Hi Tweets -

Highlights from a group from Seattle Audubon who spent the day in the
Tokeland and Ocean Shores area today (Sat 9 Oct). We started out at
Tokeland in for heavy enough we could only make out shapes on what
turned out to be about 300 MARBLED GODWITS. The sun didn't start to
break through until 9:30 when we had to leave. In thinning periods we
could examine the godwits, not HUDSONIAN, perhaps it showed up later in
the day. Also present were WILLETS, WHIMBRELS AND DOWITCHERS. On the way
back to Ocean Shores we saw 7 GREAT EGRETS near Bay City.

At Ocean Shores the fog had cleared and we had a beautiful day. About 30
MARBLED GODWITS at Bill's Spit, 40 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, some dowitchers
and a large group of gulls including many CALIFORNIA GULLS. At the
entrance to Damon Point on the bay side we had a nice comparison of two
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER seen in excellent
light and from close distances. While we were working the plovers over
we had a flock of DUNLIN wheeling over the bay. At one point a PEREGRINE
FALCON made a dive bomb attack on the DUNLIN narrowly missing taking
one. The AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER's reaction was interesting, it was next
to a clump of grass and hunkered down so closely that at first we
thought it had left. It was only when we started looking further down
the beach that it stood up and we saw it again. Over at Damon Pond we
had 9 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 3 immature SURF SCOTERS and 3 PACIFIC
GOLDEN PLOVERS. The plovers were again seen in great light and at close
distances. On the way out we had an immature DUNLIN on the shore with a
deformed foot which showed evidence of being injured - think that one
was probably a goner. Stopped briefly at the jetty and it was as
inactive as I have ever seen it. All in all a good day.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
bellasoc at isomedia.com
www.peregrinenorthwest.com