Subject: Gray's Harbor info request-plus musings
Date: Apr 21 11:42:04 2000
From: Matthew Wentland - went1180 at yahoo.com


Hello, I am both a relatively fresh Washington
resident and birder, so please forgive any lack of
etiquette and/or knowledge. I recently learned that
Gray's Harbor, Bowerman Basin specifically, has a
massive flux of shorebirds in late April/early May. I
have also heard locals say that spring is a little
early this year, so I was wondering if anyone who
recently has been there knows when, in the upcoming
weeks, I could gamble on a good show? Thanks in
advance.

Other than that, I observed a few things this weekend.
Also because I am new to the area, I got some life
birds which I hear of pretty frequently on the list,
but never got a chance to see. In Carkeek park
Wednesday, I saw Towhees thrashing around in the ferns
and singing on branches. Based on My guides
description of the song, I believe they were SPOTTED
TOWHEES. I also saw DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and, maybe, a
Lincoln's Sparrow hopping in the mud on a branch of
Piper's Creek. If anyone has any input as to the
likelihood of this sparrow, please let me know If I am
way off (Durn lgb). At the beach a GREAT BLUE HERON
wading in the shallows, and three lifers: BARROW'S
GODLDENEYEs (1 m w/ 2 f), about 6 HORNED GREBES in
glorious breeding plumage, and a raft of 30 or so SURF
SCOTERS. Judging By the frequency these birds on the
list, no shosckers, but for me an event I will never
experience again. The grebes were especially
glorious. BALD EAGLE seen winging inland. In
Magnusson Yesterday I was walking on a hilltop trail
and passed a clearing of head high shrubs bordered by
trees. We walked in on a male ANNA's HUMMINGBIRD
doing a display where he would ascend about a hundred
feet (while vocalizing) in the air, then whiz down at
warp 9.9 to a perch, then repeat. He frequently would
buzz from perch to perch. Two questions: is this a
courting display, territorial display, and if so was
it likely that a female was in the area? ID was
confirmed when the hummer perched about 10 feet above
my head in direct sunlight for three minutes. He wore
brillant head feathers and flared gorget like a crown.
Another lifer, another glorious day. Washington is
good. Birds are good.

Matt Wentland

=====
Matthew Wentland
went1180 at yahoo.com

5041 12th Ave. APT. D
Seattle, WA 98105
206.729.3726

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