Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I spent a few hours checking areas surrounding Bowerman Basin and the Hoquiam STP. Despite heavy scattered rain showers during our visit to the Hoquiam STP and other nearby areas we managed to locate a few highlights, including the 2 Pink-footed Geese that were observed at 1:30pm at the eastern portion of the Bowerman Basin Airport foraging amongst a scattered flock of Canada Geese(including 2 "Dusky"Canada Geese) and 2 Greater White-fronted Geese. Our other main highlight at this location was the largest flock of Canvasback that we have personally observed at the Hoquiam STP, which contained 110 birds during our initial visit and seemed very noteworthy for the location. We checked the Hoquiam STP three times during our visit to Bowerman Basin and each time different numbers of Canvasback were counted until we left the location at 2:30pm. We presume any of the Canvasback flew south into nearby Grays Harbor along with scattered flocks of both species of scaup and other waterfowl species during outgoing tide. Our only other notable waterbird species observed at the Hoquiam STP consisted of a single Eared Grebe, as good numbers of Buffleheads, Common Goldeneyes, and other waterfowl species were noted in lesser numbers. Other highlights noted in the general Bowerman Basin/Hoquiam STP vicinity included the following:

25 Western Grebes(observed in Grays Harbor)
1 Rough-legged Hawk
1 Peregrine Falcon
19 Semipalmated Plovers
12 Sanderlings
3 Western Sandpipers
30 Least Sandpipers
4,500+ Dunlin
1 Am.Pipit


On our way home we checked along the western portion of the Brady Loop Rd. complex at 3pm, which hosted a few additional species for the day including the following:

5 Tundra Swans
2 Rough-legged Hawks
97 Black-bellied Plovers
340+ Dunlin
4 Long-billed Dowitchers
2 Western Scrub Jays

Earlier in the day en route to Hoquiam we encountered a single Am.Kestrel hunting along Hwy.12 east of Montesano and a single Western Scrub Jay along Hwy.12 west of Montesano. on our way home an additional Western Scrub Jay was observed along Monte-Elma Rd. in Satsop along with 45+ Mourning Doves.

THE COUNT ON BIRDERS VISITING TO SEE THE PINK-FOOTED GEESE IS UP TO 312 BIRDERS

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Tacoma,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net