Tweeters:

Ventured out to Clallam County Friday, in the aim of a pelagic trip and
a Graysmarsh survey as the central points. There was no outer-coast
coverage as the pelagic trip fizzled, but yesterday Anne and I did go
ahead with Graysmarsh. Over the three days 124 bird species were
detected, and at least a couple new vascular plants for the property
list were noted.

I began at subalpine Deer Park on Friday morn, Sept 16. I had only 20
species in about three hours here, but quality was good: a WHITE-
WINGED CROSSBILL was heard-only but well as it flew westward over
the valley south of the burn. There are very few Clallam Co or Olympics
encounters with this species, and if memory serves most have been in
late winter. Also of note at the east edge of the burn were a seemingly
out-of-place CASSIN'S VIREO, a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (FOS, or--
does the kinglet nest locally here?) and a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
in a mixed passerine grouping.

I attemped early Saturday to track down a n.e. Olympics Long-eared Owl,
since there have been several reports in recent years. Perhaps I was too
low for elev along the south side of Bear Mt. (this is south and east of the
Dungeness Forks campground), as I was unable to find one. However,
there were 6 N. PYGMY, 4 N. SAW-WHET and 4 BARRED OWLS scattered
at various sites between the Dungeness Forks turnoff and a few miles
south of Bear Mt. along the FS road here. In addition, a Strix (perhaps
the "Sparred") was also heard.

At Graysmarsh on Sunday, Anne and I had 100 species, this on the low
side, but 6 more were seen on Saturday afternoon only. Right at dawn
at the first scrubby area at the public beach access, accessed via Wilcox
Lane, there was a remarkable flock of mixed warblers, flycatchers and
sparrows. The highlight was a very close encounter with a DUSKY
FLYCATCHER, the first in quite some time at Graysmarsh. For several
minutes it skirmished with a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, one of two for
the day. Also of note was a late W. WOOD-PEWEE here. Finally, rounding
out what turned out to be a banner day for late flycatchers, there was a
PACIFIC-SLOPE on the edge of Einarsen Meadow, and Grays' latest
WILLOW FLYCATCHER was out in the central marsh (Sept 17).

Out off the public beach, one winter-plum. EARED GREBE was among a
larger-than-average passage of HORNEDs. We managed just six shorebird
species, including single BAIRD'S and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in the marsh.
The rapid expansion of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES out in Sequim was
well-shown by a count of 42 in one flock along Wilcox Lane. I had two
BARN OWLS on the way home last night, one almost hit by the car (!) near
the Happy Valley turnoff in s.e. Sequim, another over the road near the
Blyn Casino. Swallows and VAUX'S SWIFTS were prominent all weekend
overhead, just about everywhere we went. We expected to encounter a
late N. Rough-winged or Cliff, or perhaps even a Bank, but Grays' latest
PURPLE MARTIN over the central marsh was a real good consolation prize.

Finally, for amphibian fans, W. ROUGH-SKINNED NEWTS were clearly on
the move after the rain, including two right on Holland Rd itself.


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