Hello Tweets,

Today we spent 4.5 hours birding from Brady Loop Rd. to Ocean Shores. The day began very calm and nice in the Brady area,then conditions turned quite windy at the Hoquiam STP. By the time we reached Ocean Shores a major "front" moved over the area with very heavy gale force winds and driving rain and as a result our birding was very limited. The storm soon passed and skies cleared considerably by late afternoon. We encountered many of the same species than our last visit to Ocean Shores,but a few additional species were noted including an adult BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE just offshore of the Ocean Shores Jetty. Up to 26 BROWN PELICANS were also noted flying by and in and around the Ocean Shores Jetty too,as they all braved the heavy winds. Offshore viewing was quite good condition wise,but bird wise very few species were noted except for a single Red-throated Loon and 2 "Black"Brant. An additional "Black"Brant was noted walking in and around the base of the Ocean Shores Jetty and at times allowed very close approach for photographs. Good amounts of heavy debris(including large driftwood logs)continued along the upper beach next to the jetty,where 2 deceased Western Grebes and 1 Horned Grebe were discovered. Also in the "wreck" of heavy debris were a resting flock of 20 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and 2 Western Sandpipers. A flock of "rockbirds" foraging loosely at the base of the jetty consisted of 2 Surfbirds and 12 Black Turnstones,but NO Rock Sandpipers!

A visit to the Ocean Shores STP produced a nice gathering of Dunlin along the edges of the north pond wit 30+ Western Sandpipers mixed in. Thousands of swirling Dunlin were observed as we looked eastwards over the vast Oyhut Wildlife Area. A Wilson's Snipe was also present at the Ocean Shores STP,as was a lone Long-billed Dowitcher at the southwest pond with good numbers of Northern Shovelers. Another Wilson's Snipe posed for us along the edge of a road just north of the Ocean Shores STP during a period of extremely high winds. When conditions improved the bird decided to fly off,but we were fortunate to get some nice photos of it! Our brief visit to the base of Damon Point(mainly to use the restrooms)produced 2 more Semipalmated Plovers for the day,as well as a roosting flock of gulls including 35+ Herring Gulls. A tight flock of 25 Am.Coots were also present along the shoreline braving the choppy waters.

We didn't bother doing any walking behind the Ocean Shores STP or at Damon Point,but we did check a few other locations. The Pacific Loon was again present at the Cabana Pond,as were a single Common Loon,Red-necked Grebe and Eared Grebe along with a small assortment of waterfowl. At the Ocean Shores Golf Course along Pt.Brown Ave. we easily located the lingering immature SNOW GOOSE in the company of 10 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE. A mixed flock of Canada and Cackling Geese were separated nearby and consisted of 6 "Dusky"Canada Geese,2 "Aleutian"Cackling Geese and 2 "Taverner's"-type Cackling Geese.

Our visit to the Hoquiam STP hosted such highlights as a single female Canvasback,4 Eared Grebes,1 Red-necked Grebe and a single Bonaparte's Gull. A single "Dusky"Canada Goose was present amongst a small flock of Canada Geese in the grassy area at the extreme east end of the Bowerman basin Airport. A single Greater Yellowlegs was also present at this same location foraging in a shallow flooded area,before flying off to an unknown area. Just east of the Hoquiam STP and north of "K"Street was a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK observed hunting over an open,abandoned area. A flock of 75+ Pine Siskins were active feeding in several alder trees along the Airport Rd. just east of the Hoquiam STP.

We drove the perimeter of Brady Loop Rd. during the early part of our day and encountered just a few highlights beginning with a nice gathering of swans in a partially flooded corn stubble field just east of the intersection of Brady Loop Rd. and Foster Rd. This flock produced 32 Trumpeter Swans and 12 Tundra Swans and were our largest swan flock of the season so far in this immediate area. Other notable species in the immediate Brady Loop Rd. area consisted of the following species: 1 adult Cooper's Hawk,2 Am. Kestrels and 1 Greater Yellowlegs.



Good birding,

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