Tweets,

I set out this morning in the fog to check on some shorebird spots here in
Kitsap County. I actually was attempting to see if I could find a Baird's
Sandpiper. I did eventually have success finding them, but the highlight
amongst the 16 shorebird species for the day was the juvenile Stilt
Sandpiper at the Foulweather Bluff Preserve (page 193 of A Birder's Guide to
Washington).

Highlights:

Red-necked Phalarope - A flock of 200 or so off shore from Point no Point at
my first stop of the morning. The shores were full of fishermen so this
would be the only shorebird I would find here. A merlin and a sharpie kept
passerine activity quiet along the walking trail past the lighthouse.

Stilt Sandpiper - My second stop of the day at the Foulweather Bluff Nature
Preserve produced this surprise bird. It stood adjacent to a Killdeer on a
log in the middle of the lagoon to give me excellent looks. There is very
little mud available for it here. I recall more at this time last year.

Semipalmated Sandpiper and two Lesser Yellowlegs at Foulweather Bluff - This
spot is a short hike along the beach at the end of Twin Spits Road and was
my third stop of the day. The juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper was amongst
Western and Least Sandpipers in the inner salicornia tidal area. The Two
Lesser Yellowlegs were flying and calling overhead. Two Short-billed
Dowitchers and two Sanderlings were also present here.

Baird's Sandpiper - After my visit to the north end of the county I traveled
south to the Gorst Estuary and arrived late morning at about high tide. Two
juvenile Baird's Sandpipers loosely associated with the other smaller peeps.

A stop at the Chico Creek Estuary south of Silverdale added Semipalmated
Plover and Black-bellied Plover to my day-list. I padded my final list
tally by adding Black Turnstone and Surfbird on Blakely Rock from distant
scoping from the shores of Bainbridge Island.

As a famous state birder is known to say quite often, it was a good day.


Brad Waggoner
Bainbridge Island, WA
mailto:wagtail at sounddsl.com