Hello Tweeters,
It was such a great day yesterday going on to Ocean Shores on our
fieldtrip.i think every one birder was real tired of the end of our trip.We
stopped in so many different places and walking all of Damon Point to find
one of our target birds what was pevious sighted there, the the Clark's
Grebe.The Damon Point Road the way it looks will be closed for a long
time.As Patrick already mention the absent of most all Shorebirds and no
Sparrows at Elma the well knowing spot on Blockhouse Road we still came up
with 89 species.
We spent quite time on the Hoquim sewage ponds,for most all birders it was
the first sighting.We saw this Duck in verry good lighting and with no
wind.The trill for every one was going out to hear all so many Viginia
Rails calling direct close to the road, so close we hoped that one of this
birds will come out for good looks.I start playing a tape but by mistake
started with the Clapper Rail, surprisingly the Viginia Rail repeated that
call of the Clapper Rail.This Rails was calling from both sides of the
road.
Ocean Shores was verry disappointing not finding many Shorebirds beside a
large group of Surfbirds and Black Turnstone on the Point Brown Jetty.
I must think of the sommer way back on 16 July 1997 taking some birders out
on a trip to Ocean shores where three days earlier we had a spectacular
display on Bills Spit of tousends of Shorebirds includind 37 Red Knots.To
findind the beaches deserted on the 16th. But what saved us on that day
was the arrival of that many as 96 Elegant Terns.So i think most all
birders had similar experience
at one time at Ocean Shores.
One our way out we decided to stop one time more on Bowerman Basin to see
the Tufted Duck again,but spotted the Rough-legged Hawk right in a smal
tree close to the road.Every one had spectacular looks at this bird from
all angles since he lifted and circled around close enough to see the dark
carpel patches.We spent quite a long time on this Hawk we decided to go on
to our next stop what was to Brady Loop Road .Again no Shorebirds but we
had our second Osprey of the day and the female and male Kestrel what been
paired up seeng together for the second time.

At the Shouweiler Chehalis Refuge Patrick spotted i believe is the first
NORTHER- ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS of this season.This species are usual
arriving middle of April.Most of all birders saw this bird with also
hundred an hundred of TREE/VIOLET -GREEN SWALLOWS.We also heared our first
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT of the day.
The day ended at N. Blockhouse Rd.where we saw our fourth TURKEY VULTURE of
the day close flying over our head chased by Crows.What a Magnificence
bird and sighting to end this great day.

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
godwit at worldnet.att.net