Yesterday, Penny Koyama and I spent the day birding on the coast between
Johns River and Tokeland. Here are some of the highlights:

Johns River was quiet, but we did see a WILSON'S SNIPE, 5 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 20 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 1 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE along the
river.

Shorebird numbers at Bottle Beach were low, but we found 1 RUDDY and 1
BLACK TURNSTONE, about 50 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and about 30 LEAST and 4
WESTERN SANDPIPERS.

We made a brief stop at the Beachcomber Deli in Grayland, and easily
found the resident NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (finally...I think this was the
fourth or fifth time I have looked for this bird).

At Midway Beach, a pond just to the left of the entrance road and easily
visible from the legal side of the off-limits signs, hosted a flock of 7
shorebird species, including RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS, LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 1 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 1
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, and 1 color-banded SNOWY PLOVER. There was a
flock of 34 SANDERLINGS, in various messy-looking stages of molt, on the
beach. A big flock of gulls (mostly HEERMANN'S) feeding on something
just offshore included 6-8 SOOTY SHEARWATERS.

At the Tokeland Marina, there were about 20 WHIMBRELS and 10 WILLETS out
on the breakwater with the usual flock of MARBLED GODWITS. In town, we
saw 1 MOURNING DOVE closely following or chasing a small flock of
BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS, which seemed rather strange.

Back in Westport, we stopped at Westhaven State Park. In the small bay
visible from the pullout before the main lot at the restrooms, we saw 5
RED-THROATED LOONS and 2 BLACK SCOTERS on the water, and 2 BRANT resting
on the shore. On the open water outside of the Westport Marina, a small
flock of PIGEON GUILLEMOTS included 1 RHINOCEROS AUKLET.

The Hoquiam STP was our final stop of the day. There wasn't much on the
water, but a very vocal OSPREY was calling from near the nest, the fence
wires around the pond were lined with dozens of cute, newly-fledged BARN
SWALLOWS, and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER startled us by running across the road
in front of our car.

All in all, it was a good day!

Rachel Lawson
Seattle
RachelWL at msn.com