Hello Tweets,

My mother and I(Patrick) birded August 26th and 27th in Grays Harbor and
Pacific Cos., with most time spent at Ocean Shores and Tokeland, with a few
minor stops made at other locations, as in past weeks on the same route.
Weather was great, with partly to mostly sunny skies, and moderate wind both
days, especially along the immediate coast. We encountered 27 species of
shorebirds, including our highlights: 3 BAR-TAILED GODWITS observed both
days at Tokeland Marina, 3 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at the Damon Point pond
on the 27th, and 1 RED PHALAROPE observed from the Ocean Shores Jetty on the
27th.

We started out at the Tokeland Marina on the 26th at 7:30am at incoming
tide, where we observed the adult female and juvenal BAR-TAILED GODWIT
feeding at the breakwater, with 154 MARBLED GODWITS, 17 WHIMBRELS, 12
WILLETS, and 48 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS until 8:30am, as the tide began to
come in quicker, more birds roosted on the jetty, where at 8:45am, we noted
a 3rd BAR-TAILED GODWIT, with the other two still down foraging on remaining
mudflats, until 9am, where all 3 birds were noted on the jetty mixed in with
the other large shorebird flock. The 3rd bird was described as being more
browner overall, like in first-winter plumage, than the juvenal, and smaller
than the nearby adult female, showing the white supercillium, and white
underparts, with minor fine streaking on the flanks, and the upper sides of
the upper breast, with only a faint wash of brownish-gray on the entire
breast, and a dark brown back, and a shorter bill than that of the female,
but still long upcurved , and orange at the base. This was our first time
seeing 3 birds, so it might be a good year for BAR-TAILED GODWITS! Other
notable species at Tokeland were:

54 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS
1 RED KNOT
5 RUDDY TURNSTONES
6 BLACK TURNSTONES
56 WESTERN SANDPIPERS
8 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS
7 COMMON MERGANSERS

At 10am we were at Bottle Beach, near Ocosta, where shorebirding was also
very good, as well as increased waterfowl migration, with not a very high
tide during the morning, as in other locations, made for exceptional
viewing! Birds seemed to be pushed to this location, with the added help
from the wind,until an adult PEREGRINE FALCON persued the large flocks, with
the capture of one peep, then 5 unsuccessful attempts 15 minutes later,
which scattered the flocks widely. Notable numbers and species included:

92 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS
165 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS
75 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS
3,300+ WESTERN SANDPIPERS
19 LEAST SANDPIPERS(surprisingly low)
1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
1 RED KNOT
6 RUDDY TURNSTONES
5 BLACK TURNSTONES
1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS
580 NORTHERN PINTAILS
124 NORTHERN SHOVELERS
45 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
5 CINNAMON TEAL(good record for a salt water location)

On our way to Ocean Shores we checked the Hoquim STP at 12pm, where the
"pond" consisted of on a few species of waterfowl including:


12 GREATER SCAUP
6 LESSER SCAUP
4 BLUE-WINGED TEAL
17 NORTHERN PINTAIL
23 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
47 NORTHERN SHOVELERS
11 GADWALL

At 1pm we were at the Damon Point pond, where we specifically looked for the
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, until Hank Vail ran into us, after we returned to
the pond for the second time, announcing he had just seen one bird just a
few minutes before, and possibly two birds that morning! So we quickly
headed to the location, along the south shore of the pond, but in more
upland areas. We located and photographed both birds together from
4:15-5:45pm, as Hank scurried off to get another birder to see this
declining species. Both birds were very approachable, as they foraged in the
taller beach grass clumps, and other beach vegetation away from the
immediate pond, and froze several times from the presence of an immature
PEREGRINE FALCON, allowing even more great photo oppurtunities! Other
observed species at this location included:

3 PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVERS(1 adult, and 2 juvenals)
1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER
670 WESTERN SANDPIPERS
72 LEAST SANDPIPERS
2 RUDDY TURNSTONES
2 BLACK TURNSTONES
4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
1 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
5 HORNED LARKS

At 7:30pm I observed the YELLOW-BILLED LOON at the southeast shore of the
O.S.Game Range, which the bird appears to be changing plumages since I saw
the bird on the 19th, being more in first-winter plumage, showing the dark
spot behind the eye, darker back, and faded head, and neck sides, with a
dusky cap. The pale straw-yellow bill is still evident, even at far range,
as the bird was noted then drifted much closer to shore allowing great looks
along with other birds including:

12 RED-THROATED LOONS
870+ SOOTY SHEARWATERS(noted from the mouth of Grays Harbor)
45 SURF SCOTERS
7 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS
1 GREATER SCAUP

Today the 27th, we started out at the Ocean Shores Jetty at 7:30am, where I
walked to the end, then back with the following highlights:

1 RED PHALAROPE(with Red-necked Phalaropes, but larger and paler)
134 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES(increasing numbers off and nearshore)
6 SURFBIRDS
27 BLACK TURNSTONES
2 RUDDY TURNSTONES
5 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
3 PACIFIC LOONS
1 BRANDT'S CORMORANT
510+ SOOTY SHEARWATERS

>From 8:30am-10:45am, we checked the Damon Point pond, mainly to see if
anything came in, and try for more photographes of the BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS, which we quickly located, NOT 2, but 3 birds along the east
shore of the pond, as they foraged at close range, with several photos of
all three birds together for records. They only appeared together for a very
short time, then would break apart, and forage loosely, first two, then
singlely! This is one species that probably occurs annual, of course in
small numbers in the fall, but the effort in finding these birds could be
lacking, as they are NOT always conspicuous, being out in the open, as they
can also camoflauge very well, and hide, but usually flush only when
extremely close, but sometimes not at all, only walking quickly!


We headed back to Tokeland by 12pm, at extreme high tide, with the large
shorebird flock already roosting on the jetty, but were able to quickly
locate the three BAR-TAILED GODWITS upon minimal effort! The shorebird
numbers appeared low, but were probably scattered at other nearby locations.
The only other highlight at Tokeland today was a WANDERING TATTLER, our
first for this location, and only one of the trip!

On our way home we checked the Brady Loop Rd. wetland, as we have in past
weeks, with it quickly drying up, and somewhat variable numbers of
shorebirds, but were able to locate 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and a single
PECTORAL SANDPIPER.


A great weekend on the coast!

Good Birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net