Greetings Tweeters,

Today at the evening high tide there were 2 and possibly 3 Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers seen from Luhr Beach at the mouth of MacAllister Creek (Nisqually
Delta area). There were 3 birds present in a group of about 220 Dunlin, a
few Least Sandpipers and about a dozen Western Sandpipers. A flock of 15 to
20 Black-bellied Plover were loosely associating with this group (more so in
previous days). The birds were seen on the rising tide on the shoreline
edge and salcornia where the gulls usually hang out, directly across from
the dock at the Nisqually Reach Nature Center. I arrived at the site about
4:30 pm today in an effort to hit the tide right. Shorebirds were visible
well out on the delta at that time. I had to wait until about 5:10, when
the tide was high enough to push the birds off the further part of the delta
and over towards Luhr. When the group landed I quickly picked out three
shorebirds that were clearly of the Sharp-tailed/ Pectoral type.

All 3 birds showed bright upperparts with strong markings in the
back/mantle. There was enough rufus in the pattern to give an overall rusty
tinge. They generally stuck together. Two showed brighter than the third
with a buffy wash to the breast, darker toward the sides, a bold supercillim
widening and rising behind the eye. Both of these birds had a strongly
capped look, with a reddish cast. I was not able to see the third bird as
well. The birds were present until about 5:25 when a peregrine worked
through the flock and scattered all of the shorebirds back toward the
Nisqually River. In flight within the large flock at least one bird was
easy to pick out looking brighter and more colorful than the rest of the
flock. Viewing conditions this afternoon were ideal, dead calm, no wind.

I had checked out this site at the afternoon/ evening high tide 3 times in
the past week, ever since Patrick Sullivan reported a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
here on Saturday afternoon. Sunday afternoon and Tuesday evening, the wind
was up and conditions were too difficult for good viewing. Nevertheless
shorebird flocks came in with the high tide. About 250 shorebirds were
present each day and stuck around less than an hour before moving off. On
Tuesday I had a look at single bird I felt was probably a Sharp-tail, but it
was too brief and conditions were tough. That day a 2nd year Heermans Gull
was also present. Sunday about 200 Boneparte's Gulls, an Eared Grebe and a
Merlin were there.

Good Luck and good birding
Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia
Mail to: georn1 at hotmail.com

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