Tweeters:

Hiked the Spit yesterday, in hopes of doing a bit better on shorebirds than
I had been. There were 12 species total, seen mostly from the first dolly
(about 1 mile out) out to the Lighthouse. No rarities but highlights
included two RED KNOTS, two MARBLED GODWITS, and 5 Baird's Sandpipers. Less
expected were the sparrows out as the spit widens, at the junction with
Graveyard Spit. I was noticing a number of migrant Savanannahs moving about
the driftwood when a (Sooty) FOX SPARROW hopped out--definitely sticking out
like a sore thumb and seemingly misplaced in the bleached, pale dune
environment. But things got more interesting, because pishing brought out
one, then two, then three--GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, followed by a
first-winter CHIPPING SPARROW! In all, there were five sparrow sp. in this
flock of 25 or so birds out on the dunes just before the lighthouse. One
wonders what other passerines stop here in September: I remember running
into two Hermit Thrush here on my last September hike all the way out, some
25 years ago, the birds similarly completely out of place in treeless,
driftwood-laden dunes.

Upon return, I ran into three visitors who were adamant that they had a
Black-crowned Night-Heron at the base of the spit; I had no luck myself. I
am not even sure if BCNH has been previously recorded for Clallam Co., so
visitors may want to keep an eye out.

Guess it must be September--great time to be out birding.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com