Tweeters,
Today at Ocean Shores there were at least 2 buntings at the sewage treatment ponds. One was a 1st winter male Snow Bunting. The 2nd was an interesting bird. Though I must say that it's worth bearing in mind that I have no experience with Snow Buntings in breeding plumage. It looked very much like an adult male Snow Bunting in breeding plumage, except the back was streaked black and white. The tail was almost totally black and the tips of the primaries were concolorous with the tail. The head and front of the bird were clear white. Hopefully someone else got to see the bird today and/or someone with experience with these birds up in Alaska will have something to add.
I was a little surprised that there wasn't more activity at Ocean Shores given Ruth's post from last night. I ran into Jim and Marisa and an Auduban group that they were leading, and a person from Wisconsin, but that was it.
Other birds of note:
100 + Red-necked Phalaropes both at the sewage treatment ponds and on the south side of the jetty,
1 Jaeger sp? about 400 yards off of the south side of the jetty harassing a large flock of gulls
1 Black-legged Kitiwake at the end of the jetty.

Barry Levine
Seattle