Hello, Tweets,

On Sat., May 13, Olympic Peninsula Audubon and the Dungeness River
Audubon Center held its Clallam County Birdathon and International
Migratory Bird Count. I believe that at least 75 people counted in
Clallam County on Saturday -- I'll pass along the final results when I
have them.

As part of the count, Jerry Freilich, Les Jones, and I had a wonderful
day counting from one end of the county to the other, starting with
owling in the early a.m. in the upper Dungeness watershed and finishing
at sunset watching shearwaters and puffins from the Cape Flattery
lookout.

Our party ended up with 141 species, a testament to the bird diversity
of Clallam County. No real rarities, but some of the good birds
included a 1st year Glaucous Gull in the gull club in Neah Bay, a flock
of 11 Cackling Geese grazing near the Waatch River mouth, and a couple
of Wandering Tattlers on the rocks between Sekiu and Neah Bay. The
most abundant species on our count was Glaucous-winged Gull/Olympic
Gull, with almost 3000 total. Surprisingly, the most abundant
waterfowl species was Brant, with 253 still in Dungeness Bay. Not
surprisingly, the most abundant raptor was Bald Eagle, totaling 65,
including 39 visible at one time in Dungeness Bay. We didn't see a
single falcon. Duck numbers were fairly low, as were loons and grebes,
most escaped to the north by now (or perhaps chased out or eaten by all
the eagles??). Overall, migrant shorebird numbers were low, but we did
see 13 species total. No surprises with song birds, with good numbers
of late spring migrants -- all the flycatchers, warblers (except
Hermit), tanagers, BH Grosbeaks, and orioles where expected. Most
finch species were pitifully low - no crossbills, only one Pine Siskin,
two Evening Grosbeaks, 28 House Finches, but lots of goldfinches.

We missed a few likely species, so we could have had several more if
luck was with us. A total of 150 species is possible for one party in
one day in Clallam Co. if lucky. Maybe next year...

Bob Boekelheide
Sequim