Sherry and I did some birding on the way to the shorebird festival in Hoquiam. Our first stop was in Tokeland at Graveyard Spit. Here we saw Whimbrels, Marbled Godwits, Caspian Terns, and 1 Long-billed Curlew flying north. Further up at the rock dike, we had Black and Ruddy Turnstones. At the marina, we added Purple Martins, Common Loons, Buffleheads, Dunlins, Willets, more Marbled Godwits, Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers, Western Sandpipers, and 1 Red Knot (no bands or tags). Next stop was at North Cove where we had lots of Western Gulls and a Bald Eagle. A quick stop at Midway Beach got us Savannah Sparrows, Semipalmated Plovers, Western and Least Sandpipers, Dunlins, and both dowitchers. At a beach access in Grayland we added Sanderlings. Next stop was at Westport. Here we saw more Common Loons, Pigeon Guillemots, Pelagic Cormorants, Brandts Cormorants, Harbor Seals, and a Sealion. Next we hit Bottle Beach. The shorebirds which consisted of Western Sandpipers, Dunlins, both dowitchers were bunched up like a large mat on the beach. Also we had 2 Ruddy Turnstones, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, a flock of Brant, and 14 Black-bellied Plovers. At the Hoquiam STP we had, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, and a nice flock of Greater White-fronted Geese. Our last stop on the way home was Dunlap Rd. Here we found about 25 Whimbrel in a newly plowed field.

Dave Hayden
Centralia, WA
dtvhm AT nwrain.com