Hello, Tweeters,

Last Saturday, on International Migratory Bird Day May 8, Olympic
Peninsula Audubon Society and the Dungeness River Audubon Center held
their annual Clallam County Birdathon, trying to tally bird species
and count individuals in Clallam County in one day. Although not a
truly scientific endeavor, the count always provides lots of
interesting tidbits about birds of the north Olympic Peninsula.

Our species count for May 8 is currently at 190, which is our third
highest species total ever and only 3 short of our record of 193 in
1999. I expect to receive several more tally sheets from counters
this coming week, although the species number is not likely to
change. We usually average about 80 people out counting during the
day, but I'm not sure about the total counters yet this year, either.

This year many late-spring migrants made a very good show, along with
a smattering of species typical of the east side of the Cascades.
Notable misses this year: Herring Gull, Townsend's Solitaire, and
Bullock's Oriole, all of which we almost always see on this count.
Solitaires have particularly been common around here this spring, but
none showed on count day. Over the last 17 years, a grand total of
245 species have been seen on this count in Clallam County, usually
held on the second Saturday in May.

Some interesting species this year:
Brown Pelican - high count ever, both at La Push and Cape Flattery.
Cinnamon Teal - pairs seen around Dungeness
Ruddy Duck - high count, 8 at ponds on Kitchen-Dick Road
N. Goshawk - 1 seen up the Elwha River
Am Golden Plover - 1 at Graysmarsh
Solitary Sandpiper - 1 at Jamestown
Pectoral Sandpiper - 2 at Waatch River with Westerns and Leasts
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 2
Sabine's Gull - seen from boat off La Push
Ancient Murrelet - high count (20) seen from boat off La Push
Cassin's Auklet - high count (1500) seen from boat off La Push
Calliope Hummingbird - 1 at Graysmarsh
Williamson's Sapsucker - 1 at Graysmarsh
Mountain Bluebird - 1 at Graysmarsh
White-throated Sparrow - 1 at Graysmarsh
Yellow-headed Blackbird - 1 at Graysmarsh
Cassin's Finch - 1 at Sol Duc River

The high species count for the day went to Denny Van Horn and Mark
Columbino, who tallied 144 species (145 if you dare count NW Crow at
La Push) - a remarkable total for one day in one WA county.

Bob Boekelheide
Sequim