........Sat. Oct. 27th: Some COMMON LOONS and a number of DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS( many juveniles) in the Boat Basin at the North Jetty Coast
Guard Station.
...............................More Cormorants and several large rafts of
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in thr river at the north jetty just below the
lighthouse. Zillions of GULLS on the ocean beach under the brilliant
orange setting sun. Were a small number of smaller-pale yellow-billed
and pale yellow legged MEW GULLS among them.
........Sun. Oct.28th: On the ocean beach north end of Long Beach
peninsula, Wash.----- 100's of very skittish DUNLIN that kept flying
off in undulating alternating black and white clouds. A few WEST.
SANDPIPERS, SANDERLINGS and one or two BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS among them,
but couldn't scan the whole group because of aforementioned
skittishness. Again---lots and lots of GULLS.( particularly enjoyed
watching 6 immatures very noisily squabbling over a piece of food---one
gull finally got tired of this 'charade' and took the morsel and flew
off to more private quarters.)
...............................Tide very low on Willapa Bay---billions of
ducks, and loads of small shorebirds--most too far out to identify
clearly even with a spotting scope. However, close to shore at the north
end of the beach with a bunch of Black-bellied Plovers were 2 MARBLED
GODWITS. A small unidentified hawk was flying among the shore pines.
Also.....a flock of 45 or so GREAT BLUE HERONS flew in a pack, settling
in near a dozen or so other Herons scattered nearby.----there were
Herons everywhere!!!!
................................Just some of the avian delights seen.
Cheers.

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net