Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I successfully relocated and photographed the BEAN GOOSE at Bowerman Basin that we located yesterday,where it was loosely active foraging amongst a variable sized flock of grazing Canada Geese at the extreme portion of the Bowerman Airport between 1:30pm-3pm. The bird continued to be very wary and shy to nearby disturbances including active airport activity from local planes and the overall alertness to us,but we managed to take photographs of the bird within a closeness range of 70 feet,before the entire flock of Canada Geese flew off to the west towards Grays Harbor. Much time should be allowed in searching for the Bean Goose due to the amount of Canada Geese present and the undulating ground,especially at the extreme west end of the Bowerman Airport,in which the Bean Goose was present with 6 Canada Geese and only visible at times from the west end of the Sandpiper Trail from the Grays Harbor NWR. Due to more favorable light condition this afternoon we were offered much better viewing of the bird until it and the large associating flock of Canada Geese were flushed presumably by a loud oncoming airplane. Up to 800+ Canada Geese were present during our entire visit to the Bowerman Airport,but the flocks were scattered at times along the entire length of the airport,with the most largest concentrations observed from west of the last airplane hangers at the Sandpiper Trail trailhead,so at times due to lighting condition careful scanning may be needed.

The Bean Goose as noted was viewed in more depth today than yesterday with a few more details to be added from our notes taken yesterday which include the similiar large size compared to most of the dominant Canada Geese,but the overall paleness and overall brown plumage quickly seperated the two species. The large orange feet were extreme bright and noticeable at all ranges along with the noticeable much more longer,slender neck compared to the nearby Canada Geese. This feature showed off the fairly large head with at in good views the bicolored bill was noted showing a dark tip followed by an orange-yellow band(being variable in width)with the remainder of the fairly long angled bill being all dark. The overall shape of the bill was very similiar to a Canvasback. The contrast from the darker brown neck,head and well patterned back with the mantle,scapulars and tertials being dark brown and feather fringes being pale in coloration,which were noted compared to the paler brown underparts,being especially noted on the braest and belly followed by the striking complete white undertail coverts. The dark brown neck at close range showed the darker stripe indications along the entire length,being best observed at closer ranges and in flight the long,slender neck was especially noted contrasting to the stockier body with a fairly dark wing pattern and a fairly narrow white band on the uppertail. The bird was briefly heard in flight at close range in which the call appearded more nasal and higher in tone,but less vocal than the nearby larger races of Canada Goose in which the bird tended to associate most with.

During our visit to the general Bowerman Basin area and the Hoquiam STP we encountered many of the same species as yesterday including the 3 remaining Snow Geese(1 adult,2 immatures)that this afternoon were present at the east end of the Bowerman Airport bordering the Hoquiam STP and more notable counts of waterfowl and shorebirds on partial exposed mudflats during incoming tide at the Grays Harbor NWR along the Sandpiper Trail,with a few additional species to be listed below:

5 Western Grebes
10"Dusky"Canada Geese
72 "Cackling"Canada Geese
3 male Eurasian Wigeons
11 Canvasback
12 Hooded Mergansers
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Merlin
1 Virginia Rail(heard only)
74 Black-bellied Plovers
27 Western Sandpipers
18 Least Sandpipers
3,500+ Dunlin
1 Wilson's Snipe
1 first-year Bonaparte's Gull

On route to Bowerman Basin we noted 3 seperate Western Scrub Jays along Hwy.12 between Elma-Brady at usual locations including the following:

1 along Hwy.12 at Elma
1 along Hwy.12 at Satsop
1 along Hwy.12 at Brady Loop Rd.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net