Subject: [Tweeters] Black-necked Stilt at Brady Loop Rd.(long)
Date: Apr 22 21:55:51 2005
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I enjoyed a rewarding day of birding from the Nisqually NWR to Tokeland,then working our way home and stopping at a few other favored locations from Midway Beach Rd. to Luhr Beach. The weather remained sunny with some wind at times along the immediate the coast,but also quite warm at times.We tallied a total of 130 species within 240 miles of driving and 13 hours in the field and of most interest was encountering 6 main highlights for the day and include the following:

1 Black-necked Stilt with various waterfowl and Greater Yellowlegs in the partially flooded stubble field along Brady Loop Rd.(immediately west of Foster Rd.) at 5:15pm. The bird was initially observed when a large flock of waterfowl and shorebirds flushed from this location,then it flew west over a row of trees bordering a "Ducks Unlimited"property where it presumably landed when the flock finally settled. This land is on private property and was most likely encountered when large flocks of waterfowl and shorebirds were flushed from that location,where a portion of those groups settled in the stubble field viewable along Brady Loop Rd. We noticed that 2 of the landowners within the private property were doing "field checks" of their land on 2 ATV vehicles along with their dog,which may have made all the available birds very nervous. Despite the rather brief sighting of the Black-necked Stilt it was very exciting to see this species in Grays Harbor Co. and adds to the other recent western WA sighting of a single Black-necked Stilt at the River S Unit of the Ridgefield NWR in Clark Co. on April 17th. As far as we know there are less than 5 records for Black-necked Stilt in Grays Harbor Co. so it is an exceptional sighting! The Black-necked Stilt was very unexpected for Brady Loop Rd. and perhaps it may remain in the general vicinity through the spring or migrate to another location. The area the bird flew onto hosts ample feeding habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl,so it could remain there undetected.

An adult Am.Golden Plover in crisp breeding plumage at the same location and time where the Black-necked Stilt was initially and observed with 4 Black-bellied Plovers along Brady Loop Rd. This bird was initially located after thorough scoping from the 90 degree bend along Brady Loop Rd.(immediately west of the intersection of Foster Rd.) This individual bird really stood out even at a fair distance on 40 power and lighting conditions were prime allowing good views,as many of main field marks were viewed including the noticeable smaller size compared the nearby Black-bellied Plovers. Beyond an overall size comparison the crisp black and gold speckled back and crown were easily noted,as well as the fairly long primary projection and fairly short-legged appearance and the white area along the supercillium extended and widened to the upper sides of the breast contrasting to the entirely black breast and belly. Several photos of the bird unlike the Black-necked Stilt were obtained,but only for proof to species and was a great sighting to have for our spring day. This makes our 4th spring record to date for us of Am.Golden Plover during spring migration in WA!

1 Vesper Sparrow at the Tokeland Marina at 12:45pm,where it foraged loosely with a small tight flock of White-crowned and Savannah Sparrows during windy conditions,where the flock of sparrows foraged in a grassy area bordering the last house before arriving to the actual marina along Kindred Ave. This is a very notable occurrence from this inland species and extremely unexpected at this location! A single Mountain Chickadee was observed at this same location foraging in 4 of 5 conifer trees at the southwest corner of the marina,where it foraging alone and actively called at times. The Mountain Chickadee kept at times very hidden in the dense foliage of the conifer trees,but most often near the canopy of those trees and also allowed a few photographs to be taken of this very unusual spring sighting. This perhaps could be a lingering individual bird from the small invasion of 30 birds noted at this location last October,but nevertheless a noteworthy sighting!

1 adult Chipping Sparrow with a large wandering flock of Savannah Sparrows in the beach dunes and other vegetation south of the end of Midway Beach Rd. There were also a few other noteworthy migrants noted while walking with our rubber boots at Midway Beach Rd. including up to 3 "Sooty"Fox Sparrow, 3 Lincoln's Sparrows, and a 2 separate flocks of Varied Thrush totally 8 birds flying eastward from the ocean!

3 pairs of Snowy Plovers observed while walking south of the end of Midway Beach Rd. after cutting across the deep canal from the north then proceeding southward. The birds were in separate pairs and observed between the "crest" or high point of the beach sand bordering the darker,wetter sand of the high tide line and the canal of water. As a note to all birders desiring to visit Midway Beach Rd. rubber boots are a must here,as you need to walk through areas of standing water and wet vegetation at times along with aiding in helping drifting sand from getting in your shoes. A large yellow gate signifies the end of the road,where you need to park and carry all your prized possessions with you.


