Yesterday (2.26.06) Kraig Kemper and I birded the coast. On the way, we heard a GREAT HORNED OWL along Brady Loop while still dark. By the time we reached Burrows Loop, near Ocean Shores, the light was good. Kraig picked up a MERLIN on the hunt and we enjoyed the show. DUNLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and GREATER YELLOWLEGS were also seen on Burrows Loop. As we left the loop, we saw a PILEATED WOODPECKER in the top of a nearby tree.

While passing the Ocean Shores golf course, we observed DUSKY CANADA GEESE and a single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. At the Ocean Shores Game Range, we quickly found the GYRFALCON. As we watched from the Tonquin Ave. access, the gyr was perched in the distance.

On to Tokeland, it was high tide, and the MARBLED GODWITS were on the dock in numbers, as expected. A few WILLETS and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were with the godwits. We did not find Whimbrels. Within the marina, the CLARK'S GREBE gave us close looks. From the turn-out along 7th in Tokeland we found quite a few LONG-BILLED CURLEWS.

A stop at the end of Midway Beach Road was successful, as we counted 60 SNOWY PLOVERS working the wet beach on the outgoing tide. The birds were not far to the north. In the vegetation, we found a half dozen STREAKED HORNED LARKS.

East of Westport, we turned onto Bay View Road and saw 2 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and a HUTTON'S VIREO. By this time the rain had come and was keeping the birds down a bit.

>From there we pushed on to Brady Loop to see what we could find in daylight. The birds we enjoyed there included AMERICAN KESTREL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, 3 SNOW GEESE and a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY.

Our last stop was Schoewiler (sp?) Road. There we saw BARN, TREE and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA