Subject: Semipalmated Sandpiper continues at Nisqually NWR
Date: May 15 17:59:09 2004
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother I birded several areas in eastern Gray Harbor Co. beginning along Brady Loop Rd. then continuing along Hwy.12 to Oakville with an afternoon visit made at the Nisqually NWR on our way home. Our main highlight of the day was a Semipalmated Sandpiper observed in the muddy shorebird habitat(50 feet south of the wooden bench before you arrive at the cutoff to the photo blind along the McAllister Creek trail at the Nisqually NWR). This bird is presumably the same individual bird we observed on the 12th of May,as it was in the same plumage and was also associating with a single Western Sandpiper with an additional Western Sandpiper observed nearby and was observed much closer with better lighting conditions,as well. It was truly a great bird to see again along with up to 36 Pectoral Sandpipers we encountered during the entire day at 4 locations beginning with:

13 birds along Brady Loop Rd.
12 along Dunlap Rd.(accessed off of Hwy.12 southeast of Elma)
1 single bird with a Solitary Sandpiper(observed from the Fish and Wildlife area along Hwy.12 east of Porter)
10 birds at the Nisqually NWR

Our non-shorebird highlight of the day was a single singing House Wren along Howanut Rd.(accessed off of Blockhouse Rd. east of Oakville)at the same location we encountered one bird last summer,which represents a good sighting for this very local species.

We began our day along the Brady Loop Rd. complex,where we encountered up to 11 species of shorebirds including 12 Pectoral Sandpipers and a single Solitary Sandpiper being the main noteworthy species,but few other species were noted. We worked our way to Hwy.12 and briefly checked the dwindling shorebird habitat noted near the end of Dunlap Rd.,before we continued on towards the town of Oakville. This is the same location we observed 5 Solitary Sandpipers on the 1st of May,but our visit today produced up to 13 Pectoral Sandpipers with 9 birds observed very close to the road foraging in a very small patch of very wet mud. The weather remained cloudy during the entire day,but it never rained with just some occasional wind at times. Next, we checked the Fish and Wildlife area along Hwy.12 east of the town of Porter that produced a lone Pectoral Sandpiper along with our second Solitary Sandpiper of the day that were both foraging in a wet,weedy area. Continuing east we decided to check along Elma-Gate Rd. west of Oakville that produced a single male California Quail foraging along the roadside,which is another very local species in Grays Harbor Co. Our final stop along the Hwy.12 corridor was made along Blockhouse and Howanut Rds. east of Oakville,which overall was very slow,but we obtained good close photographs of a single adult male Northern Harrier and a House Wren that was quite active in a bramble patch with both species observed along Howanut Rd.

Our last stop of the day was made at the Nisqually NWR,where we both walked along the McAllister Creek trail then north to the wooden bench(just south of the boardwalk to the photo blind),which for the most part was highly productive with up to 9 species of shorebirds noted. As mentioned earlier our main highlight was a Semipalmated sandpiper,which is always a good species to see during spring migration in WA and we were pleased to watch this bird much better compared to our visit on the 12th,as it continued to forage far less deliberately than 2 nearby Western Sandpipers in the muddy area. We observed the Semipalmated Sandpiper in near the same location than on the 12th,but further out in the muddy area,but still able to confirm the identity of the all species noted. A spotting scope is still much needed at this location for shorebird viewing,as well as at location at the Nisqually NWR ,but overall shorebird numbers appear to be declining greatly. A list of our additional highlights noted during the day included the following:

Pied-billed Grebe
2 pairs observed at the Fish and Wildlife area along Hwy.12 east of Porter

Am.Bittern
3 birds at the Nisqually NWR

Wood Duck
1 pair along Hwy.8 at Elma
1 female with 7 young along Brady Loop Rd.

Blue-winged Teal
1 male at the Nisqually NWR

Cinnamon Teal
7 at the Nisqually NWR

Am.Wigeon
1 pair along Brady Loop Rd.

Hooded Merganser
1 female with 6 young at the Nisqually NWR

Turkey Vulture(observed at several locations,but noteworthy numbers include the following in "kettle" formations)
14 along Brady Loop Rd.
18 along Wenzel Slough Rd.
18 along Dunlap Rd.

Osprey
4 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 pair along Wenzel Slough Rd. at Vance Creek Co. Park
1 along Dunlap Rd.

Northern Harrier
2 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 along Howanut Rd.
1 at the Nisqually NWR

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 along Elma-Gate Rd.

Am.Kestrel
1 along Foster Rd.(Brady Loop Rd. complex)

Peregrine Falcon
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Virginia Rail(heard only)
3 along Brady Loop Rd.

Sora
5 along Brady Loop Rd.(heard only)
1 at the Nisqually NWR(observed along the McAllister Creek trail)

Am.Coot
1 pair with 7 young at the Fish and Wildlife area along Hwy.12 east of Porter
2 at the Nisqually NWR

Semipalmated Plover
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Greater Yellowlegs
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
8 along Dunlap Rd.
2 at the Nisqually NWR

Spotted Sandpiper
3 at the Nisqually NWR

Western Sandpiper
8 along Brady Loop Rd.
2 at the Nisqually NWR

Least Sandpiper
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 at the Nisqually NWR

Dunlin
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 at the Nisqually NWR

Long-billed Dowitcher
8 along Brady Loop Rd.
7 at the Nisqually NWR

Wilson's Snipe
5 along Brady Loop Rd.

Wilson's Phalarope
6(3 pair)along Brady Loop Rd.
2 pair at the Nisqually NWR

Band-tailed Pigeon(widespread,but noteworthy numbers include the following)
160+ along Wenzel Slough Rd.
180+ along North Blockhouse Rd.(accessed off of Hwy.12 southeast of Elma)
250+ along Dunlap Rd.

Pileated Woodpecker(last species of the day)
1 flying along I-5 north of the Nisqually River bridge in Pierce Co.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 along Wenzel Slough Rd. at Vance Creek Co. Park
1 along Elma-Gate Rd.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
2 along Wenzel Slough Rd.
8 at the Nisqually NWR

Western Scrub Jay
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 along hwy.12 at Satsop
2 along Dunlap Rd.
1 along Hwy.12 east of Oakville

Swainson's Thrush
3 along Brady Loop Rd.

Purple Finch
6 at the Nisqually NWR



Good birding,

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