Tweets, Just got back from an Ocean Shores getaway with my nonbirder wife
which included 4 hours of birding Monday morning (alone) and a trek
(together) out Damon Point to see the Snowy Owls. The weather was gloriously
sunny with no shortage of highlights as I was working on my year list (added
8 or 9):
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: first in state, observed by several birders at
9:30am along Marine View Dr. where parked for Damon Pt. access.
- Palm Warbler: ditto, in the first "large" pine tree alongside Marine
View Dr to the left (toward the hotels) as you look at the Damon Pt. access.
I believe several others were active and calling in the immediate vicinity
in the warmth of the early morning sun.
- Rock Sandpiper: at least 10 with many other "rockpipers" at the base of
the jetty around 10am on incoming tide -- hardly had to do any rock jumping.
And at least 6 at the STP around 11am, unless the same group.
- BLACK/COMMON SCOTER: ~8 off the jetty, mostly drakes, and ~6 females off
the breakwater behind the STP.
- Snow Bunting: 1 young bird (showed large white flashes in wings in
flight) 2-300 yards E from the base of the jetty, around 11:15.
- Emperor Goose: Finally located it around 1pm with a small group of
Canadas south of the driving range as previously described (between Octopus
and Canal Dr (both are north-south routes adjacent to one of the fairways),
well S of Perch St from where it was barely visible). The group was flushed
a short distance NW and I relocated them in the canal visible from the
bridge on Ocean Lake Dr.
The "Queen Eider" was not present at the base of Damon Point at 9am but was
located to the NW off the breakwater behind the STP around 10am by John
Kellam from Florida. I heard it reported also around 2:30pm off of Damon
Point en route to the owls. So apparently it moves around quite a bit. I
could not locate it from the STP around noon.
The most intriguing sighting was of a possible Arctic Loon. I'll elaborate
in a subsequent post. Good birding!
-- Paul Hicks / Tenino / phicks AT accessgrace.org