Hello All
Today I birded from Cape Disappointment to Tokeland. It was a good day, in
spite of the fairly miserable weather, and I ended with 134 species, 131 of
which were in Pacific County.

Started out the day with a long seawatch at the North Head Lighthouse. The
main spectacle during my stay were the approx. 50,000 Cackling Geese that
passed overhead, out to sea and then to the north. The ones I could see well
appeared to be taverneri and minima. Occasionally I heard Greater
White-fronted Geese in the flocks, but I don't know how many were mixed in.
The steady wind from the southeast gave them the perfect tailwind to get
their migration off on the right start (they could be in Alaska in a matter
of a day or two). Pacific Loons were streaming by about 2 miles out in very
large numbers, about 15,000 over 2 hours. Red-throated Loons were flying
aimlessly, nearer to shore. There were no tubenoses and very few alcids.
There were at least 12 imm. Brown Pelicans present, seemingly early if they
are arrivals. Also just 1 Common Tern, which should be arriving in numbers
on the coast sometime soon.

I then birded the rest of Long Beach Peninsula. The wind mostly ruined my
plans for passerine birding, but I did find a 2nd summer GLAUCOUS GULL at
Ocean Park.

Later, I birded along Bay Center Dike Road, scoping the shorebirds on rising
tide along the Palix River. There were vast numbers of Least Sandpipers, and
respectable counts for Western Sands, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher,
Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plover, et al. Highlight was a glorious
alternate plumaged PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER. There was also a Clark's Grebe in
high breeding plumage in the river.

Tokeland produced about 600 Marbled Godwits, 400 Short-billed Dowitchers, 75
Whimbrel, 1 Long-billed Curlew, and a Purple Martin. I checked for the
Grayland mockingbird but it was keeping quiet. My final stop for the day was
at Ocosta Third Street, across from Bottle Beach. There I had 3 Sora, 2 Wood
Ducks, and a male REDHEAD to complete the day's list.

Cheers
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington