Birders,

The Whimbrels are back in force in Drayton Harbor at Blaine, WA. Yesterday
(April 25), looking south from the boat launch at the end of Mulhollin (off
of Marine Drive), I counted 56 WHIMBRELS and one MARBLED GODWIT on the
mudflats. As I watched, about half of them flew off to the NE, probably
heading for the "polo fields" along 8th Avenue in BC, E of 176th Street,
where they can often be seen feeding.

A good place to view Whimbrels, maybe better than the boat launch, is along
Peace Portal Drive about 3 blocks south of the business district, where one
has a great view over the mudflats of Drayton Harbor.

I found a total of 8 species of shorebirds around Blaine at the afternoon
high tide, although the variety was more noteworthy than the numbers. Also
seen were:

WESTERN SANDPIPER-- 250, mostly at the S end of Drayton Harbor, but
including a flock of 16 in Semiahmoo Bay off Marine Drive.

DUNLIN-- 7, of which 6 were with the 16 Western Sandpipers.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS-- 1 at the Mulhollin boat launch

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER-- 1 in Semiahmoo Bay

BLACK TURNSTONE-- noisy flock of 40 sitting on pilings next to the
Semiahmoo Resort, but easily visible by scope from the fishing pier.

KILLDEER-- 2 heard along Marine Drive.

There were also at least 15 CASPIAN TERNS with gulls on the mudflats, but no
COMMON TERNS-- hopefully they will arrive soon.


For those who wish to bird along Marine Drive in Blaine, be warned that
major construction is taking place along Peace Portal Drive just south of
the border, and you may have to wait 10 minutes to get into or out of the
marina area and fishing pier. I will be glad when all this at !!$*&%$
construction is finished for good!!


Good luck and good birding,

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net