Greetings --

This afternoon I enjoyed the sun and a light breeze at Kennedy Creek
Estuary, Mason County, on the rising of the tide. The big show was a
flock of ~1,000 shorebirds flashing in the sun, 1 - 2% of them BLACK-
BELLIED PLOVER, and the most of them DUNLIN. The Dunlin were all
adults in winter plumage; a few of the Black-bellied Plover were
showing hints of transition plumage but most remain in winter
plumage. Only about 100 Dunlin settled on the Kennedy Creek tideflats
as the tide rose; the remainder went up Schneider Creek estuary.

Other birds here: 1 pair MALLARD; 3m + 5f GREEN-WINGED TEAL; 2m + 1f
COMMON MERGANSER; KILLDEER (heard); 6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS; 24 AMERICAN
CROW. The GULL spp. numbered up to 100 distant on Schneider Creek
estuary; none came over to Kennedy Creek estuary.


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Douglas Canning
Olympia, Washington
dcanning at igc.org
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