Hello Tweets,

Yesterday(July 17th)we birded a coastal route between Tokeland and Ocean Shores,as fall shorebird migration continues. The weather remained very warm and sunny with stiff northerly winds at times,as our only downfall. We began our day at Bottle Beach during incoming tide,then continued to Tokeland,then worked our way northward by checking the ocean beaches between Warrenton-Cannery Rd. to Midway Beach Rd. on foot. During the mid afternoon we checked the Ocean Shores area during the second incoming tide of the day,but overall conditions were far more slower than the south portion of our route. Our most significant shorebird numbers away from the usual Western Sandpiper flocks were increased numbers of adult Semipalmated Plovers with a total of 255 birds noted during the day from 4 locations. We looked unsuccessfully,but thoroughly through the flocks of Semipalmated Plovers for Lesser Sand Plover since 2 have been seen recently along the Pacific Coast in Oregon and California. Overall we did not encounter any rarities,but located several seasonal firsts' for us including 4 Ruddy Turnstones at 3 locations, 2 Wandering Tattlers at the Ocean Shores Jetty, and 2 Common Terns at Graveyard Spit(Tokeland). In addition to the Wandering Tattlers at the Ocean Shores Jetty we also observed a single fly-by Tufted Puffin that made fairly close approach from the tip of the jetty along with 3 offshore flying Bonaparte's Gulls.A single adult Semipalmated Sandpiper was noted during a quick visit made at the Johns River WRA,where it foraged loosely amongst a small flock of Western and Least Sandpipers along the muddy areas along the Johns River since the main wetland water level remains very high. We also located up to 2 Purple Martins during our coastal route from 2 locations including a single adult male along S.R.105 just west of Aberdeen and a single adult female flying along Kindred Avenue at Tokeland. An extensive walk made along the outer beaches from Warrenton-Cannery Rd. to Midway Beach Rd. yielded up to 4 single adult Snowy Plovers in more open sandy areas and a single Red-necked Phalarope foraging loosely amongst a large flock of "peep" and Semipalmated Plovers. Red-necked Phalaropes were encountered from 3 locations including 40 off the Ocean Shores Jetty and 8 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area at Oceans Shores.

A list of our day's itinerary follows below at selected locations and times:


Bottle Beach,Grays Harbor Co. 9:20am-10:10am

15 Brown Pelicans
12 Surf Scoters
2 Virginia Rails
64 Black-bellied Plovers
67 Semipalmated Plovers
3 Lesser Yellowlegs
4 Whimbrel
3 Marbled Godwits
1 Ruddy Turnstone
850+ Western Sandpipers
45+ Least Sandpipers
900+ Short-billed Dowitchers
75+ Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
3 Red Crossbills


Tokeland,Pacific Co. 10:45am-11:30am

1 Common Merganser
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Osprey
15 Semipalmated Plovers
6 Willets
84 Whimbrel
10 Marbled Godwits
1 Ruddy Turnstone
2 Common Terns
1 Purple Martin
3 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
2 Purple Finches


ocean beaches between Warrenton-Cannery Rd. and Midway Beach Rd.,Pacific Co. 11:40am-12:45pm

1 Turkey Vulture
1 Northern Harrier
1 Peregrine Falcon
80 Semipalmated Plovers
4 Snowy Plovers
245+ Sanderlings
450+ Western Sandpipers
115+ Least Sandpipers
1 Red-necked Phalarope
200 Heermann's Gulls
2 "Streaked"Horned Larks


Johns River WRA,Grays Harbor Co. 1pm-1:30pm

3 Wood Ducks
1 Hooded Merganser
10 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Semipalmated Sandpiper
13 Western Sandpipers
6 Least Sandpipers


Ocean Shores Jetty,Grays Harbor Co. 3:15pm-3:50pm

25 Brown Pelicans
5 Surf Scoters
15 White-winged Scoters
2 Wandering Tattlers
2 Ruddy Turnstones
20 Black Turnstones
8 Surfbirds
40 Red-necked Phalaropes
3 Bonaparte's Gulls
450+ Heermann's Gulls
40 Common Murres
9 Rhinoceros Auklets
1 Tufted Puffin


Oyhut WA/Ocean Shores STP,Grays Harbor Co. 4pm-5:15pm

4 Common Loons
27 Brown Pelicans
1 pair of Northern Shovelers(with 7 young)
1 Greater Scaup
12 Surf Scoters
1 White-winged Scoter
1 Turkey Vulture
85 Semipalmated Plovers
200+ Western Sandpipers
65+ Least Sandpipers
27 Long-billed Dowitchers
8 Red-necked Phalaropes


Bill's Spit,Grays Harbor Co. 5:30pm-6pm

8 Semipalmated Plovers
28 Whimbrels
60 Western Sandpipers
80+ Short-billed Dowitchers


Butter Clam Street beach access(Ocean Shores) 6:30pm-7pm

780+ Sanderlings



Good birding,

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