Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded July 14th and 15th in Grays Harbor and Pacific Cos,
mainly from Ocean Shores to Tokeland, with a few minor stops made at a few
other nearby locations, as we noted a total of 113 species, and 338 miles of
driving. Weather conditions were quite favorable on the 14th, with mostly
sunny skies, and moderate wind at times, turning to mostly cloudy skies late
on the 14th, then cloudy skies with moderate drizzle turning to isolated
light rain showers, but NO wind on the 15th to the Olympia area. We
encountered mainly usual shorebirds species, being our main objective on
this excursion, but noted some notable shorebird numbers at a few locations,
being mainly at Bill's Spit, with our largest concentrations, and diversity
on the 14th, then lesser numbers noted at Bottle Beach(Grays Harbor Co.),
and at Midway Beach(Pacific Co.)on the 15th, as shorebirds seem to be still
moving around. Some areas were literally shorebird free in the Ocean Shores
area, including Damon Point, and the Ocean Shores Game Range, both visited
at outgoing tide on the 14th. Our main attention of the day was made
searching for the two BAR-TAILED GODWITS that had recently been found at
Bill's Spit, but we were unfortunate during our extensive searching through
the day in relocating these birds, but we ran into two Indiana birders who
informed us that the bird(s) were observed on the 12th by Paul Lehman during
a WINGS tour. A list of our daily schedule follows at listed locations,
followed by a notable species list, and approriate highlights.

July 14, 2001

We started out along Brady Loop Rd. for a quick check, then birded the
greater Ocean Shores region throughout the entire day, covering most notable
locations, eventhough some areas lacked diversity. Main areas of coverage,
with some visited twice during the day, including Bill's Spit, Ocean
Shores(Point Brown)Jetty, Ocean Shores Game Range, Ocean Shores Sewage
Treatment Plant(S.T.P.), Damon Point, Cyber Lake, and Ocean City State Park.

July 15, 2001

We birded from the Hoquim Sewage Treatment Plant to Tokeland, then back
north along Hwy.105 to Westport, covering Bottle Beach and Midway Beach Rd.
to and from destinations, then made another quick stop along Brady Loop Rd.
along the way home.

Red-throated Loon
10 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,Grays Harbor Co.(GH)on the 14th

Sooty Shearwater
14 off the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14
7,800 off the Westport Jetty,GH on the 15th, with two large "rafts"
containing 7,500 birds, as they foraged and roosted on the water.

Brown Pelican
1 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,GH on the 14th
1 at the Westport Jetty,GH on the 15th

Bufflehead
1 female at the Hoquim STP,GH on the 15th

Black-bellied Plover
48 at Bill's Spit(Ocean Shores),GH on the 14th
21 at Bottle Beach,GH on the 15th

Semipalmated Plover
23 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
12 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,GH on the 14th
18 at Midway Beach Rd.,Pacific Co.(PA)on the 15th

Snowy Plover
36 at Midway Beach Rd.,PA on the 15th(the majority of the birds, all in a
1/4 mile range distance of walking, consisted of adults, including one
injured adult hosting one leg, otherwise the remainder of the birds
consisted of 11 immatures,and 2 juvenals, being evidence of recent breeding)

Greater Yellowlegs
38 at Cyber Lake along Hwy.109(south of Ocean City State Park), north of
Ocean Shores,GH on the 14th
1 at Midway Beach Rd.,PA on the 15th

Willet
8 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Whimbrel
88 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
20 at Bottle Beach,GH on the 15th
42 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Marbled Godwit
1 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Ruddy Turnstone
1 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Surfbird
1 at the Ocean Shoresw Jetty,GH on the 14th

Red Knot
4 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th

Sanderling
1 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
1 injured bird at Midway Beach,PA on the 15th

Western Sandpiper
890 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
57 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,GH on the 14th
54 at Bottle Beach,GH on the 14th
78 at Midway Beach Rd.,PA on the 15th
2 at Brady Loop Rd.,GH on the 15th

Least Sandpiper
4 at Brady Loop Rd.,GH on the 14th, with 6 there on the 15th
98 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
32 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,GH on the 14th

Dunlin
1 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
1 at the Ocean Shores Game Range,GH on the 14th

Short-billed Dowitcher
318 at Bill's Spit,GH on the 14th
21 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Long-billed Dowitcher
4 at Cyber Lake,GH on the 14th
1 at Brady Loop Rd.,GH on the 15th

Heermann's Gull
54 at the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14th
18 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th
275 at Westport,GH on the 15th

Herring Gull(very rare in summer)
1 subadult at the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14th

Black-legged Kittiwake
12 at the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14th
8 at the Westport Jetty,GH on the 15th

Marbled Murrelet
3 off the Westport Jetty,GH on the 15th

ANCIENT MURRELET
1 off the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14th

CASSIN'S AUKLET
1 off the Westport Jetty,GH on the 15th

Rhinocerous Auklet(high numbers, with many in groups or rafts of 70-80 birds
in a single flock))
780 off the Ocean Shores Jetty,GH on the 14th
605 off the Westport Jetty,Gh on the 15th

Purple Martin(locally rare)
3 at Tokeland,PA on the 15th

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net