Hello Tweets,

Yesterday(November 26th)my mother and I birded from Ocosta Third Street near Bottle Beach to Tokeland,as other areas remained quite foggy. Our day began at Vance Creek Co. Park near Elma,where the Great Egret was again observed resting along the shoreline east of the restrooms. Our next stop was made along Ocosta Third Street during high tide,which produced a nice gathering of shorebirds foraging in a recently flooded area that offered great views. Here,we counted 45 Greater Yellowlegs and 58 Long-billed Dowitchers,which was our first big group of shorebirds at this location this year. Continuing south towards Tokeland with a quick stop made at North Cove that hosted only a handful of gulls. At Tokeland conditions were very calm and the large shorebird flock was readily noted at the Tokeland Marina roosting on the older wooden dock and other areas,where an estimated group of 750+ group of Marbled Godwits was noted.

Working our way north we made a stop made at Midway Beach Rd. that hosted groups of people driving on the beach and through the flooded areas,as well as in the dunes. We walked north of the end of the road avoiding the drivers and unleashed dogs,as much as possible and eventually located up to 12 Snowy Plovers resting on the highest portion of the open beaches. There were large groups of shorebirds mainly consisting of Dunlin,of which swirled around as drivers drove fast along the beach. It seems this location has become a major area for beach driving,although it is legal to do so according to local park rangers.

After birding at Midway Beach Rd. we stopped at the Westport Marina,which ended our day. A group of 5 Marbled Godwits were tallied roosting at the east end of the marina near the coast guard station. Next,a short walk along the boardwalk produced an Eared Grebe,a Red-necked Grebe,and a single female Barrow's Goldeneye within the marina area among more common waterbird species. Working our way home we observed a single Great Egret along S.R.105 at the Elk River bridge at Bay City,as it foraged with a Great Blue Heron at low tide. A single deceased Ruffed Grouse was noted along S.R.105 east of the Johns River WRA,which was mostly struck by an oncoming vehicle. Lastly, a group of 30 Tundra Swans were observed in corn stubble fields just east of Satsop along Hwy.12(eastboaund). A list of other highlights noted during the day included the following:

Pacific Loon
2 at Tokeland

Red-necked Grebe
15 at Tokeland
4 at Westport

"Black"Brant
55 at Westport(Grays Harbor)

Northern Harrier
1 at Midway Beach Rd.

Merlin
1 along S.R.105 at North Cove

Peregrine Falcon
1 at Midway Beach Rd.

Black-bellied Plover
58 at Tokeland(Graveyard Spit)

Willet
17 at the Tokeland Marina

Whimbrel
2 at the Tokeland Marina

Sanderling
25 at North Cove
75+ at Graveyard Spit
125+ at Midway Beach Rd

Western Sandpiper
17 at Midway Beach Rd.

Least Sandpiper
305+ at Midway Beach Rd.

Dunlin
18 at Graveyard Spit
4500+ at Midway Beach Rd.

Long-billed Dowitcher
58 along Ocosta Third Street
8 at the Tokeland Marina

Wilson's Snipe
2 at Ocosta
1 at Midway Beach Rd.

Great Horned Owl(last species of the day)
1 perched atop an conifer tree along Hwy.8 at the intersection with Hwy.101(just west of Mud Bay,Thurston Co.)

Orange-crowned Warbler
1 at Tokeland



Good birding,

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