On Tuesday morning, in Gray's Harbor county at 8:00am, I had about an hour
to check out the Westport Jetty on an amazingly clear and sunny day. The
recent construction that had the road closed out to the jetty has been
completed and the base of the jetty is once again intact (at least until
next year's winter storm).

I was able to locate a group of preening "rock pipers" in the morning sun
about 500 yds out on the south side of the jetty. The jetty is walkable,
but you could also observe these birds with a good scope if you get there
before other people go out on the jetty and scare the birds up.

March 2, 2004: All of the shorebirds were still in their adult,
non-breeding plumage.

37 Black Turnstones
2 Surfbirds
9 Rock Sandpipers

80 Sanderling
2 Dunlin

On March 1, 2004: Tokeland Marina in Pacific county at low tide (bummer on
the tide timing) I found all of the long-legged waders on the "other" side
of the bay, so they are still around.

300-400 Marbled Godwits, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel and
Long-billed Dowitchers

Good Birding,

Marcus Roening
Tacoma, WA
marcus.d.roening at gsk.com