Hi Birders,

I also saw the Bean Goose today. I started the day at 0725 at Bowerman, hoping that I would find the Duskies(Vancouver) and Bean Goose before they flew. I interpreted Patrick's messages, when he saw them in the early AM at Bowerman, that they spent the night there, and then moved on. No luck at Bowerman with the Bean Goose, though there was a Eurasian Wigeon with American's, Virginia Rail calling and heaps of Fox Sparrows, including one with a HUGE bill?, and more spotty, less smudgy breast.

On the way out I ran into Steve Miller at about 0830. He had just been scoping the large "K" St. grassland area to no avail.

I agree about spending money at local shops, but please all birders skip Lana's Cafe at the Bowermain Airport. It is horrible!

After Lana's, I went to K street, via the sewage ponds where there were 30+ Red Phalaropes, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Hooded Mergansers, Shovelers and an adult female? tundrias Peregrine.

Shortly after arriving at K street I was joined by Morris from Olympia and Steve Miller again. We were scanning the large field pretty diligently as there were many Dusky/Vancouver type Geese(first real experience with the two, only know what Charlie Wright told me). I had seen a couple CAGOs fly into a nearby area, and Steve said that the Bean Goose had been seen in a nearby field, about one hundred yards east on the other side of the tracks. I walked up to check it out, and just when I was about to arrive a truck drove into the area and about twenty Geese flushed and flew east, toward the river. I went back to get my scope and Steve and Morris chased the birds down, and located the Bean Goose on the river from the rail road bridge over the water. We got very good looks, and pretty close. The geese were in the water for about 20 min., then swam back to land near the smaller field. Morris tried to stalk them and get some pictures. Just as Steve and I were arriving the Geese flushed and flew out towards the large field timed perfectly for Charlie Wright and Carol Schultz' arrival.

On the field were numerous Red Phalaropes, flying about, and smaller numbers foraging in isolated pools of water. Also Meadowlarks, and the three Snow Geese that others have seen flew by. All of us watched for some time, and it deffinately seemed that there was consensus that the bird's bill is not stout in any manner, but on the long side, and that the Yellow/orange sub-terminal band is quite isolated as compared with other longer billed races of the species, not that I've seen them before. I still have not seen a picture that I think fits this bird perfectly, but that is to be said about just about all of the pictures of birds. That's why we don't just sit at home and look at books. Please excuse me if I am repeating pervious emails, but it seems that the subspecific question and origen of this bird is worth talking about, as it appears to most to fit most closely within the middendorfii set of characteristics.

After viewing this bird for some time I drove to Ocean Shores, hoping to run into Morris and Steve M. again, but did not see them. Did you guys make it out there??, and what'd you see? At the Jetty I found classic storm conditions, 15 foot seas, strong sw wind, horizontal rain, hail at times, and lots of birds. Several Western Grebes were beached on the shore, and as I left the car a B.L. Kittiwake flew overhead. Viewing conditions were terrible to say the least, but I strongly urge birders to get out there. I wish that I had had a partner to spur me on, but my scope was rendered pretty much useless after a very short time from the precipitation. I did have an adult basic plumaged Sabine's gull. I saw the bird several times as it flew around the jetty and the waves. Also, many Kittiwakes, including two first basic plumaged birds as a nice comparison to the Sabine's Gull. Two Northern Fulmars, many most likely Short-tailed Shearwaters. At any given time you could scan less than ninety degrees over the water and see a dark shearwater through milky water covered scope lens, and see it glide for a second before it disappeard behind a gargantuan wave. I also saw one mostly White underneath Shearwater??? I won't venture a guess, as I won't with my next bird either, as I saw it for about one full second, but it was a good onel Looking due south form the dune on which I was standing, over the jetty into the more protected zone I saw a small, dark (blackish) Storm-petrel quite close to the Jetty. I saw it for a second, and it went behind a wave, and I never relocated it. It was flying pretty directly, and my incling jiz tells me that it was very small, and had more rounded wings, but I have limited experience with Least Storm-petrels. However, I have seen hundreds of Leaches in the past year, and it didn't feel quite right, but that's all I'm willing to do on that one.

It seems that there is some very good birding to be had on the coast right now, and I hope some more people can get out there and give it a go, as I have to work for the next week.

Drew Wheelan

Maple Falls, WA

awheelan at hermaninstitute.org



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now