Hey Tweeters,

I went out to the WOS convention this weekend as did many others. Actually
began the trip on Thursday morning, when despite the nasty weather I trudged
out around Leadbetter Point, a 10+ mile hike. I visited the point each of
the next 3 days as well. During the 4-day trip, including a few seen en
route from home, 117 species were observed by myself. I did a lot of
hiking, mainly at Leadbetter, I figure about 30 miles total.

On Thursday one of the highlights was seeing a Semipalmated Plover in a
display flight at the tip of Leadbetter Point. It lifted off the mudflats
and performed the described "butterfly flight" in a circle several times.
Saturday at Leadbetter, a group I was leading and I observed a Peregrine
Falcon pursuing a Bonaparte's Gull for several minutes. During this
observation the Peregrine stooped on the gull at least twenty times. At one
point it seemed like the gull was chasing the falcon, which puzzled us
momentarily. The we realized what was really happening: the gull was just
trying to stay at the same altitude as the falcon, thereby eliminating the
predator's advantage. Another behavioral highlight was Sunday, when several
people and myself watched a hybrid gull swallow up a Western Sandpiper whole
and alive, still flapping! The unfortunate peep clearly made an easy meal
for the gull, as its foot had a clam clamped onto it like a ball and chain.
It's a tough life out there on the mud flats.

The highlight, in terms of rarity, was a somewhat early Tropical/Couch's
Kingbird on Saturday 9/20. Ollie Oliver found it during the Short
Leadbetter trip I led that morning, along Territory Road in historical
Oysterville. The bird was not heard that I know of, so Couch's could not be
definitively ruled out, though Tropical is of course vastly more likely.
What field marks were noted certainly favored Tropical: a very long, thin,
spike-like bill, deeply notched and convex-sided tail, etc. This was the
fifth Tropical Kingbird I've seen in Washington. Several parties searching
for it the next day came up empty-handed but many people had a chance to see
it Saturday afternoon.

Eurasian Wigeon (1)-Willapa Bay 9/18.
Greater Scaup (2)-Willapa Bay 9/20.
Red-breasted Merganser (1)-Leadbetter 9/18.
Pacific Loon (2)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Sooty Shearwater (50)-Oysterville beach access 9/19; (5)-Leadbetter 9/20;
(20)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Brown Pelican (1500+)-Leadbetter 9/18; much smaller numbers each other day.
Great Egret (2)-Nahcotta tidelands 9/19; (3)-Nahcotta tidelands 9/20.
Osprey (1)-Montesano nest, Chehalis River 9/21.
White-tailed Kite (1)-west of South Bend along Hwy 101 9/18.
Merlin (1)-base of Leadbetter 9/19.
Peregrine Falcon (1)-Leadbetter 9/18; (1 very light juv)-Leadbetter 9/20; (1
very dark adult)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Virginia Rail (2)-Leadbetter 9/18; (1)-Leadbetter 9/19-20.
Black-bellied Plover (very, very small numbers most days)
American Golden-Plover (1)-Leadbetter, two miles north of yellow trail on
west side.
Pacific Golden-Plover (5)-Leadbetter, west side near tip.
golden-plover, spp. (2)-Leadbetter, west side near tip.
Snowy Plover (18)-Leadbetter, mainly concentrated on mudflats near tip; (1
ad, 2 young)-Leadbetter, just north of yellow trail 9/19-21.
Whimbrel (1)-Leadbetter, east side 9/18; (2)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Black Turnstone (12)-Nahcotta harbor 9/19-20.
Red Knot (20)-Bay Oyster Co., Oysterville 9/21.
Sanderling (moderate numbers)
Western Sandpiper (few)
Least Sandpiper (very few)
Dunlin (1 ad)-Oysterville beach access 9/19.
Short-billed Dowitcher (small numbers still at Oysterville)
Long-billed Dowitcher (mixed with SBDO's at Oysterville)
Parasitic Jaeger (2)-Leadbetter 9/20; (1)-Leadbetter 9/21.
jaeger, spp. (1)-Oysterville beach access 9/19.
Bonaparte's Gull (1)-Leadbetter 9/20.
Herring Gull (1)-Leadbetter 9/18.
Common Murre (2)-Leadbetter 9/18; (1)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Rhinoceros Auklet (1)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Band-tailed Pigeon (1)-Leadbetter 9/19-20.
Vaux's Swift (150+)-Hwy 101 near Naselle River.
Rufous Hummingbird (1)-Territory Rd, Oysterville 9/20.
Anna's Hummingbird (1)-Territory Rd, Oysterville 9/21.
Red-breasted Sapsucker (1)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Olive-sided Flycatcher (2 late birds)-Oysterville 9/19.
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (1)-Territory Rd, Oysterville 9/20.
Warbling Vireo (a few scattered)
Horned Lark (2)-Leadbetter near tip 9/18.
Cliff Swallow (1)-Bay Oyster Company 9/21.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (now abundant)
Swainson's Thrush (1)-Leadbetter 9/18.
Orange-crowned Warbler (a few)
Yellow Warbler (numbers still coming through)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (both ssp. seen in small numbers)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (many each day)
Townsend's Warbler (several per day)
MacGillivray's Warbler (1)-Grassy Island 9/18.
Common Yellowthroat (25)-Leadbetter 9/18; smaller numbers each other day.
Wilson's Warbler (1)-Territory Rd 9/20.
Fox Sparrow (now common)
Lincoln's Sparrow (1)-Territory Rd 9/19; (4)-Leadbetter 9/21.
Golden-crowned Sparrow (widespread)

Cheers and good birding!
--
Charlie Wright
Sumner, WA
charlie at birdwright.com