We just spent 2 days birding : first on Hurricane Ridge and then along the shore.? Hurricane Ridge flowers are just past their peak.? Paintbrush still coming but Glacier & Avalanche Lilies gone.? We were there in the late afternoon and were delighted to find a female Sooty Grouse with 2 chicks at the summit at the end of the trail? I tried to get a little closer for better pictures when I heard peeping from the brush at my feet.? Right next to me were at least 3 more chicks.? I just stood there as they peeked out to have their pictures taken.? Nearby were? Vaux's Swifts and Horned Larks.

Thursday am we birded from Port Angles to 3 Crabs restaurant.? My shorebirding is cursed by the original sin of birding in Palo Alto, CA for 30 years.? I could see 1,000's of shorebirds 11 months of the year (forget June).? As a result, I'm eternally disappointed shorebirding just about anywhere else.? Ediz spit had zero shorebirds as did Dungeness NWR.? At least Ediz had lots of young Harlequin ducks.? Cline Spit had nothing except tons of Collared Doves.? Cline landing had a few very distant Black-bellied Plovers & peep.? Forget these spots at low tide.? Finally, we had a dozen close Black-bellieds & one Semi-palmated Plover at 3 Crabs.? Best sighting there was a family of Otters that came running across the mud flats -- Mom & 3 pups.? Finally, just as we were leaving a lone Whimbrel walked up.?

Richard Carlson

Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian

Part-time Economist

Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA

rccarl at pacbell.net

Tucson 520-760-4935

Tahoe 530-581-0624

Kirkland 425-828-3819

Cell 650-280-2965