Subject: [Tweeters] Birding............SW. Washington..
Date: Feb 15 15:45:43 2006
From: gerald - gerald at e-z.net


.......A bit delayed, but here goes..........
..........Thurs. I wanted to visit the JBL Hansen Whitetail Deer Refuge
on Highway 4---Cathlamet, Wash. but highway 4 was closed due to
rockslide just west of Stella (...about 6 miles west of Longview), and
a 2-3 hr. wait for the ferry from Westport, Oreg. didn't appeal to me,
so I went across the Col. at Longview to US 30 in Oreg.and east to Astoria.
...........Stopped at the Eagle Sanctuary lookeout just east of Astoria.
DC CORMORANT; BUFFLEHEAD and WIDGEONS & MALLARDS;; 20 SWANS on the
north side of Columbia River ( too far away, even with spotting scope,
to tell if they were Trumpeter or Tundra) and 2 HORNED GREBES.. .....No
eagles seen this visit.
...........From there across river and norht to Tokekand Marina, on
north side of Willapa Bay---about 17 miles west of South Bend, Wash.. A
really stiff east wind Friday created hugh whitecaps on the bat and just
about all birds were within the confines of a quieter crab boat area.
Zillions of MARBLED GODWITS; 12 WILLETS; 14 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS;
.....all hudled together in one hugh mass of shorebirds for shelter
against the wind.. On the open water were:BUFFLEHEAD (lots) AND...; 1
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER; 3 COMMON LOONS; WESTERN GREBES; And........A
BELTED KINGFISHER nearby.
..........Drifts of sand from beach across highway at North
Cove----nothing but some flocks of SANDERLINGS at Grayland Beach State
Park further north up the coast. Nice mild temps--55 degress with plenty
of sun--despite the strong winds. 2 BALD EAGLES 1 mature and 1 immature)
along Hwy 105 northn side of Willapa Bay.
......Saturday---windy but not quite so gusty. Went along the slough (
south side frommwy. 101 west to Bay Center ---on Bay Center dike
road--- 12 miles south of South Bend. 0n the length of the slough---some
4 or 5 miles long---at different locations: WESTERN GREBES;many COMMON
LOONS ;2 RED-THROATED LOONS; 2 PACIFIC LOONS .....sure a lot of loons
around!!! (....loons in non-breeding plummage can be quite a challange
to identify);4 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS;2 PIED-BILLED GREBES; 2
RED-NECKED GREBES;1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS; GREAT BLUE HERONS; loads of
BUFFLEHEAD...MALLARDS...WIDGEONS; 1 LESSER SCAUP (female) along with
GREATER SCAUPS; and a SONG SPARROW and another BELTED KINGFISHER. Lots
of small birds on telephone wires and such, but was more concentrate on
seeing what was on the water. Lots of CANADA GEESE everywhere.
.......Fort Stevens Sunday--parking lot C--South Jetty. Niceview of 3
SNOWY OWLS across the pond--1 of the owls liked to perch on top of tall
pine SONG SPARROW and MARSH WREN, but little of anything else but
beautiful scenery at parling lot D.. Nice day after a bit of rain the
night before.

.......Cheers.....Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net