Tweeters,

On Thursday, July 26th, Jamie Acker and I (George Gerdts) hiked out to the 4
mile mark on Dungeness Spit. Since at least 2004, there has been a colony
of Caspian Terns nesting at that location. We estimated 1200 pairs of Caspian
Terns, most feeding yet-to-fledge young. We observed the colony for about
an hour. Twice during our observation, a Bald Eagle flew near the colony,
precipitating an amazing defensive-response as the entire colony took flight to
meet the intruder! From our vantage point on the west side of the spit, we
observed 3 adult Arctic Terns carrying fish. All three Arctic Terns were seen
together a short distance from the main colony of Caspian Terns. We made the
assumption that there were at least 3 pairs of Arctic Terns nesting and
feeding young. These Arctic Terns are a disjunct nesting-population. The next
breeding population of Arctic Terns is almost 1000 miles north along the
Copper River Delta in Alaska! The Arctic Terns have been breeding at the
Dungeness site since at least 2005. Most probably they are the same birds that
attempted to nest along the Everett Waterfront with diminishing success
throughout the 1980s and '90s. Three pairs seems like a barely viable number for
long-term survival at this site. Has anyone documented more than that number of
birds? The round-trip hike to the colony is about 10 miles from the parking
lot. If you go, please respect the nesting birds by staying a safe distance
from the colony. A spotting scope is very helpful.
We also recorded 17 species of shorebirds in the Sequim area:
Black-bellied Plover: 75 at Three Crabs
Semi-palmated Plover: 100s along outer beach on the spit
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher: 2 nesting pairs at the tern colony
Greater Yellowlegs: one at Helen's Pond near Three Crabs
Spotted Sandpiper: 1 at Johnny-comelately Creek near the Clallam Casino
Whimbrel: 10 on the outer beach near the tern colony
Marbled Godwit: 25 on the outer beach near the tern colony
Ruddy Turnstone: 5 on the outer beach near the tern colony
Black Turnstone: 2 on the outer beach near the tern colony
Sanderling: 100s on outer beach some in bright alternate plumage
Semi-palmated Sandpiper: 1 at Johnny-comelatey Creek
Western Sanpiper: 100s on the outer beach (all adults)
Least Sandpiper: 25 at Johnny-comelately Creek
Dunlin: 150 on the outer beach near the tern colony
Short-billed Dowithcer: 100+ on the outer beach
Long-billed Dowithcer: 17 at Johnny-comelaltely Creek

Also nesting Pigeon Guillemots in amongst the terns.

Cheers,
George Gerdts



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