Hello Tweets,

Today Jim Pruske joined us,as we all birded from the Elma area to Westport in Grays Harbor Co. We encountered many of the same species than recent trips along this route with just a few new sightings to report. The weather remained quite wet all day with the best conditions earliest in the day and turning wetter as the day went on,as well as windy areas too specifically in the Westport area. We were just happy to get out despite the weather and check areas as the early spring season begins. We began at Vance Creek Co. Park,where the nice pair of REDHEADS continue at the eastern most pond,as well as the lingering Western Grebe that we observed in the large pond near the portable toilet at the park too. We continued along Wenzel Slough Rd. and located a flock of 7 Long-billed Dowitchers feeding in a flooded area just south of the Newman Creek bridge. Next, we located the "BEWICK'S" SWAN in amongst a small swan flock in grassy fields north of Wenzel Slough Rd. and east of Keys Rd. The "Bewick's" Swan was visible from the road without a scope,as it intermingled with at least 1 Tundra Swan and small numbers of Trumpeter Swans and we did obtain quick scope views of the bird before continuing our trip. Also noted at this location were large numbers of Canada and Cackling Geese,which hosted 4 Greater White-fronted Geese,as well as our first of two male Eurasian Wigeons for the day. A 1st winter plumaged GLAUCOUS GULL(our first of 6 birds for the day)was also encountered at this location amongst a scattered gull flock that foraged on earthworms.

>From Keys Rd. we drove straight to Bottle Beach,where conditions were somewhat windy and birding was slow. 2 Peregrine Falcons flew the exposed mudflats towards inland areas,where they landed together near the upper beach shoreline. We did encounter our first of two large flocks of Yellow-rumped Warblers for the day at Bottle Beach,where we estimated 60+ birds that greeted us at the entrance trail,as well as single birds in deciduous trees bordering Bottle Beach. All of these birds were of the "Myrtle" subspecies,but all still very drab in plumage and were are apparently beginning to gather for migration. Nearby, a quick visit to a wetland area along Ocosta Third Street produced 3 Wood Ducks just south of Atlantic Avenue along with 2 Hooded Mergansers and a small assortment of other waterfowl species.

At Westport we checked 2 locations including the Westport Marina and Westhaven State Park. Conditions at both locations were quite slow bird wise,where the wind was the strongest. Our main highlights from both locations consisted of 2 Rock Sandpipers(with 10 Black Turnstones)at the base of the jetty at Westhaven S.P. , small numbers of Red-throated Loons and 1 Red-necked Grebe in Grays Harbor observed from the Westport Marina. From Westport we traveled back to Bottle Beach,then onto the Johns River WRA,then onto the Hoquiam STP. At the Hoquiam STP we encountered a single 1st winter plumaged GLAUCOUS GULL amongst just a few other large gulls(including 1 adult Herring Gull),as they rested on the pier over the main pond. A peregrine Falcon was noted nearby,as it dropped from tall light towers along Airport Rd. The main pond was quite empty of most waterfowl,but good numbers of Tree Swallows hunted over the main pond,as well as perched from low fence wires that contained at least 1 Violet-green Swallow. Our second and largest concentration of Yellow-rumped Warblers were noted from willow trees along the north side of the main pond,where they remained very active and flew down to low fence wires near the pond for insects. We estimated 200+ birds in this scattered flock,as they moved from tree to tree.

On our way home we drove the entire Brady Loop Rd. complex,where a few highlights included the following:

15 "Dusky" Canada Geese
1 male Eurasian Wigeon(observed in flooded fields along Foster Rd. amongst a flock of Am.Wigeon and other common waterfowl)
1 Ruddy Duck
1 female "Taiga" Merlin
2 Am.Kestrels
1 male Ring-necked Pheasant
25+ Black-bellied Plovers(with 5 Dunlin)
1 California Gull
3+ Herring Gulls
4 GLAUCOUS GULLS(including 1 adult bird with 3 1st winter plumaged birds in grassy fields along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.)



Other notable species encountered during the day included the following:

Band-tailed Pigeons
2 wet birds perched in a tree along the north side of S.R.105 just west of Aberdeen,which represented our personal first of the season in Grays Harbor Co.)

Lincoln's Sparrow
1 bird at the Bishop Athletic Complex(accessed along he north side of S.R. 105 west of Aberdeen)

Purple Finch
1 female bird at the Johns River WRA



Good birding,

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