Tweeters:

It must be September--great birds being reported all around the region.
Other than the Westport trip (see earlier message), I was joined by Anne
Winskie for the annual Graysmarsh fall survey yesterday, Sept. 7.
Additionally, I had the mornings of Sept. 3-4 at the public beach access
there, got to bird Three Crabs on the 3rd in the eve, and the family went to
Cape Flattery on the 4th and rode the M/V Coho from Port Angeles to Victoria
on Sept. 5. Over the five days, 149 species were tallied. This includes
another banner day at Graysmarsh yesterday as we found 115 species--our
second-highest ever for all Graysmarsh migration surveys and only 4 short of
the single-day record:

GRAYSMARSH HIGHLIGHTS (all Sept. 7 unless otherwise noted) (this site is
PRIVATE except for berry farm and public beach access, but parking for the
latter is tricky)

Pied-billed Grebe 6 (all but one on salt water)
Am. Bittern 1
scaup, sp. 1
AM. KESTREL 1 (male, only 2nd for Grays)
Cal. Quail 40 (high count)
Virginia Rail 4
Sora 1
Seimpalmated Sandpiper 1
Baird's Sandpiper 1
Red-necked Phalarope 156 (high count)
RED PHALAROPE 1 (early, being chased by P. JAEGER, scope study)
Parasitic Jaeger 4 (high count, including 1 juv.)
Calif. Gull 1000
Ring-billed Gull 121
Caspian Tern 33 (high count)
FORSTER'S TERN 1 (winter ad., also being chased by P. JAEGER at central
beach!)
Com. Murre 200
CASSIN'S AUKLET 1 (flyby, followed in flight with scope, ultimately headed
toward Protection I)
N. Saw-whet Owl 1
N. PYGMY-OWL 1 (only 3rd, 4 more up in foothills 9/4) (see below)
Vaux's Swift 7
Red-breasted Sapsucker 3
Willow Flycatcher 3
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
W. Wood-Pewee 1
Warbling Vireo 4
BANK SWALLOW 1 (s. Grays, perched on wire w/Barn, V-G)
Red-br. Nuthatch 36
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 (first arrival public beach access scrub 9/3, early)
Varied Thrush 1 (first arrival along Holland Rd, 9/3 only)
Am. Pipit 23
7 warbler species, most common Yellow (27) and Yellowthroat (23), also:
NASHVILLE WARBLER 1 (public beach scrub 9/3 only)
Fox Sparrow 5 (first arrival at public beach scrub 9/3, a bit early)
Savannah Sparrow 117
Golden-crowned Sparrow 4 (first arrival public beach scrub 9/4)
Lincoln's Sparrow 14
Purple Finch 18

The FORSTER'S TERN, CASSIN'S AUKLET, BANK SWALLOW and NASHVILLE WARBLER were
all new for the Grays list. Other than the above entries, solid numbers
were turned in for both chickadees, Brown Creeper, Hutton's Vireo, Bewick's
Wren and Pine Siskin, each probably reflecting a good local nesting season.
On the other hand, the marsh was very dry and ducks were few; and over the
course of the day, a number of likely species were missed.

OTHER CLALLAM COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS

Com. Goldeneye 1 (female off Shipwreck Pt. near Neah Bay w/Harlequins 9/4,
out of season)
Merlin 1 (Three Crabs 9/3 eve)
Pac. Golden-Plover 1 (Three Crabs 9/3 eve)
LONG-BILLED CURLEW 1 (Three Crabs 9/3 eve, very good bird for CLALLAM)
RUFF 1 (juv. viewed with two other observers, Helen's Pond, 9/3)
Red-necked Phalarope 50 (M/V Coho 9/5)
Parasitic Jaeger 3 (off M/V Coho 9/5)
ANCIENT MURRELET 4 (tight group at point-blank range off bow of M/V Coho
9/5, pretty early, out in middle before crossing into Canadian waters)
Tufted Puffin 10 (Cape Flattery 9/4)
5 owl species heard upper Palo Alto Rd/Bear Mt. area 9/4 pre-dawn, incl. 2
Barred and 4 N. Pygmy

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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