Twelve birders went on an E. Lake WA AS field trip to Ocean Shores on Saturday. We had a total of 65 species. On the way we birded Wenzel Slough Road, Foster Road and Brady Loop Road. After Ocean Shores we went to Hoquiam Ponds and got to Bowerman Basin by 4 p.m., two hour before high tide which we waited for. There were very few shorebirds, but we did see a few SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LEAST AND WESTERN SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, CASPIAN TERNS and a MERLIN. One of the Caspian Terns had a blue band on its left leg. Our first stop at Vance Creek County Park was quite a spectacle. It was first day of fishing on the lake and the lake and shores were covered by fishermen. Needless to say we didn't stay long. There was one fir tree that must have had over 100 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS. Large flocks continually flew in and out of the tree. Brady Loop gave us long looks at a beautiful ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK that forgot to go north with the rest. We also saw an AMERICAN KESTREL in the s!
ame area. SAVANNAH SPARROWS were everywhere. The tide was very low at the Ocean Shores jetty and the area was crowded with people on this very nice, but windy day. Damon Point had a few GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, DUNLIN, WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and one WHIMBREL. At the Hoquiam Ponds there was a BLUE-WINGED TEAL among a number of NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GREATER & LESSER SCAUP, GADWALL and NORTHERN PINTAIL. We also saw a few GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in the field north of the parking area at the airport. For the day our raptor total was 5 BALD EAGLE, 4 NORTHERN HARRIER, 2 OSPREY & 3 RED-TAILED HAWKS in addition to those mentioned previously. We saw two TURKEY VULTURES, one east of Ocean Shores in the morning and one west of Hoquiam Ponds in the afternoon.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
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