Today I covered several places in Grays Harbor county today including Westport, Bottle Beach (at low tide), Grays Harbor NWR, and then Brady to Elma. I had to do a shorebird survey at the refuge so I missed the good tide at Bottle Beach. Here's the highlights:

At Grays Harbor NWR (Bowerman Basin) today between 11:30am to 3:00pm, I counted the following shorebirds:

Dunlin 25,000
Western Sandpiper 20,000
Semipalmated Plover 400
Black-bellied Plover 44
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Red Knot 4
Whimbrel 3 (fly over)
Least Sandpiper 3

Also, the lone Snow Goose is still present. It was in the fringe of the grass back by the parking area viewed from the end of the Sandpiper Trail. I didn't see any white-fronts today.

At Westport, I had nice views of Brown Pelicans and Pacific Loons. I couldn't find any rock-birds probably because of the low tide. At Ocosta Third Street, I heard a Sora on my two visits coming and going. At Bottle Beach, I managed to walk out on the mudflats a bit to gain views of Marbled Godwit and Short-billed Dowitchers.

Coming back home, I found a Solitary Sandpiper about half-way down Foster Rd. on the east side of the road. On the east side of Brady Loop, the flock of Black-bellied Plovers are still hanging out just north of the large pond in the same old field they seem to favor. The breeding plumaged Pacific-Golden Plover is still with them. Also, the basic plumaged golden-plover is there too. The basic plumage is very golden and I just can't get a good look at the primary projection to make the call. Sibley only shows Pacifics being golden in basic, but could this be the American that was reported by Tom Aversa? Someone help me with this one! It was pouring rain as I passed the dove house so I didn't even try.

Lastly, on the west end of Wenzel Slough Road most of the fields have been plowed and this evening there was at least 50 Whimbrel mixed with a gull flock enjoying the rewards from one of the giant fertilizer sprinklers (I affectionately call them "poop sprayers"). Also, here I found a single Lesser Yellowlegs.

Good birding,

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



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