Hi,

Dennis Duffy, Marv Breece and I went looking for the Mountain Plover yesterday. As previously reported, despite several birders searching both north and south from the 2nd Street access in Ocean City, the MOPL was not found in the morning.

We then went to the Ocean City Casino and walked out to the beach from there. A Red Phalarope flew into the mouth of the creek and joined a few loafing gulls. It then moved onto the beach and gave extended views. Shortly after Dennis alerted us to Leach's Petrel which was flying around over the beach. Amazing views as the bird flew real close to Marv. It was flying over the beach and occasionally dropping briefly onto the beach as if it were still over the sea. We watched for about 10 minutes before it appeared to find its way back to the Ocean and disappeared from view. Kind of made up for last weekend's cancelled pelagic.

We then visited the Jetty at Ocean Shores and quickly found 2 Rock Sandpipers, Surfbirds and Black Turnstones.

Next to Damon Point - where we located the female King Eider.

We had just reached the car park at 2nd Street when we received a call from Anne Marie telling us the Mountain Plover had been relocated. We walked down the beach again, another birder had found the bird about a mile south. The bird was extremely active.

Walking back to the car - Michael Hobbs and Matt Bartells pointed out a Glaucous Gull they had seen earlier.

A fine days birding where the target bird ended up by not being the 'bird of the day".

Cheers and Good birding,

Steve






Steve Pink Edmonds, WA mailto: pirangas at hotmail.com