Well, I'm?back from my 1.5 year work-related stint in Alaska, and my note to Tweeters a couple days ago brought Knute Hudson, Jo Waldron, Brian Bell and me together this?gorgeous day to look for BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS.?

As Lonnie Somer already reported, we saw 4 juveniles about 1/4-1/3 miles?on the south side of the entrance road to Midway Beach.? They were easily located?in?a sandy and grassy lowland area; they were actively feeding as they moved north.??Tho' this stretch had?an?occasional pond, we found them in a dry area.??Just after passing us, they stayed put about 25 feet away.? With the sun behind us,?we enjoyed as perfect a look?a birder?could ever hope for.??It was incredible!? Just to give you an idea of what a rare treat they were:? Brian declared it the best look he's ever had of this species and at the end of the day we all rated?it the best bird experience of the day.??A lifer for me to boot.??

A complete list of the birds seen?from?Tokeland to?Ocean Shores?follows at the end.?

Other noteworthy items were juvenile and adult HORNED LARKS at Midway.? No snowy plovers, however.? At Tokeland, the only shorebirds?found were MARBLED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, and WILLETS on the rocks across from the boat ramp.?

The jetty at Ocean Shores proved to be productive with nice views of a pair of RED-THROATED LOONS, several SOOTY SHEARWATERS, COMMON MURRE, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, WHITE-WINGED and SURF SCOTERS, and all 3 CORMORANTS.? The only shore birds were BLACK TURNSTONES and SURFBIRDS.?

53 species seen:

Surf scoter
White-winged scoter
Red-throated loon
Common loon
Sooty shearwater
Brown pelican
Brandt's cormorant
Double-crested cormorant
Pelagic cormorant
Great blue heron
Turkey vulture
Northern harrier
Red-tailed hawk
Killdeer
Willet
Whimbrel
Marbled godwit
Black turnstone
Surfbird
Sanderling
Western sandpiper
Least sandpiper
Buff-breasted sandpiper
Red-necked phalarope
Heerman's gull
Ring-billed gull
California gull
Western gull
Glaucous-winged gull
Caspian tern
Common murre
Pigeon guillemot
Rhinoceros auklet
Belted kingfisher
Northern flicker
Steller's jay
American crow
Common raven
Horned lark
Purple martin
Barn swallow
Black-capped chickadee
American robin
European starling
Cedar waxwing
Savannah sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
Brewer's blackbird
Brown-headed cowbird
Purple finch
House finch
American goldfinch
House sparrow

It was a mighty fine day, and I am glad to be?back among friendly birders.?

Georgia Conti
Seattle
206-979-9961?

________________________________________________________________________
Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com