Tom Foote reported,

> went out on Friday with 50 students. it was in-and-out
> chilly, but we did get to see shorebirds.. Jim Pruske
> has the list, but PINE wouldn't open it, so I'm winging
> it, so to speak. :)
>
> redknots, lots of peeps, black bellied plovers, etc
> the usual suspects.. and, I think, a whimbrel..I didn't
> see it, but I heard Jim mention it later on.

I was there with Tom and Jim and a few of my students, but we left
mid-morning after seeing the major sights and headed west. Terribly windy
at Westport and Tokeland; I'm afraid I got my students wind-blown without
showing them much new. When we got to Raymond, I headed east on Hwy. 6,
hoping to find the kites that have hung out just south of Frances. Well,
the kites weren't there, so we continued along the road (Elk Creek, I
think; don't have my DeLorme here) through the dairy farms. Suddenly a
big flock of large brown birds was rising from the pasture nearby. I
stopped quickly and said, "What the heck are those?" They were Whimbrels.
At least 100, probably more. I'm used to seeing them on beaches and
mudflats, so it was interesting to see them using the pasture. There were
a lot of cows in this pasture, leading me to wonder what the Whimbrels
were feeding on. Cow dung? Insects stirred up by cows? I haven't had
time yet to check references for a likely answer.

Anyway, as Tom wrote, it was a great way to end the week.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794

Reunite Gondwana!