Subject: Gray's Harbor County
Date: Oct 8 21:01:15 2001
From: P&B Bell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi Tweets -

Barrett Pierce and I spent the day in Gray's Harbor and Pacific Counties
today. Cleared off and great weather. We had rafts of scoters (SURF and
WHITE-WINGED) from the Brown's Point jetty, loads of gulls or various
types, many fly-by loons (COMMON LOON), COMMON MURRES and a couple of
SOOTY SHEARWATERS. At the base of Damon Point we encountered an almost
empty beach, but sitting on the sand ridge on the bay side were three
PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS. Very nicely plumaged birds, colorful and
cooperative allowing a reasonably close approach. Many COMMON LOONS and
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS out in the bay.

As we left Ocean Shores we had a juvenile Peregrine Falcon overhead.

At the Hoquiam ponds we had GREATER & LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK,
RUDDY DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL.

At the Tokeland Marina we found the BAR-TAILED GODWIT in among the 300
or so MARBLED GODWITS on the float near the road. We were able to get
great views - nice clear supercilium, white breast/belly/flanks and
undertail coverts, nice solid brownish feathers on the coverts and
scapulars (not barred like the MARBLEDs), and wing extension. A very
good looking bird. Our timing was good, as after we had moved on a
fellow drove up and had his friend walk down on the float so the birds
would all fly so he could take a picture.

At Bottle Beach at high tide we had 60-70 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and a
few DUNLIN and dowitcher species (can't make much of a silhouetted bird
in bright glare from the sun on the water).

All in all a nice day.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
bellasoc at isomedia.com
www.peregrinenorthwest.com