Tweeters:

Anne Winskie and I were back at Graysmarsh near Sequim Saturday, and while we
added nothing new to the property list, we found 116 species--tying our best day for fall
surveys over the last 12 years. As Tweeters reports show well these last few days, this
is the time to be out birding if you can. True, we had no earth-shaking rarities or
hoped-for rare-but-annual migrants (such as the several N. Waterthrushes and single
Buff-br. Sand at OS), some of the common migrant passerines were either in peak
migration or late-lingering (flycatchers for example).

Out on the salt water off the public beach access at dawn, an EARED GREBE was present.
More unexpected were two CINNAMON TEAL nearby; they've been scarce this
year out in Sequim. CANADA GEESE were abundant (290) and there seemed to be
related hunting activity nearby. An apparent hybrid among the s. Grays flock
defied identification, but came closest to a GR. WHITE-FRONTED x SNOW GOOSE.

For raptors, we had an AM. KESTREL and a PEREGRINE among 7 species; a black-morph
RED-TAIL was also noteworthy.

Perhaps most important for the strong species count was a great shorebird day. Heavy
rains had left a few pools in the marsh, and we had 13 species--anything in double-digits
is unusual at Graysmarsh. Highlights included four PECTORAL, six BAIRD'S, and a late
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER; an early molting DUNLIN was also present. Also noteworthy
in the shorebird category were one WHIMBREL at the beach and a flyover of 40 RED-
NECKED PHALAROPES. Four SORA before dawn was the second-highest count in 30
years at Grays, dating back to 6 that Stan and Dory Smith recorded on a Fish and Wild-
life duck survey in 1980. The Wilcox Lane EUR. COLLARED-DOVE flock had grown to
four, including a paler individual, and another was just off territory along Port Williams
Rd. where I had not seen any before.

Seven VAUX'S SWIFTS joined the swallows. Noting other reports this week, I too noted
a silent COM. NIGHTHAWK coming in to roost a bit before dawn; this was
only the second for Grays. As expected, V-G and BARN were both in
good numbers (triple digits), but a late CLIFF SWALLOW was good to find over the s.
Grays pasture. Flycatchers lingered too--could this be because of the miserable June,
forcing some to nest late? We had:

Olive-sided Flycatcher 2
W. Wood-Pewee 2
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 5 (high!)
Empidonax, sp. 2

I counted 48 SWAINSON'S THRUSH in nightflight and added several more by day. Nine
WARBLING VIREOS was a nice count for us. But it was the warblers that put in the best
showing--we had 8 species, represented by 123 individuals, as follows:

Orange-crowned Warbler 27
NASHVILLE WARBLER 1
Yellow Warbler 40 (record)
Yellow-rumped Warbler 12
Townsend's Warbler 9
Black-throated Gray Warbler 3
Wilson's Warbler 5 (high)
Com. Yellowthroat 18 (high)
warbler, sp. 8 (hisping flyovers)

The NASHVILLE, believe it or not, joined swallows and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in
landing briefly on a telephone wire (!) for optimum viewing. This was Grays 5th (3rd in
Sept) and Anne had one very close to here several Septembers back. NASHVILLES are
generally quite rare for CLALLAM, but are harder anywhere west of the Cascades in fall
than in spring it seems. This was an imm. female. The count of 40 YELLOWS was an
all-time high for us, although they of course have been counted in much higher
numbers along the coast in fall. Seven W. TANAGERS were more than we usually have
for a Sept. count. Like Russell Rogers, we too had a LAPLAND LONGSPUR, this one near
the public beach dunes.

Finally, related to mammalia. Had a close-up view on a PACIFIC-JUMPING MOUSE in
dense forest along Geirin Creek south of Holland Rd., and the ELK herd was
impressively active in south Grays. There were 40+ animals, and unlike other
occasions, the Bull count was high. 2-3 pair of young males were practicing
jousting well clear of the rest , but doing so in such a half-hearted way as to draw
laughs from us.

Birders should note that Bl. Bear, Cougar, Elk, grouse and Canada Geese
hunting are all apparently open now.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com