I spent the weekend with non-birders on the Long Beach Peninsula, but of
course still saw a few birds.

The little cove off my back yard on the bay had its usual number of
wintering GREATER YELLOWLEGS (17), and about 40 LEAST SANDPIPERS. COMMON
LOONS were yodeling in the early morning. A HUTTON'S VIREO and a TOWNSEND'S
WARBLER were in full song.

Of interest on the way to the Astoria Bridge was the first buteo that I have
seen well and am uncertain regarding its identity in my over 40 years of
birding in the northwest. It was perched on a telephone wire near Ilwaco in
broken habitat. The bird was solid black except for the tail, with a
bright yellow cere. The tail was white with a very indistinct, diffused
tail band. I got close to and it and when I turned to get a camera it
apparently flew off, and was not seen again. My best guess is that it was
the most striking Harlan's Hawk that I have ever seen. The habitat was
right, and the bird seemed about right in its general aspects to be a
Red-tailed Hawk.