Hello Tweeters and Dear Birders,
Yesterday it was one of the great days to remember the many trips Patrick my
Son and I exploring the
Great Shorebirds Migration Route of the Pacific Northwest.
I visiting Bottle Beach, including Acosta,Tokeland ,Midway Beach,and Brady
Loop Road.
I started at Bottle Beach at 9.00 AM,there where not to many cars in the
Parking area.So it seem I was early,high tide was at 11.00 AM.Most of the
birders had to wait since the birds was coming in Slow,You wait on the beach
for the birds coming closer to shore.If it was not for me scoping the many
groups in the thousand's Black-bellied Plovers ,Dowitchers .Dunlin's,Western
and Least Sandpipers,(the beach was loaded with feeding birds.THIS BIRDS
NEVER REACHING THE SHORE,SINCE some person was among this birds taken
pictures close up standing in deep water
All this birds,I am guessing here 4000 Migrating feeding vigorously for the
long journey North
to the breeding grounds.It was over for the feeding or roosting close to
shore.
Now we having this nice Park with all the habitat for the birds,but are we
stopping there feeding habit?Some of this birds will not survive the long
journey in the spring.
On the way out there where a group of youngsters with there leader .and
other visitor,who had an empty Beach.

The next stop was Acosta across from Bottle beach,
I was o happy to see the breeding Wood Ducks there,plus the Mallard Ducks 2
pair,Green-winged Teals 2 many singing Red-winged Blackbirds,and the wichity
wichity wichity calling of so many Common Yellowthroat,and 1 Virginia Rail
almost walked out of the Marsh.
Next was Tokeland,who was a relieve from Bottle Beach ,since all the birds
was save on the Jetty to watch and count so many Shorebirds.
I counted 456 Marbled Godwit, Dowitchers species,I heard both Species
calling,also the boardwalk is a little shaky on the end,that looking to the
scope was not that easy150 birds for the Dowitchers and
Dunlin over 500 ,Western & Least Sandpipers 150,
There where another group of Marbled flying in around150 what brings the
count on Marbled to 600
There where a small grassy island close to the building who had 5 Willet's
&1 on the jetty,also 10 Dunlin,2 Whimbrel,8 Dunlin and 18 Short-billed
Dowitchers feeding.It was a joy watching all the many Shorebirds.On the
parking lot where the camping area is,I watched the many BARN SWALLOWS
taken a bath in the puddle, I was eating my lunch in the car.
There also was 2 Common Loons and 4 greater Scaup<males and females,2
Red -breasted Merganser.Out in the open Water there where high count on
BRANT GEESE (guessing)800 birds

Graveyard Spit:
Here I had more Marbled Godwit 55 birds,Long line of peps including
Western,Least &Dunlin,
My guess 2000 birds,not forgetting the many Gulls and the noisy Caspian
Terns.

Next Midway Beach:
There is still The GATE,but there is no access to the beach on either
side.Looking to the left side in the canal ,Gadwall Ducks 6 birds and 15
Northern Shovelers.
To the right looking at a spit there where 150 Western Sandpipers and 25
Dunlin & 1 Marsh Hawk.
going out seeing on the road Savannah Sparrows 8 birds, with 2 Common
Yellowthroad singing.

It was getting around 4.30 PM and I stopped again at Bottle Beach,trying to
find some passerine on the new trail.But took a quick look at the beach,and
noticed the hundreds of Brant Geese (close to 500 birds.Also people walking
the beach,ALL had there DOG on a leach,even so there where no Shorebirds
around.We all speculated that since it became a park, the Dogs would be a
big problem,
chasing the Shorebirds on the beach,No other comments on this subject
It got kind of windy and there where few birds as Common Yellowthroads,White
& Golden Crowns
plus few Song Sparrow (who always responding to pishing) 2 Ruby C.Kingle'ts
was nice to see.
I decided to trying Brady Loop Road,what produced some nice addition to my
list.
Started at Simmons& Schaefer Boom Rd.
Green winged Teals 15, Pintails 25,Canada Geese 20, Least Sandpipers 6,In
grassy area Killdeer2,
A.PIPIT12 BIRDS & Adult Coopers Hawk
Brady Loop:Adult Bald Eagle,female Marsh Hawk. In some puddle water there
was around 30 pipits flying in bathing,this was fun to watch.Also where the
abunded house where on the corner always seeing birds there 25 Golden
C.Sparrows.Going to the North of Brady to the right water seeing 34
Green -winged Teal.Left side on the big pond ,Shovelers,Pintails
Bufflehead.reen-winged Teals&1
Cinnamon Teal.There also was a Lincoln Sparrow on the left side of Hiram
Road (always see the bird there)also 2 Scrub Jays.

It was a long day,but so rewarding as when I BIRDIED WITH MY SON PATRICK.
If any of you tweeters or birders about the Situation in the Park about the
Shorebirds,contact me in private please.

Cheers Ruth Sullivan