A list of our basic highlights encountered at the following locations and times occurs below:


Nisqually NWR,Thurston Co. 7:25am-9am

1 Pied-billed Grebe
7 Greater White-fronted Geese
15 Cackling Geese
1 pair of Blue-winged Teals
10 Cinnamon Teal
4 Ring-necked Ducks
1 Hooded Merganser
3 Common Mergansers
1 Sora(heard only)
2 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Western Sandpipers
22 Least Sandpipers
1 Bonaparte's Gull
1 Barn Owl
1 adult Great Horned Owl
1 Mourning Dove
17 Steller's Jays(observed in a roaming migrant flock near the Twin Barns)
1 Brown Creeper
1 Hermit Thrush
6 Orange-crowned Warblers
1 Lincoln's Sparrow
5 Golden-crowned Sparrows


Brady Loop Rd.,Grays Harbor Co.(two visits) 10am-10:15am,4:45pm-5:45pm

10 Greater White-fronted Geese
3 Turkey Vultures
3 Northern Harrier
3 Am.Kestrels
3 Soras(heard only)
3 Ring-necked Pheasants
43 Black-bellied Plovers
1 Am.Golden Plover
1 Black-necked Stilt
64+ Greater Yellowlegs
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
24 Whimbrel
48+ Western Sandpipers
65+ Least Sandpipers
30 Dunlin
54 Short-billed Dowitchers
13 Long-billed Dowitchers
2 Western Scrub Jays
2 Purple Finches
12 Evening Grosbeaks


Bottle Beach,GH(two visits during incoming/outgoing tide and including a flooded area immediately west of Bottle Beach along S.R.105) 11:15am-11:50am, 2:45pm-3:15pm

45+ "Black"Brant
2 pairs of Wood Ducks
1 male Blue-winged Teal
1 Merlin
1 Peregrine Falcon
68 Black-bellied Plovers
27 Semipalmated Plovers
8 Greater Yellowlegs
5 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Marbled Godwit
12 Red Knots
8,500+ Western Sandpipers
4 Least Sandpipers
1,200+ Dunlin
850+ Short-billed Dowitchers
6 Long-billed Dowitchers
2 Caspian Terns
1 Vaux's Swift
1 Am.Pipit
3 Orange-crowned Warblers


Tokeland,Pacific Co. 12:30pm-1:10pm

8 Horned Grebes
7 Western Grebes
3 Turkey Vultures
6 Willets
58 Whimbrel
16 Long-billed Curlews(Graveyard Spit)
670+ Marbled Godwits(observed from 4 separate locations including Graveyard Spit and 3 separate roosting spots within the Tokeland Marina)
1 Black Turnstone
1 Red Knot
135+ Western Sandpipers
50 Dunlin
450+ Short-billed Dowitchers
23 Long-billed Dowitchers
42 Caspian Terns
1 Vaux's Swift
1 Mountain Chickadee
1 Black-throated Gray Warbler
1 Vesper Sparrow
3 Golden-crowned Sparrows


Midway Beach Rd.,PA 1:30pm-2:30pm

2 Turkey Vultures
1 Peregrine Falcon
6 Snowy Plovers
2 Greater Yellowlegs
250+ Western Sandpipers
430+ Least Sandpipers
1 Wilson's Snipe
1 Short-eared Owl
18 "Streaked"Horned Larks
8 Varied Thushes
1 Am.Pipit
4 Orange-crowned Warblers
1 Chipping Sparrow
3"Sooty"Fox Sparrows
3 Lincoln's Sparrows
1 Oregon Junco


Johns River WRA,GH 3:30pm-4pm

5 Greater White-fronted Geese
4 Wood Ducks
2 Ring-necked Ducks
2 Turkey Vultures
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
8 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Spotted Sandpiper
3 Orange-crowned Warblers

Wenzel Slough Rd.,GH 5:55pm-6:15pm

6 Greater Scaup
1 Lesser Scaup
2 Turkey Vultures
2 Northern Harriers
1 Cooper's Hawk(1 of 3 for the entire day)
7+ Virginia Rails(heard only)
15+ Wilson's Snipe
12 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
3 Western Scrub Jays


Luhr Beach,TH 7:05-7:20pm

15 Horned Grebes
2 Eared Grebes
85+ "Black"Brant
1 male Eurasian Wigeon
2 Ring-necked Ducks(somewhat unusual location)
65+ Greater Scaup
18 Surf Scoters
28 White-winged Scoters
2 Common Goldeneyes
68+ Buffleheads
15 Red-breasted Mergansers
10 Purple Martins


Good birding,

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