Hi Tweeters,

While scouting for the upcoming WOS Conference, I found an adult female
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK half way up the McKenzie Trail in Fort Canby (Pacific
County) at 9:30 this morning. It was with a large flock that was
predominantly Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Golden-crowned Kinglets. I
found it interesting that the Grosbeak's chip note was remarkably different
than Black-headed - slightly higher and, to my ears, a bit sharper. The
heavily streaked breast and prominent slightly buff tinged white
eyeline were obvious. Full report of the day follows:

At 3:10am, there was a noticeable flight of SWAINSON'S THRUSHes over my
Battle Ground, Clark County yard. However, today was to be dedicated to
scouting for the upcoming WOS meeting so I drove off to the coast through
intermittent rain drops. Just short of my first stop at the North Head
Lighthouse, a PORCUPINE crossed the road in front of me. This was a first
for Washington for me and only the 4th or 5th that I have ever seen alive.
A 90 minute sea watch form the lighthouse was productive:

Pacific Loon: '00s
Red-throated Loon: 2
Common Loon: 4
Western Grebe: 65
Sooty Shearwater: '000s
Pink-footed Shearwater: 3
MANX SHEARWATER: 1 (watched for 45 seconds as it cruised south closer than
the main stream of shearwaters) 7:05am
probable Short-tailed Shearwater: 2
Brown Pelican: 2500
Brandt's Cormorant: many
Double-crested Cormorant: many
Pelagic Cormorant: 10s
Canada Goose: 18 (northbound)
Surf Scoter: 10
White-winged Scoter: 12
Parasitic Jaeger: 6
Pomarine Jaeger: 2
unidentified Jaeger: 2
California, Glaucous-winged, Heermann's, and Western Gulls: many
Caspian Tern: 200
Common Murre: 75
Pigeon Guillemot: 4
Rhinoceros Auklet: 1
Marbled Murrelet: 6
Afterwards, I visited Fort Canby Park. The north jetty didn't yield much -
no rockpipers. The woods held a variety of species including the previously
mentioned Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Species included:

Black-throated Gray Warbler 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Wilson's Warbler 2
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Warbling Vireo 3
Western Tanager 1
and others........

East of Ilwaco on Stringtown Road near the small airport, 22 Turkey Vultures
flew over.

For those on the Ilwaco/Fort Canby WOS field trip, I highly recommend
bringing your spotting scope along as most of the shearwaters and jaegers
were about a mile out.

Keep your eyes and ears skyward.

Jim
--
Jim Danzenbaker
Battle Ground, WA
360-723-0345
jdanzenbaker at gmail.com
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