Hello Tweets,

Today we birded the Ocean Shores area again with fabulous weather unlike other areas that had foggy,cloudy skies! Overall our day was quite slow,but a few highlights brightened the day including 5 Snow Buntings at the western end of the Damon Point"pond". These birds were present in the same exact area than we observed 6 birds on the 18th,but were not seen when we walked out to Catala Spit. Upon walking back to the parking lot the 5 birds flew in as we were photographing 9 "Streaked"Horned Larks in the open,short grassy area west of the Damon Point"pond". The Snow Buntings remained foraging in sandy areas near driftwood,but then flew off within about 15 minutes towards the pond. Hopefully the birds will remain for other birders to see!

At Ocean Shores itself we walked the Oyhut Wildlife Area(accessed from behind the Ocean Shores STP),as well as at Damon Point to Catala Spit. In addition we did some walking in a vegetated area between Tonquin Ave to Nicholas Court,which lies along the northern edge of the Oyhut WA. A immature Trumpeter Swan was observed amongst a scattered gathering of other waterfowl and Am. Coots at Lake Minard(accessed behind the large cement water tower along Marine View Drive). We then ended the day by walking the partial sandy spit that is broken by recent storm at the eastern edge of the Oyhut WA. Before departing Ocean Shores we made a short stop at the Ocean Shores Golf Course that yielded 8 Greater White-fronted Geese amongst a large flock of Canada/Cackling Geese. Other highlights encountered at Ocean Shores included the following:

8 "Black"Brant off Catala Spit at Damon Point

1 Sharp-shinned Hawk near the Oyhut WA

4 Northern Harriers at the Oyhut WA with 3 additional birds at Damon Point

2 Peregrine Falcons at the Oyhut WA

14 Black-bellied Plovers at the Oyhut WA

9 Black Turnstones,35 Least Sandpipers and 850+ Dunlin at the Oyhut WA

1 Red-breasted Sapsucker observed flying along S.R.109 near Ocean City

13 "Streaked"Horned Larks at Damon Point

5 Am.Pipits at Damon Point

3 Lincoln's Sparrows near the Oyhut WA

4 Western Meadowlarks near the Oyhut WA

1 Lapland Longspur at the Oyhut WA



Our ay bean with a quick drive along the outer Brady Loop Rd. complex,where the only highlight of note consisted of a single Rough-legged Hawk just west of the Foster Rd.

At the Hoquiam STP a single Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon and 73 Canvasbacks were among the highlights amongst good numbers of waterfowl.




Good birding,

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