Tweeters,
Since the Saturday Westport Seabirds trip was weatherd out I decided to take
the opportunity to bird the coast. Nothing out of the ordinary to report,
but the weather was good and it was a great dat to be on the coast. I
started at Midway Beach 1st thing and hit it again on my way back, this was
probably my best stop. I walked about 1/2 mile north and south of the road
access, spending much time searching through pipits. Most of the ground
birds tended to stay on the ground which was quite convenient. At Midway
were the following: Am Pipits (50-70), Horned Lark (6), Lapland Lonspur
(6), Snowy Plover (3 - north ~ 1/2mile), Semipalmated Plover (25), Bairds
Sandpiper (2), Western and Least Sandpiper, Sanderling and Killdeer. I also
flushed a shorebird that I saw only briefly then it dove back into cover and
could not be refound. My first impression was buff breasted sandpiper, but
looks were not good enough to tell for sure.

Frrom Midway Beach I made my way to Tokeland. At North Cove I briefly
looked for but did not see the Black-Tailed Gull. I ran into Bob Sundstroms
VENT tour there, I was told that they had looked a couple of times here over
the past couple of days and had no luck. 3 other groups of birders I talked
to today had the same story. At Tokeland were many Marbled, but no other
Godwits. A few Willits and Whimbrel and a Great Egret were about. I spent
time cruzing the Cranberry fields around Grayland with nothing to show for
it, then headed to Johns River. No Ruff for me, but I was told that it was
seen in the morning. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs; Pectoral, Western and
Least Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers and Wilsons Snipe round out the
shorebirds I saw during the 45 or so minutes I was there. A young Peregrine
stirred things up a bit as well.

Good birding,
Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia

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