Hello Tweets,

The Hoquiam STP accessed off of S.R.105 in Grays Harbor Co.has atttracted birders for many years due primarily to the great accessiblity to and from the Ocean Shores area and for the great diversity of birds the main pond along Paulson Rd. has produced from many years of observations. We believe the Hoquiam STP is the most birded and visited sewage treatment facility in WA and possibly abroad,mainly because it is visible to the general public and it has received many awards in the past for operations to the city of Hoquiam and for other factors of high achievement. Due the main pond at the the Hoquiam STP being easily accessible from S.R.105 and this location being nearly immediae to Bowerman Basin it gennerally offers birders a chance to view the pond from the immediate road that travels the greater perimeter of the pond,except from the west side borderingthe Bowermand Airport and the facility operaters offer a chance for birders to view the ponds from the actual facility located at the west end of the main pond upon permission in which you can sign your name on a log book. This facility is very birder friendly in all aspects,which in WA and abroad is often mixed due to the limitations which some facilities have either by accessibility or by human hazards to the general public. The facility operaters are very friendly and will be framing many of the rare species we have photographed at the Hoquiam STP. We have obtained a list of 182 species that we have noted from the Hoquiam STP either by us or other observers that have been noted from this facility with many being very rare and notable species. Due to the Hoquiam STP bordering Grays Harbor and Bowerman Basin this location has a very notable list of species,many of which are well documented and published in various publications,but of course there may be many other species that we do not have on our list of note. In short we enjoy birding this location on to and from our trips to Ocean Shores as it allows for great viewing and a relatively quick stop with great access throughout the year with usually a good asortment of waterbirds present at any given time among other species. We feel the Hoquiam STP should be visited by any birder from WA and abroad just for the exceptional facilities and birder-friendly atmosphere this location has to offer in addition to nearby Bowerman Basin.A list of some of the main highlight species that we have personally encountered and documented from either our personal sightings or sightings from other birders include:

Eared Grebe nearly annual records
Northern Fulmar 1 dark-morph bird observed flying in Grays Harbor on the 2002 Grays Harbor CBC
Great Egret
Snow Goose
Ross' Goose
Redhead
Tufted Duck
Barrow's Goldeneye
Rough-legged Hawk
Gyrfalcon(banded)
Sandhill Crane
Am.Golden Plover
Semipalmated Sandpiper up to 4 birds present on 17th of August,2002
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 1 juvenile found by Richard Bledsoe on the 24th of September,2002 until at least the 27th of September,2002
all three phalaropes including Wilson's Phalarope with a single juvenile bird present on the 22nd of August,2002(rare for the outer coast)
Franklin's Gull
Cassin's Auklet
Black Swift
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Tropical Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Purple Martin
Bank Swallow
Swamp Sparrow


Sincerely,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net