Sunday I zipped out to the Grays Harbor NWR to see my wife and the shorebird show and what a show it was. The birds were arriving around 3:30 pm and built up to rather large numbers.

I did not count but would easily agree with 100,000 at the peak around 5:15pm, with about 70% Western Sandpipers and 30% Dunlin. Also present were upwards of 250 Semipalmated Plovers, 50 Red Knot, 60+ Short-billed Dowitchers, 6 Black-bellied Plovers and 1 Least Sandpiper. I heard other Leasties, but never got looks at them.

The birds got restless around 5pm and started zooming around in large clouds. The flocks would not settle down, probably because of a falcon in the area. Soon they disappeared past the west end of the peninsula.

Very few people were at the boardwalk. Too bad, that was the time to be there!

Tom Schooley
Olympia, WA
schooleymccartan at home.com