Hi Tweeters,

I hiked out to Woodard Bay, Thurston County today with my wife and my friend Mark (a non-birding type). Nothing unexpected was spotted, but I just wanted to pass along that the Purple Martin boxes were hosting several pairs. I did not try to get an accurate count, but it was my impression that there were at least 5 active pairs coming and going. I also counted more than 200 Harbor Seals, including several pups, hauled out on the platforms in the bay. Several more were swimming about in the water. They were very vocal. It also seemed like each post in the water had a D-C Cormorant perched on top. A very pleasant place to picnic.

I also birded the coast yesterday with non-birder Mark. Lots of Caspian Gulls, but no Elegants, despite my best efforts to turn the juvenile Caspians into them. I was at Tokeland during high tide, so all of the godwits were hunkered down on the distant jetty. This morning I read Charlie Wright's post about the Hudsonian Godwit that he saw, and am driving everyone here crazy by kvetching and moaning that I didn't get there a few hours earlier. Life is cruel.

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net