Yesterday (12.20.05) 4 friends and I walked out Damon Spit at Ocean Shores. Before we had reached the pond, 3 PEREGRINE FALCONS had flown by, presumably 3 different individuals. Upon reaching the pond, we headed for the beach and the driftwood. Before long we had in our sights 6 SNOWY OWLS. No luck with Snow Buntings.

The weather was less than birder friendly, so we headed to Tokeland where we could bird from the car, or at least close by. At high tide, the dock in the harbor held the typical hundreds of MARBLED GODWITS. >From the dry warmth of a very nice van, I scoped each bird without locating a Bar-tailed Godwit. With the godwits were a few LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and about 15 WILLETS. A RIVER OTTER swam near the dock. We saw one WHIMBREL on the lawn of a nearby house.

Although the dry spells were few on this rainy day, noone complained.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA