Hi Tweets:

I was out on the beach Friday afternoon and again this morning between
7:30am and 9am checking out the shorebirds. I found a large group of Marbled
Godwits Friday in the small stream that originates off the south end of the
Quinault Beach Resort. As I pulled over to scope them (hoping for a
bar-tailed) more were flying in from the south, and continued to fly in as I
tried to count. By the time I had decided no more were coming I was up to
320 (!) and still counting when they all flushed...no particular reason. No
one else was around, though it is eagle territory and they may have seen one
I didn't see.

They were calling as they flew in and there were occasional, brief
fights...so nice to be able to hear them as they fed and went about their
business. Among the godwits were approximately 15-17 dowitchers and 75-80
Sanderlings. About 100 yds inland on the creek were 7 Caspian Terns, and 3
Bonaparte Gulls lurking among the terns and mixed gulls. I thought at first
I was looking at another tern species until I put down my binos and looked
through my scope...Bonaparte's, the FOY for the Grays Harbor County list.

Returning south along the beach today I spotted a Peale's Peregrine bathing
in the creek on the beach side of Ocean City SP. I immediately stopped where
I was but it wasn't comfortable and could barely fly off to a nearby root
wad to preen and try to dry off enough to get away. I am very familiar with
two of the adult birds out here, and this was one of the two, but the sun
was behind it and the band was still really dirty so I couldn't make out the
color band I.D. After some quick ruffling and wing-flapping, the bird took
off towards the trees. I could see how vulnerable it was with water-logged
feathers, not at all the sleek and powerful flyer I am used to seeing.

That's all for now.

Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores, Wa.
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com