Greetings All
This morning I was obliged to be in South Bend, so I took the opportunity to
check out some birds along Hwy 101. My best find was a pair of Emperor Geese
along Hwy 101 west of South Bend, in the last fields on the north side of
the highway past Carruthers Road. They were with a flock of Dusky Canada and
Cackling (mostly Taverner's) geese, and a single imm. Greater White-fronted
Goose. I saw the birds at 9:40am., and they were not in the field when I
went by later around noon. They are very likely still somewhere in the area.

This is approximately the same location where Steve Mlodinow found an
Emperor Goose in February 2002. Here is a Google map indicating the spot:
http://tinyurl.com/2l9flv

Also in the South Bend fields and flooded areas were 2 White-tailed Kites, a
dark morph Harlan's Hawk, and a Lesser Yellowlegs among about 25 Greater. At
Bay Center I had two Peregrine Falcons and a nice flock of shorebirds, but
nothing unusual.

Lastly, I checked Tokeland at extreme low tide. The marina had only
Long-billed Dowitchers for shorebirds, though I could see about 1000 godwits
and at least 1 Long-billed Curlew foraging in Willapa Bay. I had a
tan-striped White-throated Sparrow with a large passerine flock along
Pomeroy Ave, along with about 5 Anna's Hummingbirds displaying and coming to
feeders.

Photos of the Emperor Geese can be seen here:
http://flickr.com/photos/potoo/

Thanks,
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington