Subject: ROCK SANDPIPER, ETC. AT POINT ROBERTS, OCTOBER 29
Date: Oct 31 19:08:18 2000
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets, and Wayne Weber,

In response to the status of ROCK SANDPIPERS at Point Roberts, Whatcom Co.,
and other coastal locations in WA in late October, which I have personally
encountered at this site with 2 records:

1 bird with 14 Black Turnstones, and 2 Surfbirds on 15 October 1993
1 bird with 12 Dunlin, and 3 Sanderlings on 21 October 1995

They are more readily found in mid to late November in WA, but a few early
records have occured in August, and into September, being early fall
records, indicated in Dennis Paulson's "Shorebirds of the Pacific
Northwest", so the recent record at Pt. Roberts seems not too unusual, but
are probably the best of the three mentioned species to be found in Whatcom
Co., since there were also recent records at other nearby coastal British
Columbia locations.

My personal SURFBIRDS in Clallam County, all come from Pt.Roberts with 4
records:

13 with 23 Black Turnstones, 2 Ruddy Turnstones on 12 Sept. 1989
2 with 14 Black Turnstones, and 1 Rock Sandpiper on 15 October 1993
15 with 34 Black Turnstones on 12 August 1994
2 with 21 Black Turnstones, and 34 Dunlin on 12 November 1997

This species seems to occur more commonly earlier in the fall than the Rock
Sandpiper, and remain into the following spring fairly numerously, at
coastal locations, although numbers can very widely, and are very scarce in
the lower Puget Sound region, but do occur annually.

BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS are quite unpredictable at any coastal location in WA,
as at laest for my personal records can never expect to see them at one
favorable location on call, as they seem to wander quite a bit, but I could
be wrong as to this prediction, but are permanent residents in WA. Like the
other two previously mentioned species I have observed this species at
Pt.Roberts, and at Lummi Island, but only along the shores of the Lighthouse
Park at Pt.Roberts, unlike the other species, being at the jetty protecting
the marina. My 3 Whatcom Co.records follow as:

6 at Pt.Roberts,WC on 12 Sept.1989
4 at Lummi Island,WC on 5 August 1994
2 at Pt.Roberts,WC 17 November 1996

Good Birding,

Patrick Sullivan

----- Original Message -----
From: WAYNE WEBER <WAYNE_WEBER at bc.sympatico.ca>
To: TWEETERS <tweeters at u.washington.edu>; VANBIRDS <bcvanbirds at egroups.com>;
ISLAND BIRDERS <bcbirdingvanisland at egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 8:19 AM
Subject: ROCK SANDPIPER, ETC. AT POINT ROBERTS, OCTOBER 29


> Birders,
>
> A short visit (about 1-1/2 hours) to Point Roberts, Whatcom Co., WA in
> the late afternoon of October 29 produced several interesting
> sightings. Nearly all my time was spent at Lighthouse Marine Park, the
> county park at the southwest tip of the point. The weather was sunny
> and nearly calm-- unusual for late October.
>
> The dilapidated pier just north of the boat launch at Lighthouse
> Marine Park is always worth checking in October and November for
> Heermann's Gulls. Sure enough, two adult HEERMANN'S GULLS were perched
> here, along with many GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and a few DOUBLE-CRESTED
> CORMORANTS. Unexpectedly, there were at least 25 BLACK TURNSTONES
> sitting on the pier, occasionally vocalizing and having minor
> squabbles with their neighbours.
>
> A smaller, much paler sandpiper was sleeping, with its bill tucked in,
> in the middle of the turnstones. After a few minutes, the bird woke
> up, walked a few steps, and looked around. I was able to see all the
> field marks of a ROCK SANDPIPER. Although the distance was
> considerable, the brilliant sunshine made it easy to identify the
> bird.
>
> Although I've birded Point Roberts on countless occasions since 1968,
> this was my first-ever sighting of a ROCK SANDPIPER there. BLACK
> TURNSTONES are regularly seen feeding along the gravelly beaches
> there, but the other "rockpipers"-- SURFBIRD, ROCK SANDPIPER, and
> BLACK OYSTERCATCHER-- are all very unusual at Point Roberts, with only
> a very few records of each that I know of on the Point.
>
> A flock of at least 100 SANDERLINGS was feeding along the beach,
> taking flight at frequent intervals. At least one DUNLIN was present
> in the flock.
>
> Two TRUMPETER SWANS flew southbound over Lighthouse Marine Park,
> calling loudly. This is another species for which I have less than 5
> sightings from the Point.
>
> Because of the short visit, I tallied only 31 species. My list is as
> follows:
>
> Common Loon 2
> Horned Grebe 2
> Western Grebe 10
> Double-crested Cormorant 40
> Pelagic Cormorant 2
> Great Blue Heron 1
> Trumpeter Swan 2
> Greater Scaup 2
> Harlequin Duck 10
> Long-tailed Duck 3
> Surf Scoter 30
> White-winged Scoter 2
> Red-breasted Merganser 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 1
> Black Turnstone 25
> Sanderling 100
> ROCK SANDPIPER 1
> Dunlin 1
> Heermann's Gull 2 adults
> Mew Gull 15
> Glaucous-winged Gull 100
> Northern Flicker 1
> Northwestern Crow 10
> Black-capped Chickadee 1
> Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
> American Pipit 1
> European Starling 50
> Brewer's Blackbird 10
> Spotted Towhee 2
> Song Sparrow 6
> House Finch 4
>
> Just as I was leaving Lighthouse Marine Park, an EASTERN COTTONTAIL
> scampered into the shrubbery.
>
> That's it for now!
>
> Wayne C. Weber
> Kamloops and Delta, BC
> wayne_weber at bc.sympatico.ca
>
>