----- Original Message -----
From: Ruth Sullivan <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
To: <WAYNE_WEBER at bc.sympatico.ca>; TWEETERS <tweeters at u.washington.edu>;
VANBIRDS <bcvanbirds at egroups.com>; ISLAND BIRDERS
<bcbirdingvanisland at egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 7:08 PM
Subject: Re: ROCK SANDPIPER, ETC. AT POINT ROBERTS, OCTOBER 29


> 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 Whatcom 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
> >
> >
>
>