Subject: coastal shorebirding 7/11
Date: Jul 11 18:16:56 2004
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I checked several areas for shorebirds between Bottle Beach to Tokeland with a total of 14 species without too much effort. The most noteworthy shorebird location was our morning visit to Bottle Beach during incoming tide,which produced the largest diversity and concentrations we endured during the entire day. During our visit to Bottle Beach we encountered 11 species of shorebirds of which our main highlight at that location was 4 Red Knots and a single Ruddy Turnstone. As mentioned shorebird numbers at Bottle Beach were diverse and vast stretching and covering nearly all the available shoreline with additional birds coming in from the north during our visit,but slacking off towards the end of visit. The most abundant shorebird species unlike yesterday was Short-billed Dowitcher,which were noted in good numbers primarily at Bottle Beach followed by Whimbrel and Western Sandpiper. A short visit to Tokeland produced 7 Willets, 8 Long-billed Curlews and a single female Purple Martin at the Tokeland Marina,of which the latter species is our second personal record for the location. Our third major stop of the day was made at Midway Beach Rd.,where we located up to 6 Snowy Plovers and 15 "Streaked"Horned Larks again with minimal effort,as we walked south of the road. A list of highlights noted at selected locations at times follows below:

S.R.105 at the Johns River,Grays Harbor Co.

1 Great Egret

Bottle Beach,GH 8:45am-10am

2 Hooded Mergansers
1 Northern Harrier
37 Black-bellied Plovers
58 Semipalmated Plovers
1 Greater Yellowlegs
104 Whimbrel
5 Marbled Godwits
1 Ruddy Turnstone
4 Red Knots
870+ Western Sandpipers
165+ Least Sandpipers
920+ Short-billed Dowitchers
24 Long-billed Dowitchers

Tokeland,Pacific Co. 10:45am-11:30am

1 Common Loon
7 Turkey Vultures
1 Semipalmated Plover
7 Willets
228 Whimbrel
8 Long-billed Curlews
7 Marbled Godwits
47 Western Sandpipers
18 Short-billed Dowitchers
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
1 female Purple Martin

S.R.105 at the Cedar River,PA 11:40am

2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows

Midway Beach Rd.,PA 12pm-12:50pm

18 Brown Pelicans
6 Snowy Plovers(3 adult males,3 adult females)
15"Streaked"Horned Larks
2 Black-throated Gray Warblers

Johns River WRA,GH(accessed from S.R.105) 1:30pm-2:15pm

1 Wood Duck
2 Cinnamon Teal
1 Am.Wigeon
2 Hooded Mergansers
1 Northern Harrier
10 Greater Yellowlegs
145 Western Sandpipers
34 Least Sandpipers
6 Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow


Other bird species noted during the day to and from destinations include the following:

Osprey
2 along Hwy.12 at Montesano
1 along hwy.12 at Elma(Vance Creek Co.Park)

Am.Kestrel
1 along I-5 at Nisqually
1 along Hwy.12 west of Brady

Western Scrub Jay
1 along I-5 at Lakewood,Pierce Co.
2 along I-5 at Olympia
1 along Hwy.12 at Elma
1 along Hwy. 12 at Brady


Mammal highlights:

1 Black-tailed Deer at Bottle Beach(walking out to the water's edge over vast areas of mudflats)followed by one swimming in the Cedar River along S.R.105
20 Roosevelt Elk at the Johns River WA


Dragonflies:

California Darner
Common Green Darner
Eight-spotted Skimmer
Common Whitetail(Johns River WA)
Cardinal Meadowhawk

Butterflies:

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Lorquin's Admiral
Cabbage White


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net