Yesterday (4.23.05) our WOS field trip enjoyed 95 species of birds in Grays Harbor County.

The weather was very nice in the AM at Brady Loop, but had deteriorated by the time we reached the Westport area.
Here are a few highlights.

Sora - heard at Ocosta 3rd Street.

Pacific Golden-Plover - this male in striking alternate plumage was seen on Brady Loop with a few BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. The bird was much smaller than the BBPL and the plumage much warmer. That is to say the back was darker and and also set this bird apart from its company. The white sides did not stop at the wing. Rather they extended to the under tail coverts, which also included some white. The bill appeared long and thin and the wings seemed to barely extend beyond the tail. I must admit that I would not have made this call based on bill and tail alone, but the white sides were conclusive.

Spotted Sandpiper - 1 in alt plumage in the rocks at the Westport jetty.

Red Knot - several seen at Bottle Beach at high tide with a good mix of other shorebirds.

Black-throated Gray Warbler - one silent bird well seen at the boat launch on Brady Loop.

Wilson's Warbler - 2 or more heard singing along Key's Road.

Fox Sparrow (sooty) - a single bird on the rocks near the base of the Westport jettty

In spite of the windy wet coastal weather, we saw a fair allotment of birds and enjoyed ourselves.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
mbreece at earthlink.net