----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Sullivan" <GODWIT at worldnet.att.net>
To: <gerald at e-z.net>; "Wash. Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 8:20 PM
Subject: Re: ....................On Willapa Bay


> Hello Gerald,
> We was planning an overnight trip to Leadbetter last weekend,and changed
our
> mind do to the bad weather on Sunday.All July the masses of Shorebirds
been
> great.The BEST month ever in July at any year.We met some birder from
> Astoria and he mention that the birds been slow in Leadbetter so there
must
> be all in Ocean Shores ,there also non in Tokland.
>
> Ruth Sullivan
> Tacoma
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gerald Hamilton" <gerald at e-z.net>
> To: "Wash. Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 6:55 PM
> Subject: ....................On Willapa Bay
>
>
> > .................Mid-day last Friday: Absolutely *nothing* at
> > 'shorebird flats'---Parking lot C at Columbia River South
> > Jetty.(....very little water!!!). Oh, I shouldn't say "nothing" as there
> > *was* 1 large Great Blue Heron there, and.....zillions of Caspian Terns
> > at the river beach. Lots of CORMORANTS (mainly juveniles) in the ocean
> > off the viewing platform, and....plenty of BROWN PELICANS flying
> > overhead. A pair of SPOTTED TOWHEES flew around and a few female House
> > Finches also.
> > ................Billions of seagulls(several species) and Caspian Terns
> > at the slough area by the viewing bunker---but again *nothing* else!!!!
> > Moderately low tide at the time.
> > ................Saturday: Tide going out at mid-day at Leadbetter
> > Point---Willapa Bay---Long Beach Pen., Wash. Lots and lots SEMIPALMATED
> > PLOVERS, along with WESTERN SANDPIPERS and a fair number of LEAST
> > SANDPIPERS. But again not anywhere the numbers of shorebirds I expected
> > to find at this time of year.
> > ................Later that afternoon: North of Oysterville Rd. along the
> > ocean beach. Again *nothing* till I got several miles north(past the
> > clam shell restriction poles) where there were 50-70 SANDERLINGS ( many
> > still in much of there colorful breeding plumage), and 2 SNOWY PLOVERS
> > , and a mature BALD EAGLE pirched on a log---in the same area. Talked
> > with a Wash. State Wildlife officer who was doing something at the clam
> > pole area, and he said that he had just come from an assignment on the
> > north coast, and the story is the same there: unusually low numbers of
> > migrating shorebirds being observed right now. Don't know the reasons,
> > other that the unusually hot weather might being keeping them up north
> > longer.
> > ...............Sunday: A walk on the beach near the motel. Again lots
> > of Gulls and Caspian Terns, with 5 HEERMAN'S GULLS together among the
> > pack ( lacking the snowy white head, but mostly brown with a somewhat
> > duller red bill---would have to guess they were 2nd or 3rd yr.
juveniles).
> > A few SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS, with some BROWN pELICANS; cormorants,
> > and..........long seemingly endless lines of smaller black seabirds
> > flying south low over the water just of the beach( ....some sort of
> > SHEARWATERS???).
> > ..............The Pacific Golden Plover seen last week wasn't at Willapa
> > Bay----this species(including the Am. Golden Plover) continues to allude
> me.
> >
> > ..............Oh well!!!! Cheers.
> >
> > Gerald Hamilton
> > Brush Prairie, Wash.
> >
> >
>