Hi Tweeters,

My wife and I spent the weekend in Grayland. I went to Bottle Beach three
times. Saturday morning when I got there at about 11:00, two guys (whose
names I didn't get) were looking at a bird they couldn't identify. It was a
juvenile Ruff, which was foraging with Short-billed Dowitchers. There were
also many Black-bellied Plovers and Western Sandpipers, with a couple of
Least Sandpipers mixed in and one Whimbrel.

Saturday evening I was walking on the beach with my wife and some friends
but without binos. There were many small flocks of Western Sandpipers
flying back and forth. Many times they flew closely past, separating to
pass on both sides of me. It was really quite magical. I don't think I
would have enjoyed it nearly as much if I had my binos with me.

Sunday morning at Bottle Beach were many Black-bellied Plovers, one Red
Knot, Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers and Short-billed Dowitchers. A
Peregrine Falcon swooped through and unsuccessfully tried to grab the
scattering shorebirds. In the early afternoon we went to Tokeland and
enjoyed the many Marbled Godwits on the dock and also found 10 or so
Willets. A stop at Midway Beach found one Snowy Plover and many
Sanderlings.

I walked quite a ways out the Westport jetty Sunday afternoon. I found
several Ruddy Turnstones and Black Turnstones, one Surfbird and one
Wandering Tattler.

Monday morning at Bottle Beach found all of the usual suspects, about 150
Marbled Godwits and three Red Knots. A Peregrine again scared everyone
away. As they were starting to return, a small flock of Western Sandpipers
landed with the Ruff among them. They stayed a very short time and all of
the shorebirds disappeared.

I was able to get photos of the Ruff, which are in the new photos folder on
my website, along with the turnstones from the jetty.

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA

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Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA
dgranstrand at charter.net
(or dennygranstrand at yahoo.com)
Bird photos at: granstrand.net/gallery/

I am having trouble with my charter.net e-mail. If you need to contact me
soon, please use the yahoo.com address.