Subject: [Tweeters] Ocean Shores birding 7-28-06
Date: Jul 28 21:47:12 2006
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Tweets,

Today we spent 5 hours birding at Ocean Shores with somewhat slow conditions with fewer movements of shorebirds than our last visit. We visited he Ocean Shores STP,Bill's Spit,and the Oyhut Wildlife Area,of which all locations had a different diversity of species. We began the day with a cooperative juvenile Red-necked Phalarope at the Ocean Shores STP,where it swam around pecking at the surface of the water close to shore. Next, during incoming tide our visit to Bill's Spit yielded 70 Marbled Godwits,42 Whimbrel and 60 Short-billed Dowitchers,where they all foraged along the exposed mudflats as the tide moved in. A portion of this shorebird flock vacated the area by flying off to the south towards Damon Point near the end of our visit. The Oyhut Wildlife Area hosted our only "peep" flock of the day with 28 Western Sandpipers,60 Least Sandpipers that foraged amongst a flock of 10 Semipalmated Plovers on the mudflats behind the Ocean Shores STP. 4 additional Least Sandpipers were noted at the Ocean Shores STP. Good numbers/concentrations of Heermann's Gulls and California Gulls were noted from several locations between the Ocean Shores STP to Bill's Spit. We ended the day along the outer beaches south of Driftwood Street beach access,where a resting flock of shorebirds along the upper beach area hosted 102 Black-bellied Plovers and 88 Short-billed Dowitchers. Our short visit to Damon Point yielded very few species,but we watched as work crews cleared debris and sand from the paved road to the Damon Point"pond". We learned that the "breached" area will be fixed near the Damon Point pond,but for the very last time. A list of additional notable species for the day included the following:

7 Red-throated Loons at the Oyhut WA

1 Green Heron flying along S.R.115 near Cyber Lake(north of Ocean Shores)

1 Northern Pintail and 9 Northern Shovelers at the Ocean Shores STP

1 female BLACK SCOTER,68 Surf Scoters and 24 White-winged Scoters at the Oyhut WA

2 Red-breasted Mergansers at the Oyhut WA

Turkey Vulture
5 birds along Hwy.12 between Brady and Montesano
2 birds along Hwy.12 at Central Park
1 bird along S.R.109 at Ocean City

Osprey
1 bird at the Hoquiam STP
1 bird at the Oyhut WA
1 bird along Hwy.12 at Montesano

2 Northern Harriers at the Oyhut WA

1 Spotted Sandpiper at the Oyhut WA with an additional bird at the Ocean Shores Marina

1 Long-billed Dowitcher at the Oyhut WA




Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com