Hello, all.

Just to add to the thread of "late critters" this week, Netta Smith and
I saw two Variegated Meadowhawks (Sympetrum corruptum) at Midway Beach
on this warm, sunny afternoon (11/21/05). This is the latest date any
live adult odonate has been seen in the state to my knowledge, although
I have a Common Green Darner (Anax junius) specimen that was found
fresh dead in early December.

We also saw a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) at Tokeland.

Midway Beach featured 5 "Streaked" Horned Larks, hundreds of
Sanderlings, and 33 Least Sandpipers, but we saw no Snowy Plovers. I've
never been sure how far you have to walk to find these elusive
shorebirds. We flushed a longspur at Midway Beach that I suspect was a
species other than Lapland, as it looked smaller in flight. We couldn't
find it again after it landed, but anyone who goes out there should
keep watch. It was in the tall grass behind where the little stream
goes out to the ocean to the north of the road. It had a three-noted
flight call, heard only once, that might indicate Chestnut-collared.

There was another Least Sandpiper at the Westport Marina.

The Bar-tailed Godwit is still in the flock of Marbled at Tokeland; I
haven't seen this mentioned lately. There were 19 Willets, which I
think is the most I've seen there, also 10 Long-billed Dowitchers.

Dennis Paulson
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Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382