Hello Tweets,


Today my mother and I birded the Ocean Shores vicinity at several key
locations that we have checked in past weeks, including our most productive
stop of the day that included the beach access area between Driftwood Drive
and Marine View Drive at Ocean Shores. Shorebird numbers at ALL locations
visited were very slow at many locations throughout the day until we arrived
at the Driftwood Drive beach access and immediately upon arriveing noted a
very large shorebird flock that soon settled upon the exposed beach
shoreline at 2:25pm during incoming tide. As the shorebirds settled at
several locations along the beach we carefully scoped through the very large
flocks that contained mostly Black-bellied Plovers with lesser numbers of
other shorebirds species to be listed below,then we located a single adult
male BAR-TAILED GODWIT in alternate plumage(similiar in plumage to the
individual we located at Tokeland on the 18th of August)by showing the very
noticeable short upcurved bill and dark brown crown contrasting to the white
supercillium,very bright warm rust tones in on the upperparts and flanks,
warm brown back and white underparts. The bird was well observed and
photographed as we watched and counted the other remaining shorebirds until
ANOTHER Bar-tailed Godwit flew in from another nearby shorebird flock. We
now had two Bar-tailed Godwits in near identical plumage,(including the
white-brown barred rump),being almost twins and we were able to watch and
follow both birds as beachcombers walked by at times. The other adult male
Bar-tailed Godwit was in less noticeable alternate plumage,by being less
distinctive in tone and color,and was browner overall. Both birds were in
relation to the nearby Black-bellied Plovers similiar in size at a
distance,but when the two birds seperated the entire godwit structure was
very apparent. We continued to photograph both Bar-tailed Godwits
together,despite the shifting flocks as the shorebird flocks seemed very
agitated at times and restless,but the two Bar-tailed Godwits seemed the
most relaxed of the entire shorebird flock and often rested at times
allowing close approach. We believe ALL the shorebirds observed today were
entirely different birds than in past previous weeks at this same location
and could disperse at anytime. It was apparent that this location still
produces the most diverse flock of shorebird at Ocean Shores like the Ocean
Shores Game Range used to in past years before tidal conditions/heavy winter
storms destroyed the majority of the best foraging areas at the Ocean Shores
Game Range. Despite fairly constant human traffic between Driftwood Drive
and Marine View Drive beach access shorebird numbers seem to tolerate the
disturbances by shifting back and forth and most often settling and resting
on the upper beach.

Throughout the day we checked many of the major shorebird locations at Ocean
Shores,with two stops to and from destinations made at the Hoquim STP with a
few additional species not encountered at Ocean Shores including a single
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 2 Baird's Sandpipers,and 2 Bonaparte's Gulls.

A list of our highlights for the day in the Ocean Shores vicinity included:

Hwy.12 east of Elma 10am-10:30am

2 Green Herons
14 Wood Ducks
1 Ring-necked Duck
12 Hooded Mergansers

Hwy.12 at Elma 10:40am

1 Western Scrub Jay

Hoquim STP 11:30am-12pm,5:30pm(two visits)

14 Green-winged Teal
1 Northern Pintail
5 Northern Shovelers
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
1 Western Sandpiper
11 Least Sandpipers
2 Baird's Sandpipers
6 Long-billed Dowitchers
2 Bonaparte's Gulls

Ocean Shores Golf Course 12:25pm

1 Common Snipe

Grand Canal(accessed from Discovery Ave. at Ocean Shores) 12:45pm

1 Green Heron

Damon Point 1pm-2pm

1 Semipalamted Plover
1 Western Sandpiper
1 Least Sandpiper
3 Horned Larks

Driftwood Drive/Marine View Drive beach access 2:25pm-4:10pm(incoming tide)

1,200+ Black-bellied Plovers
4 Semipalmated Plovers
2 adult male BAR-TAILED GODWITS in alternate plumage
1 Ruddy Turnstone
18 Red Knots
250+ Sanderlings
365+ Western Sandpipers
92 Short-billed Dowitchers

Ocean Shores STP 4:20pm-4:50pm

8 Northern Shovelers
1 Semipalmated Plover
1 Spotted Sandpiper
17 Western Sandpipers
4 Red-necked Phalaropes
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net