I did some birding in Pacific County on Tuesday (8/18). I walked far out on the mudflats at Leadbetter Point SP since the tide was still a ways out, and found the following.
Short-billed Dowitcher - 6Sanderling - 150Dunlin - 80Western Sandpiper - 300Least Sandpiper - 150Black-bellied Plover - 35
North Head Lighthouse seawatch (12:50-2:40pm)
Sooty Shearwater - ~150/min (16,500)Red-throated Loon - 1HORNED GREBE - 2Pigeon Guillemot - 8Common Murre - 300Caspian Tern - 300Brown Pelican - 60GRAY WHALE - 2 came by very close headed N, great to watch
I started east, and birded Julia Butler NWR in hopes of relocating Matt's Black Phoebe from a couple weeks ago. I think it must have moved on. I did have a Greater Yellowlegs, and 13 PURPLE MARTINS.
Heading NW I had 5 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS over the freeway just north of Castle Rock in Cowlitz County.

Yesterday morning I started early at Paradise on Mt. Rainier. I somehow managed to not cross paths with Lonnie, and also somehow managed to miss ptarmigans. I spent a good deal of time scanning meadows and streams but couldn't turn up any, even in the "usual" spot just east of Panorama Point. Ah well, that's how it goes sometimes. I did have 2 Sooty Grouse quite high up, flying across one of the meadows, and a few Western Tanagers seemingly lost up in the alpine. Back near the Visitor Center 2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS flew right overhead, nice for Pierce County.
Headed down the grade in Lewis County, a GOLDEN EAGLE was perched high on a ridgeline. Later there were at least 5 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS hawking insects and loads of Vaux's Swifts as well.
I decided to bird Fort Simcoe in hopes of Ash-throated Flycatcher. It must be a little late in the season, and the 100 degree heat couldn't have helped. I did find 2 PURPLE FINCHES, a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, 8 or so LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS, and a couple BREWER'S SPARROWS. Several Western Wood-Pewees were the only flycatchers I could stir up after hiking all around through the oak forest. I also had 2 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES at the town of Harrah on my way out.
Now that it was cooling off I went for a little migrant birding. Wanapum SP from 4:30-6:20pm had the following.
Warbling Vireo - 1Nashville Warbler - 1MacGillivray's Warbler - 4Yellow Warbler - 7, breedersDusky Flycatcher - 1Common Nighthawk - 15
Ginko Petrified Forest SP (6:35-6:50)
Hammond's Flycatcher - 2OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER - 1Wilson's Warbler - 1Yellow Warbler - 4Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH - 1Warbling Vireo - 1
Last, I pulled off at Moses Lake and had 5 CLARK'S GREBES, including 1 on a nest just north of the highway.
Michael WoodruffSpokane, WA
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