Tweeters,

My quick prep trip to the coast today barely beat the rain, and turned up
some interesting birds - a bit early for the big numbers of shorebirds.

MARBLED GODWITS - about 300 over the beach at the north end of Ocean Shores
(thanks to Dianna Moore for this tip)

BROWN PELICANS - about 25 at Pt. Brown; five at Damon Point

BLACK TURNSTONES - two on the jetty

COMMON LOONS (2) and RED-THROATED LOON (1) at the Marina

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Burrows Road wildlife viewing area

DOWITCHER (sp) - tucked in and showing aft end while sitting on pilings -
about 15

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS - 5

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Bowerman Basin

MERLIN - one on the big piece of driftwood near the parking area - either
same bird or another at the end of the point of Sandpiper Trail

RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS - about 30 feeding on what was probably a large
school of small fish; together with a about a dozen gulls (two Ring-billed)
close to the estuary shoreline

VIRGINIA RAIL - one sounded off in the marsh to the north of interpretive
sign #4

LEAST SANDPIPERS - about 30 as the tide moved out

A smoky, shimmering mixed flock of DUNLINS and WESTERN SANDPIPERS - about
5000 to the west of the end of the trail. I saw very few until the
(another?) Merlin pushed them from south to north in front of me (about
12:30pm)

SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS - two on one of the drier spots out past the mixed
flock of shorebirds



The predicted rain came in about 12:15pm, so I headed back to Roy, where I
found the RED CROSSBILL pair is still around. Heading back to the coast
tomorrow with some retired UW folks.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com