Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded the Ocean Shores area along with several other birders we ran into during the day. We encountered several highlights for the day and weather conditions remained cloudy and calm throughout the day at Ocean Shores and surrounding areas. Our main highlight of the day was 2 separate Palm Warblers observed at Ocean Shores during the day with our first Palm Warbler observed at 12:15pm in a loose flock of Yellow-rumped"Myrtle"Warblers at the western portion of the Oyhut Wildlife Area along a "greenbelt" north of the tall fluorescent orange/black navigation tower. The second bird was observed alone in the extensive Scotch Broom thicket immediately north of the Ocean Shores Marina,which was also observed by other birders during the day. Throughout the day we checked several of the main locations at Ocean Shores,as well as visited the Hoquiam STP to and from destinations,which the latter location produced several highlights not observed at Ocean Shores.

Our shorebird highlights of the day consisted firstly of a large golden plover flock of 42 birds at the Damon Point"pond" during outgoing tide that contained 34 Pacific Golden Plovers and 8 American Golden Plovers that were all in juvenile plumage and allowed very close observations for photographs and examination in separating species during our entire visit. We know that this flock was observed by other birders during the day that may have different numbers among both golden plover species. In addition to observing this flock of golden plovers up to 3 Baird's Sandpipers were observed in close proximity of the golden plovers,which also allowed great close views. This is the same location that we observed 16 Pacific Golden Plovers on the September 25th and it seems the golden plovers flock is increasing or perhaps they could be all new birds,but the birds did seem very comfortable and relaxed as we watched the birds forage and preen at the west end of the Damon Point"pond". Our other shorebird highlight was Long-billed Curlew noted at two locations during the day with 1 bird at Bill's Spit and up to 38 birds observed on our return visit to the Hoquiam STP along with a single Marbled Godwit during incoming tide with the birds being observed foraging along the northern side of Grays Harbor bordering the Hoquiam STP. Lastly, a single Wandering Tattler was observed at the Ocean Shores Jetty and a single Pectoral Sandpiper at the Ocean Shores STP amongst a flock of dowitchers that contained 10 Long-billed Dowitchers and 2 lingering Short-billed Dowitchers. Increasing numbers of waterfowl continue to congregate at the Hoquiam STP than in past visits and very large numbers of gulls continue to gather at Bill's Spit with up an estimated 6,000+ gulls observed during incoming tide consisting mainly of California Gulls.

Other notable species observed during the day at selected locations includes the following:

Pacific Loon
6 off the Ocean Shores Jetty

Horned Grebe
14 observed from Damon Point/Bill's Spit in North Bay

Eared Grebe
2 at the Hoquiam STP(with an additional 10 birds noted in Grays Harbor south of the Hoquiam STP,which is a personal record high count of the species for Grays Harbor Co. for a single location)

Western Grebe
10 off the Ocean Shores Jetty
2 in Grays Harbor off the Hoquiam STP

Sooty Shearwater
1 off the Ocean Shores Jetty

Brown Pelican
32 off the Ocean Shores Jetty
5 off Damon Point
8 at the Hoquiam STP

Brandt's Cormorant
23 off the Ocean Shores Jetty

Greater White-fronted Goose
2 at the Hoquiam STP/Bowerman Basin

Canvasback
2 males at the Hoquiam STP

Ring-necked Duck
4 at the Hoquiam STP

Greater Scaup
38 at the Hoquiam STP
47 off Bill's Spit

Lesser Scaup
13 at the Hoquiam STP
1 at the Ocean Shores STP

Red-breasted Merganser
2 flying over the Damon Point"pond"to North Bay

Ruddy Duck
28 at the Hoquiam STP

Northern Harrier
2 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area(Ocean Shores)

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 observed along S.R.115 south of Ocean City S.P.

Merlin
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Peregrine Falcon
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Am.Coot
6 at the Hoquiam STP

Black-bellied Plover
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
2 at Damon Point

Semipalmated Plover
15 at the Hoquiam STP
2 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
1 at the Damon Point"pond"

Black Turnstone
8 at the Ocean Shores Jetty

Least Sandpiper
3 at the Ocean Shores STP/Oyhut Wildlife Area
45+ at Bill's Spit

apparent albino Glaucous-winged Gull
1 observed from the Hoquiam STP in Grays Harbor flying west towards Ocean Shores,then relocated at the base of Damon Point,where the bird was photographed with several other "normal" Glaucous-winged/Western Gulls for size comparison. The bird was essentially completely snow white in overall plumage showing NO contrast other than the fleshy-colored feet and bill with a pinkish tone to the eye in color.

Anna's Hummingbird
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Western Scrub Jay
1 along Hwy.12 at Satsop

Am.Pipit
8 at the Ocean Shores Jetty
45+ at the Driftwood Drive beach access
120+ at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
15 at Damon Point
9 along Marine View Drive near the Ocean Shores Marina

Yellow Warbler
2 at the Hoquiam STP

Lincoln's Sparrow
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Brewer's Blackbird
1 at the Ocean Shores STP


Our mammal highlight of the day was 5 River Otters observed in a saltwater canal within the Oyhut Wildlife Area at Ocean Shores.



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net