Subject: [Tweeters] Sandhill Cranes over Ocean Shores
Date: Sep 10 21:27:04 2005
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded the Ocean Shores area with a few highlights to mention,despite heavy thunderstorms that threatened the skies over the area during the afternoon with moderate to heavy rain showers and stiff winds at times. Away from several highlights noted at Ocean Shores that have occurred in previous visits occurred at the end of our day after checking the outer beaches for shorebirds. We observed a drifting southbound flock of 52 Sandhill Cranes observed at 5:15pm from the intersection of Taurus Blvd. and Pt.Brown Ave.,where we watched and counted the bird safely along a break in the shoulder of the road. The bird slowly continued towards Westport and beyond and would occasionally call,as they continued southward and could show up almost anywhere or continue onto Oregon. This was our personal first sighting of Sandhill Cranes at Ocean Shores,but they probably migrate through this area annually if one is the right place at the right time during migration. Other knew highlights noted during our visit to Ocean Shores included 11 Pacific Golden Plovers(3 adults,8 juveniles)and 2 juvenile Am.Golden Plovers in a short grassy area at the west end of the Damon Point"pond",which were earlier seen by George Gerdts and others. The birds all remained at this location and offered great close views and comparisons between both golden plover species,but at times were wary and moved into thicker vegetation. This flock does not appear to be the same individual flock of golden plovers than we reported at Damon Point on the 2nd of September due to the variability of different aged birds,although a few of the individual birds could be the same. Up to 6 Lapland Longspurs were also present at this location,but further east along the southern portion of the pond where they favored more grassy areas.

We managed to only walk to the Damon Point"pond" due to weather conditions,but walked the entire outer beaches between Driftwood Drive and Butter Clam Street during the evening high tide between 4pm-5pm,which offered our densest shorebird numbers and diversity of the day. We also made a visit to the Ocean Shores STP,which produced up to 4 Pectoral Sandpipers amongst small groups of both Western and Least Sandpipers. Earlier in the day en route to Ocean Shores we made a visit along Madrona Beach Rd. at Mud Bay in Thurston Co.,as well as a short visit to the Hoquiam STP with both areas producing a few added highlights for the day. Other noteworthy species encountered during the day included the following:

Ring-necked Duck
1 pair at the Hoquiam STP

Greater Scaup
1 at the Hoquiam STP
1 at Damon Point(North Bay)

Barrow's Goldeneye
1 1st year male at the Hoquiam STP(unusual for location and time of year)

Sooty Shearwater
1 resting calmly on the water just south of Damon Point
20+ off the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Turkey Vulture
2 along Hwy. 12 at Elma
10 along Hwy.12 between Satsop and Brady
2 along Hwy.12 at Montesano
2 along Hwy.12 east of Aberdeen
2 along S.R.109 east of Ocean Shores

Osprey
1 along S.R.109 east of Ocean Shores

Northern Harrier
2 at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

Cooper's Hawk
1 near Damon Point

Peregrine Falcon
1 at Damon Point

Black-bellied Plover
2 at Bill's Spit
680+ along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Semipalmated Plover
15+ at the Ocean Shores STP/Oyhut WA
7 at Damon Point

Greater Yellowlegs
25 at Mud Bay,Thurston Co.

Spotted Sandpiper
1 at Mud Bay,TH

Whimbrel
1 along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Long-billed Curlew
43(with 4 Marbled Godwits)near Bill's Spit

Black Turnstone
1 at the Oyhut WA
5 along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Red Knot
4 along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Western Sandpiper(noteworthy numbers)
74 at Mud Bay,TH
450+ at Damon Point
950+(with small numbers of Sanderlings)along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Dunlin
9 along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Short-billed Dowitcher
34 along the outer beaches at Ocean Shores

Red-necked Phalarope
1 at Grays Harbor just south of Damon Point

Bonaparte's Gull
148+ at Mud Bay,TH

Purple Martin
4 at the Hoquiam STP

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1 lingering bird at the Ocean Shores STP

Cliff Swallow
1(with small numbers of Barn Swallows)at the Damon Point"pond"

Western Scrub Jay
2 along Hwy.12 at Elma
1 along Hwy.12 at the Satsop River Bridge


Our mammal highlight of the day was a single Long-tailed Weasel that scurried across the trail at the Marine View Drive beach access at Ocean Shores. We also observed many animal fatalities along the shoulder of Hwy. 12 primarily between Elma and Aberdeen,including a Mink near Lake Aberdeen.




Good birding,

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