Greetings,
On Wednesday morning, I left for the Olympic Coast on a three-day trip with
Carol Schulz. Altogether there were 132 species observed.

We headed west that first morning on Hwy 12 to Hoquiam. A quick stop at the
STP produced no notable birds, so we headed up the coast on Hwy 101. I
scanned heavily at several pullouts and parking lots along Hwy 101 just
north of Kalaloch. Four miles offshore is Destruction Island. The first
pulloff, at MP 158.5, was the most productive. This is where two MANX
SHEARWATERS were observed. Notes were taken and will be sent to the
appropriate persons. Chances are they will remain in the general area.
Afterwards we headed up into the hills north of the Hoh Rainforest. The
weather wasn't great so after some birding (and a very mad pygmy-owl) we
headed north and found a great campsite at Mora, near Forks. During the
night a Barred Owl called for some time, then fell silent.

Wednesday, 7 July 2004 (8:00am-11:00pm).

OCEAN VIEWPOINTS OF DESTRUCTION I:
Surf Scoter (120)
White-winged Scoter (150)
Red-throated Loon (1)
Pacific Loon (28)
Common Loon (30)
Sooty Shearwater (24)
MANX SHEARWATER (2): 1/3 mile offshore of MP 158.5 on Hwy 101; the proximity
of this sighting to Destruction I and other offshore nesting areas in July
should raise the question of whether they have bred. Harder to confirm that.
Whimbrel (2)
Heermann's Gull (1000+)
Black-legged Kittiwake (16): birds flying S mixed with large gulls.
Marbled Murrelet (18): mainly off MP 158.5, in pairs.
Rhinoceros Auklet (####)
Tufted Puffin (1)-MP 158.5 on Hwy 101.
Common Murre (####)
Hairy Woodpecker (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler (12)
Wilson's Warbler (4)
Sooty Fox-Sparrow (1)-Ruby Beach.
Harbor Porpoise (20+)
Grey Whale (2): one mile beyond Destruction I.
Sea Otter (8)

SR H3200/WILLOUGHBY RIDGE:
Blue Grouse (5): one lonely chick; many displaying males.
Band-tailed Pigeon (50)
Northern Pygmy-Owl (1): called in from bottom of ravine, very cooperative.
Red-breasted Sapsucker (1)
Hutton's Vireo (2)
Brown Creeper (3)
Hermit Thrush (2)
Varied Thrush (20)
Western Tanager (1)

THIRD BEACH TRAIL, LA PUSH (9:45pm-11:30pm):
Northern Saw-whet Owl (1)

On the second day we woke up and drove down to La Push for a brief check of
the river mouth (quite slow due to fog). We drove north to Neah Bay then
finally out to the tip of Cape Flattery, a 3/4 mile walk from the parking
lot. After a couple hours of observing the seabird colony, we headed back
and stopped at Hobuck Beach near the Waatch River mouth. This is a
spectacular place to explore and search for vagrants in migration. Many
future visits are warranted. We stayed again at the Mora Campground that
night, where a Long-tailed Weasel gave excellent views around the picnic
table.

Thursday, 8 July 2004 (8:00am-6:45pm).

QUILLAYUTE RIVER MOUTH:
Harlequin Duck (5)
Surf Scoter (50)
White-winged Scoter (60)
Semipalmated Plover (1)
Black Oystercatcher (2)
Sanderling (8)
Pigeon Guillemot (45)

SEKIU RIVER MOUTH
River Otter (5): a couple with 3 kits.

NEAH BAY:
California Gull (6000+)
Sea Otter (2)

CAPE FLATTERY:
Harlequin Duck (2)
Sooty Shearwater (11)
Brandt's Cormorant (25)
Pelagic Cormorant (###)
Black Oystercatcher (3)
Black Turnstone (6)
Pigeon Guillemot (80)
Cassin's Auklet (25+): small flocks feeding 1-2 miles out, NW of Tatoosh;
with good visibility these birds are just identifiable from shore!
Rhinoceros Auklet (####)
Tufted Puffin (50+): very easy to see here; several perched at burrows.
Common Murre (####)
Hutton's Vireo (14)
Sooty Fox Sparrow (4)
Steller's Sea Lion (40)
California Sea Lion (11)
Sea Otter (2)

HOBUCK BEACH:
Harlequin Duck (3)
Sooty Shearwater (1)
Osprey (3)
Black-bellied Plover (1-basic)
Semipalmated Plover (11)
Greater Yellowlegs (2)
Lesser Yellowlegs (1)
Whimbrel (4)
Marbled Godwit (1)
Western Sandpiper (46)
Least Sandpiper (60)
Ring-billed Gull (8): inc. 3 juv.
California Gull (4000)
Black-legged Kittiwake (1)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (2)
Barn Swallow (40)

On the last day we woke up fairly early and drove north and east. We scanned
a few places along Hwy 112 before getting to Salt Creek CP. Saw the expected
birds there, including large numbers of Marbled Murrelets. In a tiny day-use
parking lot just west of the park entrance (on Crescent Bay Rd) there was a
nice flock of peeps. Then we took a drive up to Hurrican Ridge in the high
Olympics. We had hoped to get above the cloud layer, but no such luck. It
was foggy and misty the whole time we were up there. I hiked up to Hurricane
Hill and back, then we drove down the mountain. Ended the day at Dungeness
Oyster House and Three Crabs. Carol noted a color-flagged peep. She didn't
get a good look at it, and I was unable to refind it later, but she was able
to observe a single red flag on one leg (don't know which). We must keep a
closer eye on shorebird legs out there...

Friday, 9 July 2004 (6:30am-7:00pm).

PULLOFF ON HWY 112 EAST OF PYSHT:
Marbled Murrelet (16)

SALT CREEK COUNTY PARK/CRESCENT BAY:
Harlequin Duck (14)
Surf Scoter (55)
Turkey Vulture (2)
Whimbrel (1)
Western Sandpiper (50)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (1ad.)
Least Sandpiper (60)
Heermann's Gull (80)
California Gull (300): inc. 2 young juveniles, my first of season.
Western Gull (3)
Marbled Murrelet (86): conservative number, the most I've ever seen.
Rhinoceros Auklet (50)

HURRICANE RIDGE AREA:
Blue Grouse (8): broods w/1 and 3 young, plus 2 heard.
Turkey Vulture (1)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (2)
Grey Jay (10)
Horned Lark (5)
Townsend's Solitaire (1)
Hermit Thrush (2)
American Pipit (8)

KITCHEN-DICK PONDS:
Bufflehead (1f)
Ruddy Duck (1m)

DUNGENESS OYSTER HOUSE:
Brant (3): Graveyard Spit; they were very pale with very distinct neck
socks, but due to distance I couldn't rule out worn Black Brant.
Harlequin Duck (16)
Black-bellied Plover (64)
Semipalmated Plover (2)
Western Sandpiper (300)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (1)
Least Sandpiper (200)
Short-billed Dowitcher (16)
Western Gull (6)
Caspian Tern (60+)

THREE CRABS AREA:
Gadwall (38)
California Quail (3)
Black-bellied Plover (35)
Semipalmated Plover (1)
Greater Yellowlegs (2)
Long-billed Curlew (1): somewhat rare in this area.
Marbled Godwit (3)
Western Sandpiper (150)
Least Sandpiper (150)
Short-billed Dowitcher (65)
Long-billed Dowitcher (3)
--
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington