Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I ventured over to Ocean Shores due to the recent stormy weather, as we checked just a few of the main birding locations in the general Ocean Shores area. Our main efforts were made at the Ocean Shores Jetty,where the most windy conditions were encountered along with very heavy rain showers at times with some partial clearing too. Conditions actually seemed much more severe yesterday at Tokeland than at Ocean Shores today,but we did encountered a few pelagic species from the Ocean Shores Jetty between 2pm-3pm including up to 5 Leach's Storm Petrels and 2 Fork-tailed Storm Petrels that were all observed between 20-30 yards offshore south of the jetty amongst heavy swells,as they actively foraged on the surface of the water. The two species foraged relatively separately,but in close proximity of each other allowing great views. Up to 7 dark-morph Northern Fulmars were also observed during our visit to this location,which most of the viewing made looking south. We also observed up to 4 dark-morph Northern Fulmars within the sheltered area of the Ocean Shores Marina including 3 birds that appeared to show some possible injury,as they were observed just swimming around like ducks(including one very tame and unwary bird that was photographed at close range). The fourth individual bird was observed flying offshore in North Bay at close range from the Ocean Shores Marina and appeared healthy. Due to the heavy winds and swells much sea water was pushed in quite high on the upper beach and noted at several locations including the Oyhut Wildlife Area,Damon Point and the several areas along the outer beach areas north of the Ocean Shores Jetty. Other pelagic species noted during the day at Ocean Shores included multiple numbers of Red Phalarope that were observed at 3 main locations including the Ocean Shores Jetty,the Oyhut Wildlife Area and the Ocean Shores STP.

Away from a few seabird species we encountered fairly good numbers of shorebirds at Ocean Shores within 19 species of shorebirds that were noted at various locations,despite such high water levels noted at most locations. We encountered our largest diversity of numbers and species at the Oyhut Wildlife Area,where much of the land area was heavily flooded and allowed just a few land strips for roosting shorebirds. Increasing numbers of Dunlin were noted at many locations,including up to 300+ at the Oyhut Wildlife Area and smaller numbers of Western and Least Sandpipers were also noted at this location and a few other locations at Ocean Shores. We noted a flock of both species of golden plovers during our last stop of the day made at the Damon Point"pond" consisting of 37 Pacific Golden Plovers and up to 5 Am.Golden Plovers,which ended our day in a rewarding way. 2 additional Pacific Golden Plovers were noted amongst a flock of 78 Black-bellied Plovers, 4 Red Knots, and 4 Long-billed Dowitchers at the Oyhut Wildlife Area. Other notable shorebirds species at Ocean Shores included 41 Long-billed Curlews and a single Whimbrel at Bill's Spit, a single Long-billed Dowitcher and a Short-billed Dowitcher photographed and heard calling together at the Ocean Shores STP,with both birds being juvenile birds. A flock of 40 Black Turnstones that contained a single lingering Ruddy Turnstone and 3 Surfbirds were also observed and photographed at this location,(which was our personal highest count of "rockbirds" at this location most likely due to the stormy weather). The entire flock of "rockbirds" allowed close approach and remained fairly calm,as the chattered at times along the rocky edges of the southern most sewage pond. Greater Yellowlegs were noted at three locations including our first flock of 57 birds and a single Long-billed Dowitcher roosting in the freshwater canal north of Ocean City State Park,followed by 5 Greater Yellowlegs at the Oyhut Wildlife Area and on our way home along S.R.115 at Cyber Lake a foraging flock of 38 Greater Yellowlegs and up to 3 Long-billed Dowitchers were tallied,which were mostly likely of the same individual birds noted earlier in the day near Ocean City S.P.

Good numbers of migrating Canada Geese were observed throughout our visit to Ocean Shores at several locations and up to 10 Greater White-fronted Geese were counted at two locations at Ocean Shores with 8 at the Ocean Shores Gold Course and 2 at Lake Minard observed from the large cement water tank along Marine View Drive north of the Oyhut Wildlife Area. Our other waterfowl highlight of the day was the male Redhead that was again noted at the Hoquiam STP amongst a large flock of both species of scaup,up to 10 Ring-necked Ducks and 5 Canvasbacks among other waterfowl species. Our first Herring Gulls of the season and up to 2 Thayer's Gulls were noted at Ocean Shores with the latter species observed as singles at the Ocean Shores STP and the Ocean Shores Marina. A list of additional highlights noted at Ocean Shores and vicinity include the following:

Red-throated Loon
1 at the Ocean Shores Marina

Horned Grebe
1 at the Ocean Shores STP

Western Grebe
15 off the Ocean Shores Jetty
13 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Brown Pelican
165+ off the Ocean Shores Jetty

Double-crested Cormorant(notable counts)
850+ off Bill's Spit in North Bay(also observed from Damon Point)

Ruddy Duck
18 at the Hoquiam STP

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 at the Ocean Shores Golf Course

Merlin
1 at Damon Point

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult feeding along Paulson Rd. near the Hoquiam STP
1 flying along S.R.109 east of Ocean Shores
1 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Black-bellied Plover
40 flying over the Ocean Shores Golf Course
78 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
14 at Damon Point

Semipalmated Plover
8 at the Ocean Shores Jetty
1 at Damon Point

Black Turnstone
40 at the Ocean Shores STP
1 at the Ocean Shores Jetty

Sanderling
15 at the Ocean Shores Jetty

Western Sandpiper
120+ at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
73 at the Damon Point"pond"

Least Sandpiper
18 at the Ocean Shores STP
54 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
28 at Damon Point
1 at Bill's Spit

Dunlin
80+ flying over the Ocean Shores Golf Course
32 flying over the Ocean Shores Jetty
300+ at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
110+ at Damon Point

Red Phalarope
2 at the Ocean Shores STP
26 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area
7 off the Ocean Shores Jetty

Heermann's Gull
42 at The Ocean Shores Jetty
14 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area


En route to the Hoquiam STP this morning my mother and I encountered 3 Western Scrub Jays noted at two locations in the Lakewood area of Pierce Co. including 1 along Lakewood Drive at the Flett Creek Basin and 2 birds flying together along 100th Street west of South Tacoma Way.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net