Tweeters,



Paul Hicks and I birded the Oyhut area, accessed from Tonquin, yesterday
afternoon. We were hoping the turbulent weather might have deposited a
rarity, like on August 26. After waiting out a series of heavy rainshowers
that ended around 2 p.m., we covered much of the area all the way to the
dividing slough. A male "Black" Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon stood watch
most of the afternoon too. Shorebirds included 1 juv. Stilt Sandpiper, 40+
juv. Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 at Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs juv's, 500 or so
Western Sandpipers, 1 Juv. Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, perhaps 80 Least
Sandpipers, 9 dowitchers, mostly Short-billed, 4 juv. Red-necked Phalaropes,
a few each juv. Black-bellied Plovers and Semipalmated Plovers. Also, 1
Lapland Longspur and 15 or so Greater White-fronted Geese. The numbers of
Pectorals hinted a good chance at Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, but a thorough
review found none.



Good birding, Bob



Bob Sundstrom

Tenino, WA

ixoreus at scattercreek.com