Today brought another chance to bird out at the coast so I took it! I drove straight to Bottle Beach to try for the my main target bird, the White-tailed Kite. I walked about 10 yards down the trail and noticed a whitish-bird perched out in the middle of the field. I didn't think it would be that easy, but there it was in all its splendor. I watched it hover a couple times in the brisk winds. After Bottle Beach, I went to Westport where I concentrated my birding around the marina. Then onto Grayland to look for the Northern Mockingbird and then back home. Here's the highlights:

Westport - two breeding plumaged Pigeon Guillemots out in the channel; Horned Grebes, Western Grebes, and Red-breasted Mergansers were common in the boat basin

Grayland - I dipped on the mockingbird. I spoke to one of the homeowners near where it hangs out and she told me to come back later in spring when it starts to sing again. I did hear my first singing Purple Finch of the year here.

Brady Loop - Foster Rd. - Greater Yellowlegs were numerous in the flooded grassy fields near the north end

Wenzel Slough Rd. - (about midway) had a single male Wood Duck fly into a pond as I was driving by, first of the year bird

Wenzel Slough Rd. - (western end) Lots of new water and the roads are not flooded so now is a good time to view lots of different ducks here. I counted at least 3 Eurasian Wigeon in the flooded fields. Swans were here too, but I didn't scope them out today. Two other birders were scoping them as I drove by. Also, a Peregrine Falcon streaked over me while I scoped the ducks.

Vance Creek county park - Pond #1 (eastern-most) - the pair of Redheads continue.

I checked five Osprey nest sites today as well with all of them unoccupied.

Good birding,

Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo.com






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