Subject: [Tweeters] Gray's Harbor Shorebird Festival and thousands of geese
Date: May 4 20:22:12 2010
From: David Barber - dbarber71 at comcast.net


It's Tuesday morning and I want to thank everyone involved with the
Festival. Last year, I attended just the Shorebird for Beginners. This
year it was two field trips to Tokeland and Ocean Shores for me and the
Beginners for my wife. We learned so much even though we have been
birding for a few years now. Everyone was helpful by showing us places
to look and sharing their knowledge and equipment. Six lifers for us.
The most spectacular site was watching the two peregrines chasing the
shorebirds over Bill's Spit. Next year I hope to go out to Point Grenville.

We were able to stay two extra days and are leaving for home in
Vancouver, WA this morning. Yesterday we drove up to Kalaloch for lunch
where we watched one adult and two immature bald eagles chasing and
eating while we ate our burgers. Then this morning while reading the
paper at our condo at Point Brown, we watched several thousand geese
flying north. I can only assume it was a migration flight given the
numbers. While about half were flying over the water as we watched them
disappear to the north, they were joined by several thousand more that
had been flying just behind our viewpoint. I'd like to say there were at
least 10,000, but can't be sure. I do know I made a reasonable estimate
of 400 in just the first small group that flew over - and they just kept
coming.

David Barber
Vancouver, WA while at Point Brown, Ocean Shores