I'm on the coast right now and thought I'd report on what I've had so far. Yesterday evening (8/16), I headed west, stopping just before sundown and grabbing the BLACK-THROATED SPARROW on Huntzinger Rd .8 mile south of Wanapum SP where others have had it. Also a family of SAGE THRASHERS even though the sage isn't really that thick there.
I tried several spots along the Old Vantage Hwy for POORWILL, and finally had one respond well vocally at MP 22.5. I finished up the evening owling around Liberty, and had a GH Owl and a really nice N SAW-WHET OWL perched low and calling nonstop.
This morning (8/17) as I came near Snoqualmie Pass, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew across the valley at Gold Creek Rd. I looked for the Indigo Bunting at Three Forks NA, but either it is completely silent and unresponsive now, or it has moved on. The last report I recall seeing was from August 5. I didn't have any Lazuli's today either. Maybe they're still around and just being incredibly secretive? I did have some fun birds though including a couple RED-EYED VIREOS, a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and a migrant WILSON'S WARBLER.
On to the coast then. I started behind the Ocean Shores STP where the female KING EIDER was fairly close. A PEREGRINE chased an OSPREY for a bit, and 1 COMMON LOON was a ways out.
I moved on to the Pt Brown Jetty, but nasty sea fog kept me from doing much of a sea watch. At the base of the jetty there were 4 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 10 BLACK TURNSTONES, and 1 SURFBIRD.
I ran into Jerry Cole and Mike Marsh at the Tonquin Ave access, and they pointed me towards where the Denny's apparently had the rare shorebirds this morning. I spent a good deal of time, and got my feet nice and muddy, but eventually located the juvenile RUFF. The Sharp-tailed Sands eluded me although I worked the area pretty well. Other species included 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER among tons of Western and Least, 15 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 6 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 4 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and both yellowlegs.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE flew into the large spruce while I was coming back, and I had another Collared-Dove along Ocean Shores Blvd.
The outer beach from Taurus Ave north had a few hundred SANDERLINGS and a number of SOOTY SHEARWATERS.
Later I tried Bottle Beach but the tide was way out and I didn't see much. On to the Westport Jetty where I hiked a ways out. I had a SPOTTED SANDPIPER on the rocks as well as 4 WANDERING TATTLERS and a BLACK TURNSTONE. Lots of SOOTY SHEARWATERS were coming by and lots of COMMON MURRES on the water. The highlight was a POMARINE JAEGER observed for a bit. Additional species include 3 PACIFIC LOONS, 1 COMMON LOON, and 1 RHINOCERUS AUKLET. It was fun having lots of Brown Pelicans float along the jetty over me as they headed out of the harbor for the evening.
Midway Beach was empty, maybe because it was too late in the day, but Tokeland was good. I did see a pale Marbled Godwit among the 550 or so others. It is the same coloration as a Bar-tailed, but clearly not. I also had 7 WILLETS, 7 WHIMBREL, and 1 LONG-BILLED CURLEW to make a nice list of large shorebirds. 4 PURPLE MARTINS played around up above as the sun set.
Michael WoodruffSpokane, WA
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