There were 10 birders on this ELWAS field trip to Hoquiam Ponds, Bowerman
Basin and Ocean Shores. The day was partly cloudy and windy. We got to the
end
of the boardwalk at Bowerman Basin about 11:30 which was ideal as high
tide was at 12:30. There were thousands of Dunlin and Western Sandpipers.
large numbers of Semipalmated Plovers, and a few Ruddy Turnstone, Red
Knots, and Long-billed Dowitchers. When we got to Bill's Spit late in the
afternoon there were many gulls. One in particular stood out because it was
appeared so white overall compared to the others. There was a Herring Gull
nearby for comparison. The white gull was slightly larger, had a bicolored
bill
and was buffy or almost white when viewed thru a scope. The appearance
closely matched the 1st winter Glaucous Gull illustration in the NGS bird
book. It was a life bird for most of us. We recorded 66 species for the trip.


Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder at aol.com