Jamie Acker and I birded what's left of Dungeness Spit for the
Sequim-Dungeness CBC yesterday. We had fine cold clear weather sandwiched
between storms. Our normal route is to be ferried across (by Walter Doyle,
old salt) from the Oyster House boat launch to the south tip of Graveyard
Spit, the inward projection from the outer middle portion of the curve of
Dungeness Spit. We then would walk north to the base of Graveyard spit,
check the big lagoon at the west base, then continue out to the lighthouse,
then back along the outer curve to the base where we'd be picked up by Bob
Boekelheide (all with the proper Fish and Wildlife permits, as the area is
tightly restricted). Normally this is an eight hour, 12 mile jaunt on loose
sand and over driftwood tangles. However, we could see from shore that there
was a big breach in the spit between the lighthouse and the base of
Graveyard, with surf pounding across it, and that there were several broad
cuts in the jetty between the base and Graveyard, so we arranged for Walter
to pick us up back at the south tip of Graveyard at 1 PM.

Our best birds were two HORNED LARKS and a flock of some 30 MARBLED GODWITS,
in with 5000 dabbling ducks. East of the east base of Graveyard Spit toward
the lighthouse there's a small lagoon on the inner bay side. Here were 150
odd BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, plus DUNLINS, SANDERLINGS, and BLACK TURNSTONES
and some 40 BRANT. Near th brant but keeping to themselves were three
EMPEROR GEESE, two adults and a young bird (judging by its duller
yellow-orange legs and smudged face). Each of the Emperors had TWO FEET
(unlike "Stumpy" at the Port Angeles city park). Also present were a fine
adult Peale's PEREGRINE and lots of the usual sea ducks, loons, and gulls.

The unofficial preliminary subtotal for the count at the compilation was
133, but that's sure to climb somewhat as the late returns come in. Bob runs
a fine count here, including a lock on the good weather.

Gene Hunn.