Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I encountered and experienced relatively continuing good
numbers of migrating shorebirds at Ocean Shores,mainly on the beach access
areas between Driftwood Drive and Butter Clam Street(accessed from Sand Dune
Drive and Ocean Shores Blvd.)with an additional survey made from the Pacific
Way beach access. Extensive walking was made from ALL the beach access areas
we visited to obtain our shorebird totals,as most of the areas hosted
seperate flocks at times,which would occasionally be disturbed by
beachcombers or by changing tide conditions. Most other areas away from
immediate beach hosted far fewer numbers and less diversity of
foraging/roosting shorebirds than the areas accessed from the beach access
and overall shorebird migration was rather slow,but still continues as noted
at several areas we visited. The most notable species that was noted to show
a much decline was Western Sandpiper,with only 3 birds(1 adult,2
juveniles)observed from the Marine View Drive beach access along with other
foraging/roosting shorebirds during the evening incoming tide. We checked
most of the main areas that normally host good numbers of shorebirds,but
several locations experienced low or NO shorebirds,as we started our
scouting during slow incoming tide then diversity increased as the day
continued. Our best highlights probably occured at the end of our day with a
visit to the Hoquim STP with exposed sediment/mudflats on the outer edges of
the main pond that hosted a single juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and one
adult RED-NECKED PHALAROPE amongst foraging flocks of juvenile Western and
both adult and juvenile Least Sandpipers,with our largest flock of
Semipalmated Plovers at one location that included 250+ birds patiallt
foarging and roosting on an abandoned gravel area east and north of the main
pond. The Red-necked Phalarope was mainly foraging alone,but at times was
observed feeding with a Gadwall family close to shore,aloowing great close
views.Our route for the day included the Ocean Shores area,then stopping by
the Hoquim STP on our way home in the late evening between 6:30pm-7pm with
good results at that location to be listed below.

A list of our main highlights for the day included:

Common Loon
1 off the Ocean Shores Game Range
1 off Bill's Spit

Sooty Shearwater
35+ off of the Marine View Drive beach access

Brown Pelican
68 at Damon Point
43 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
8 at Bill's Spit
78 between Driftood Drive and Marine View Drive beach access

Northern Pintail
1 female at the Hoquim STP

Cinnamon Teal
2 at the Hoquim STP

Hooded Merganser
5 at Cyber Lake

Osprey
2 along Hwy.12 at Elma/Vance Creek Co.Park
2 along Hwy.12 at Montesano
1 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
1 at the Ocean Shores Airport

Northern Harrier
1 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
2 at the Ocean Shores Airport

Cooper's Hawk
1 adult along Marine View Drive at Ocean Shores
1 adult over Hwy.12 east of Elma

Peregrine Falcon
1 immature Peale's subspecies at Damon Point,with presumably the same bird
observed later at the Ocean Shores Game Range

Black-bellied Plover
5 near Bill's Spit
430+ between Driftwood Drive and Butter Clam beach access

Snowy Plover
1 adult with 2 remaining juveniles at the Oceann Shores Game Range

Semipalmated Plover
7 at Damon Point
6 at Bill's Spit
74 between Driftwood Drive and Butter Clam beach access
250+ roosting/foraging near the Hoquim STP east of Airport Rd.(high count
for location)

Greater Yellowlegs
82 at Cyber Lake

Lesser Yellowlegs
1 at the Hoquim STP

Spotted Sandpiper
1 adult at the Hoquim STP

Whimbrel
23 at Bill's Spit

Marbled Godwit
25 near Bill's Spit

Ruddy Turnstone
1 at the Pacific Way beach access

Red Knot
23 between Driftwood Drive and Butter Clam beach access

Sanderling
440+ between Driftwood Drive and Pacific Way beach access

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
1 juvenile at the Hoquim STP

Western Sandpiper
3(1 adult,2 juveniles)at the Marine View Drive beach access
145+ juveniles at the Hoquim STP

Least Sandpiper
12 at Damon Point
15 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
60+ at the Hoquim STP

Dunlin
1 injured bird in alternate plumage at the Damon Point"pond"(presumably the
same individual than noted on the 14th and 23rd of July.

Short-billed Dowitcher
40 at Bill's Spit
345+ between Driftwood Drtive and Butter Clam St. beach access

Long-billed Dowitcher
1 at Cyber Lake
1 at the Hoquim STP

Red-necked Phalarope
1 adult at the Hoquim STP

Heermann's Gull
45 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
220+ between Driftwood Drive and Pacific Way beach access

California Gull
180+ at Bill's Spit

Caspian Tern
12 at Damon Point
8 at the Ocean Shores Game Range
19 at Bill's Spit
28 between Driftwood Drive and Pacific Way beach access
7 at the Hoquim STP

Common Murre
60+ off of the Marine View Drive beach access

Common Nighthawk
1 over I-5 at Steilacoom,Pierce Co.

Olive-sided Flycatcher
1 at Cyber Lake

Horned Lark
3 at Damon Point

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
8 at the Hoquim STP

Western Scrub Jay
2 along Hwy.12 at Elma
1 along Hwy.12 east of Brady

Hutton's Vireo
3 near Bill's Spit

Red Crossbill
6 at Cyber Lake


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net