Hello Birders,

Today we ventured back to the Tokeland Marina(in Washington State)specifically in hope of obtaining better and more photos of the Bar-tailed Godwits that we located yesterday. We arrived at the Tokeland Marina this afternoon at 12:30pm during incoming tide,where very few Marbled Godwits were observed along with 14 Willets. We waited with our spotting scopes as the tide level increased by checking a few locations ,including scanning over Willapa Bay. Upon scanning over the bay looking southwest we located a very large distant flock of Marbled Godwits that swirled over an island in the bay. The flock eventually landed on what we presumed were the Snag Islands as depicted in our Washington DeLorme Atlas. We figured that if the Bar-tailed Godwits were still around that they would be in that flock of birds. At 1:30pm a large flock of Marbled Godwits clouded the skies from the southwest over the Tokeland Marina,where they soon settled down onto the inner portion of the jetty. Within 10 minutes of scanning the resting flock of Marbled Godwits we located the 2 BAR-TAILED GODWITS,which rested separately in the large flock. We both stood at the end of the northern most dock in the marina near the nesting Purple Martins,where the best views of the godwit flock was obtained. We watched both adult Purple Martins bringing back food to the hungry young in the old tire on several occasions including the adult female returning on one visit with a large dragonfly. We both took photos of both Bar-tailed Godwits,although one bird was far more cooperative and visible than the other bird. It was fun testing out our latest digital camera with the help of our Leica spotting scope,which greatly helped with the distance.

For another hour we watched as both Bar-tailed Godwits would pull then tuck their head in from their backs,but also move to different areas of the jetty within the flock of Marbled Godwits and other shorebirds. At 3pm we surprisingly located a third Bar-tailed Godwit further towards the left side of the spread out flock,which appeared to be in the same plumage as the other 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. It was exciting to see this bird for a total of 3 Bar-tailed Godwits! We were able to photograph all 3 birds,but none of the birds were photographed together,but all seemed very tired. Hopefully, all 3 Bar-tailed Godwits will remain at the Tokeland Marina for other birds to see during upcoming days and it appears the best time for viewing them would be at high tide when the large flock of Marbled Godwits is present on the jetty. Perhaps as the flock increases the birds will move closer to shore onto the old wooded dock for better viewing. We will post our latest photos of the Bar-tailed Godwits tomorrow,but overall we were pleased with the results compared to yesterday's photos.

While watching the Bar-tailed Godwits we assembled a list of other shorebirds at the Tokeland Marina too including the following species:

1 Black-bellied Plover
14 Willets
10 Whimbrel
700+ Marbled Godwits
5 Ruddy Turnstones
15 Black Turnstones
1 juvenile RED KNOT
9 Short-billed Dowitchers


While scanning Willapa Bay from the marina area we located 2 CLARK'S GREBES that eventually drifted and worked themselves further south in the bay to join 2 White-winged Scoters. An adult Peregrine Falcon flew over the Tokeland Marina then continued westward towards Graveyard Spit. A single Red-throated Loon was also present from this location and 4 adult Mew Gulls were located across the tip of Graveyard Spit roosting with other gulls and Caspian Terns. In addition we also observed 3 adult Mew Gulls yesterday during our hike at Damon Point(Ocean Shores).

After our visit to Tokeland we birded Midway Beach Rd. now that the Snowy Plover nesting area is officially open to the public for the season. We checked the flooded area south of the end of the road,as well as walk a short ways north with the wind. Upon arriving before parking our vehicle we observed a single PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER flying over the road north to south in silhouette form. We soon were able to relocate the bird,as it landed along the edges of the flooded area revealing itself to be an adult bird in alternate plumage with heavy white splotches within the back belly and breast area. It was a great bird to see and it seemed like it greeted us here! The bird eventually lifted and flew north again,as it called loudly until it landed in the direction we were walked. We later relocated the bird amongst a feeding flock of other shorebirds,where we obtained several photos. Other notable species observed during our visit to this location included the following:

24 Northern Pintail(observed flying south over the shoreline)
1 Turkey Vulture
3 juvenile Snowy Plovers(including one banded bird)
70+ Semipalmated Plovers
3 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS
160+ Western Sandpipers
45+ Least Sandpipers
13 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS
2 Short-billed Dowitchers
4 Red-necked Phalaropes


On our way home we observed 6 Great Egrets resting in saltmarsh "islands" along S.R.105 west of Bay City. Our day started nicely with an adult FORSTER'S TERN that flew low over he S.R.105 bridge at Aberdeen before continuing along the Chehalis River westward towards Bowerman Basin. This was a very surprising occurrence,which represented possibly the second Grays Harbor Co. record for this species.

Other species of note during our short day of birding included the following:

Turkey Vulture
1 bird along I-5 flying over the Nisqually NWR
1 bird flying along Hwy.12 at Elma
1 bird along S.R.105 west of Bay City
1 bird along S.R.105 at the Johns River WRA

1 Merlin observed flying along S.R.105 north of Grayland



Good birding,


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