I toured the Grays Harbor area for the two days mentioned. Weather on April
30 was sunny and warm, except for the evening, when it hailed on Bill's
Spit, followed by a complete double rainbow. On May 1 it was cold,
overcast, intermittently rainy with a few sun breaks. The highlight was the
Red Knot, which I nearly gave up on until Joe Higbee told me where to spot
it (Thanks, Joe). That is one lovely bird, with its salmon-toned breast,
peppery back and no-nonsense beak.



On the return trip I took a driving break at Nisqually NWR. At this point
the sun was out, which really made those cinnamon teal and wood ducks glow.



I have listed the birds seen in the Grays Harbor Area.



April 30



Humptulips Boat Launch (12:30 PM)

Hermit Thrush



Bills' Spit (1:00 PM, 2.5 h after high tide)

Caspian Tern

Glaucous Winged Gull

Short Billed Dowitcher

Dunlin

Western Sandpiper

(8:00 PM)

Short Billed Dowitcher

Mew Gull

Black Bellied Plover

Ruddy Turnstone

Common Loon

White Crowned Sparrow



Ocean Shores Sewage Treatment Plant (3:00PM)

Ruff (female)

Greater Scaup

Canada Goose

Whimbrel

Kildeer

Savannah Sparrow



Damon Point (5:00 PM)

Glaucous Winged Gulll

Marbled Godwit

Dowitcher (probably short billed)



May 1



Bill's Spit (7:00 AM)

Black Bellied Plover

Dunlin

Western Sandpiper

Ruddy Turnstone

Caspian Tern



Bottle Beach SP (10:45 AM ca. 30 min before high tide)

Semipalmated Plover

Dunlin

Western Sandpiper

Short Billed Dowitcher

Ruddy Turnstone

Red Knot (at least 9)

Orange Crowned Warbler

Black Capped Chickadee





Marvin S. Hoekstra

Sammamish, WA

marvin dot hoekstra at verizon dot net