Hello Tweets,

Today we enjoyed another nice day birding at Ocean Shores with many good highlights,although overall the day was still on the slow side diversity wise. We also made a morning visit along a portion of the Brady Loop Rd. complex and the Hoquiam STP. The weather was nearly superb again at Ocean Shores with partly to mostly sunny skies,as we spent much of the day on foot walking a good portion of the Oyhut Wildlife Area,as well as visiting a few other locations. A list of our main highlights for the day follow below:

1 lingering EARED GREBE at the Cabana Pond(Ocean Shores)

1 "beached" intermediate morph NORTHERN FULMAR located resting calmly along the open beaches near the high tide line just north of the Marine View Drive beach access at Ocean Shores. The bird seemed dazed and disoriented,but was also alert and it was unclear of the actual physical state of the bird such as if it was internally injured.

4 separate migrating groups of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE all observed flying south over various locations at Ocean Shores. The first 2 groups consisted of 250+ birds noted at separate times during an evening visit to Bill's Spit,then a 3rd smaller flock of 58 birds noted flying south over the outer beaches from the Marine View Drive beach access. Our 4th flock of Greater White-fronted Geese consisted of 35 birds flying south,(but much lower than the previous flocks)just as we left Ocean Shores along S.R.109. It was great to see these migrating flocks as they drifted overhead continuing south and hopefully more flocks will be noted by other observers across Washington and Oregon. Good numbers of Brown Pelicans still persist at Ocean Shotres,especially gathering in large groups in North Bay.

1 somewhat distant juvenile WHITE-TAILED KITE noted perched atop a short snag along the south side of Foster Rd.(accessed from the Brady Loop Rd. complex).

44 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS and 5 Marbled Godwits during the evening incoming tide at Bill's Spit

1 somewhat late BAIRD'S SANDPIPER at the Oyhut Wildlife Area

1 late PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER observed amongst a mixed passerine flock along a "greenbelt" at the Oyhut WA

3 WESTERN BLUEBIRDS observed amongst a large Am.Robin flock along the southwestern portion of the Brady Loop Rd. complex.

32 LAPLAND LONGSPURS and 25 Am.Pipits at the Oyhut WA


With this highlight list we wish to mention a few mentioned a few more details on our day,as well as include a list of noteworthy species we encountered at selected locations.

The day started off good with a stop made along Foster Rd. for at least one White-tailed Kite we easily located way across a uncut corn field along the south side of the road,which could also be visible from the corner of Brady Loop Rd. at the north end of Foster Rd. From there we drove straight to the Hoquiam STP,where we scoped the main pond then walked in amongst the riparian area(accessed just north of the main pond)in search of passerines. From the Hoquiam STP we spent the remainder of the day at Ocean Shores with much of the time walking the Oyhut WA and making stops at Bill's Spit,Cyber Lake and ending the day with a walk along the outer beaches between Driftwood Street and Butter Clam Street beach access. Overall shorebirds were our main priority of the trip as usual and although conditions were quite slow we still enjoyed the day due to the amount of highlights we managed to locate,despite not even doing any walking at Damon Point!. It was great walking the Oyhut WA from behind the Ocean Shores STP to the Tonquin Ave. access then onto the base of Damon Point. This area has alot to offer and each time we see something different here even if we don't do as much walking there on each visit. It seems there is always something nice to see at Ocean Shores and if nothing else enjoying this coastal area!


A list of our most notable highlights encountered at selected locations includes the following:


Hwy.12 at Elma,Grays Harbor Co. 9:15am

5 Western Scrub Jays

Brady Loop Rd. complex,GH 9:30am-10am

1 WHITE-TAILED KITE
1 Am.Kestrel
3 WESTERN BLUEBIRDS
1 Varied Thrush

Hwy.12 west of Montesano,GH

1 Merlin

Hoquiam STP,GH 11am-11:40am

6 Greater Scaup
2 Lesser Scaup
5 Surf Scoters
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
1 Am.Coot
5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
40+ Yellow-rumped warblers
1 Common Yellowthroat
3 Lincoln's Sparrows
12 Purple Finches

Cyber Lake,GH(accessed via S.R.115 just north of Ocean Shores) 12:05pm-12:20pm

15 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Long-billed Dowitchers
3 Am.Pipits

Oyhut Wildlife Area,GH 1pm-3:45pm

1 Red-throated Loon
2 Horned Grebes
30 Green-winged Teal
24 Surf Scoters
10 White-winged Scoters
3 Northern Harriers
1 female Harlequin Duck
2 Black-bellied Plovers
1 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Whimbrel
35 Least Sandpipers
1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
10 Dunlin
3 Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Wilson's Snipe
1 Hairy Woodpecker(somewhat noteworthy for location)
1 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER
1 Hutton's Vireo
5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
25 Am.Pipits
1 Yellow Warbler
70+ Yellow-rumped Warblers
3 Lincoln's Sparrows
32 LAPLAND LONGSPURS
1 Western Meadowlark
8 Purple Finches

Ocean Shores Marina,GH 4pm

2 Harlequin Ducks

Bill's Spit,GH 4:40pm-5:30pm

12 Common Loons
500+ GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
40 Surf Scoters
8 White-winged Scoters
44 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS
5 Marbled Godwits
1 Mew Gull(along with thousands and thousands of gulls that came into roost at Bill's Spit with most of the gulls being California Gulls)
3 Am.Pipits

Cabana Pond,GH 5:40pm

2 Pied-billed Grebes
1 EARED GREBE
2 Ring-necked Ducks

outer beaches between Driftwood Street to Butter Clam Street beach access,GH 5:50pm-6:40pm

1 NORTHERN FULMAR
58 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
small numbers of migrating Northern Pintail and Am.Wigeon flying southbound just offshore of the outer beaches
26 Black-bellied Plovers
30 Sanderlings
20 Western Sandpipers
15 Dunlin


Our mammal highlights of the day were 2 River Otters including 1 at the Oyhut WA and 1 at the Ocean Shores Marina.



Good birding,

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