Hi Tweeters,

I decided to escape the heat and go birding along the coast. (It was in the low 70s much of the time). My first stop was at Midway Beach, which had both lots of birds and people. On the left side of the path leading to the beach, immediately where the exposed sand begins, was a flock of 60+ Semipalmated Plovers. Mixed in with this flock were 6 Western Sandpipers, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, and what I believe were 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers. I have never identified this species on my own before, and I definitely have a long way to go on my shore bird IDs, but I had a good long look at them through the scope and that is what they most resembled. Is this species sometimes seen at this location at this time of the year?

I continued along the vegetation line in the same direction. There were several more Semipalmated Plovers and then I came across a Snowy plover with 3 small chicks. Very cute little fluff balls. I kept my distance so as not to scare them, and watched them for quite some time. It was kind of nerve-wracking in that 2 N. Harriers were flying nearby, a few cars were driving in the area (in fact, when I returned to the spot later, there was a van doing doughnuts there; they then stopped and several people and three dogs piled out. I don't know how the chicks can survive there). Near the water was a large flock of gulls, including several Heermann's.

Going to the right side of the path and following the vegetation line, I came across 9 more Snowy Plovers running about and vocalizing to one another. Cutting to the water, I came across a flock of 100+ Western Sandpipers interspersed with perhaps 6 Least Sandpipers, and 8 Ruddy Turnstones (they are very striking in their breeding plumage).

Tokeland was pretty quiet. I spotted 2 Whimbrels, lots of Heermann's Gulls mixed with other gulls, and more than 20 Brown Pelicans loitering about.

On the way back, I stopped at Bottle Beach, but the tide was already pretty far out. Scoping through the heat haze, I counted more than 30 Long-billed Curlews, numerous Dowitchers (I couldn't tell which species at this distance), more Semipalmated Plovers (closer in), and hundreds of others shorebirds that I could not attempt to ID at that range. I'm going back later this week when the tide is in to have another look. What a great time for birding out there!

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net