. The 2
AM.WHITE PELICANS were observed along S.R. 109 , on the mudflats at the
the north tip of Bowerman Basin. At Ocean City State Park, 1 male WESTERN
TANAGER, 3 WILSON'S WARBLERS, and 5 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS were heard
and seen, as well as a single HERMIT THRUSH and HAIRY WOODPECKER. The only
other highlight, despite the low tide conditions during our visit, were 2
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS, and 22 COMMON TERNS off of Damon Pt., with a
single fly-over TURKEY VULTURE at Damon Pt. heading towards Ocean Shores.

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net