How about a Horned Lark? Now I will have to go out and see if I can find
it...luckily I don't have as far to go.

Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores, Wa.
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Dahmus
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2005 1:32 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Rare bird sighted at Ocean Shores, WA !?!


My friend and I were birding at Ocean Shores, WA today, November 6th and saw
what is very likely a rare bird but do not know what it might be. It's
description is thus:


It's markings and colorings were in many ways like a Western Meadowlark but
it had a long [approximately 2 1/2 to 3 inch], arching and downward-curving
, slim/slender bill [ say on the order of an Eskimo Curlew or a Whimbrel
beak].


It was a little larger than a Meadowlark and it's throat and breast were a
vivid golden-butter yellow and it had a black V shape on it's upper breast
[just like a Meadowlark]. The V thickened at the front. It's crown was dark
brown or blackish in color with, I think, buffy edging. It had a white
eye-brow and a blackish eye-stripe that thickened behind the eye and then
white beneath the eye [cheek].


It's back was scalloped with buffy edging on the individual feathers. It's
tail was on the shorter side, notched and when the bird flew it showed white
outer tail coverts. It's legs were much longer than a typical passerine,
being about 3 inches or so : not short like a Rock Sandpiper, not long like
one of the Yellowlegs but more in proportion like a Pacific Golden Plover or
Eskimo Curlew. The leg color was either buffy or grayish-buffy. It would
stay in one place for awhile but was "nervous-acting" with lots of flits and
change of head direction.


We observed this bird for 15 to 20 minutes from a distance of 30 to 40 feet
with binoculars about 2:30 PM in bright sunshine. We both know Meadowlarks
very well and thought that's what it was at first glance but then
immediately the long curving beak caught our eye.


This bird was observed on the northeast side of the Marina [at the south end
of town near Damon Point] at Ocean Shores in the top of a 6 foot
scotchbroom, then flew onto the ground for a few minutes and then flew back
up towards the top of another shrub about 10 feet high all right by the
water. We parked at the Ocean Shores Environmental Interpretive Center near
the Marina and walked along the northern side of the marina when we spotted
the bird. It flew towards the water and landed in the scotchbroom near the
openness of Gray's Harbor right along the shore. There is a dirt path that
allows one to walk to the water's edge there at the northeast corner of the
marina and we observed the bird there before it flew off to the other side
of the marina. We followed on foot but could not relocate the bird again.


We have looked through some bird books of other countries but have yet to ID
the bird. If anyone knows what this might be or wishes to ask us questions
you can call me , Steve Dahmus at 206-383-2676 or email me at
stvdahmus at earthlink.net. I prefer to be phoned. It would be great if others
could also find this bird there as well to assist in it's ID.


Steve Dahmus and Alan Mondryzk
stvdahmus at earthlink.net
Seattle, WA USA



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