Hi Tweets

Several of us took my WOS trip to Grays Harbor County today. We started out with overcast, but dry skies for about 2/3s of the trip down to Grays Harbor. Then the rain started - light at first, but steady for virtually all of the day. Early on the wind was light. Along the way a STELLER'S JAY flew over the road. With the rain there was no one on the beaches at Ocean Shores and we were able to get very close to the shorebirds. We hit most every access point on the coast and had thousands of birds - some MARBLED GODWITs, a couple of WHIMBRELs, and lot and lots of DUNLIN, WESTERN SANDPIPERs, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs, some SANDERLINGs and a few LEAST SANDPIPERs. There were CASPIAN TERNs, some GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs and a few BROWN PELICANs. This pattern held at each access point, but we did add SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER at one. Great views.

We stopped to check out the golf course, but no geese. There was a good group of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs, more DUNLIN, some MARBLED GODWITs and a flock of SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERs. A COMMON RAVEN was also on the course.

Next, we ran out to the north jetty - on the way there was a pair of RING-NECKED PHEASANTs on someones lawn - the tide was way out and we walked out to the waters edge. Lots and lots of SAVANNAH SPARROWS were along the base of the jetty. We did have one SURFBIRD, about three BLACK TURNSTONES and a single ROCK SANDPIPER. In the water were a COMMON LOON, a RED-THROATED LOON, a COMMON MURRE, a couple of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, two HARLEQUIN DUCKs, a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was along the edge of the water, and a bunch of BROWN PELICANs perched on the end of the jetty. A line of RHINOCEROS AUKLETs was in the channel. With the wind blowing the rain in our faces we didn't spend a lot of time there. There were some WESTERN GULLs in with the GLAUCOU-WINGED. A large flock of CACKLING GEESE flew over, and offshore was a flock of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE heading north. Two CANADA GEESE were seen by the Marina.

Around at the base of Damon Point we scanned the water - perhaps 15 COMMON LOONS. Way out were some other birds, but with the chop it wasn't possible to i.d. them. The tide was so far out, and the wind was picking up, so we headed back to Hoquiam.

At the HoquiamPonds we picked up BARN, CLIFF and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs, GREATER and LESSER SCAUP, NORTHERN SHOVELER, a few NORTHERN PINTAIL, BUFFLEHEAD, some MALLARDs and a couple of GADWALL. A single BONAPARTE'S GULL, with a nice black head was on the walkway.

We started around toward Bottle Beach and made a stop at the Johns River where we picked up a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE and a gorgeous ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER with the crown fully exposed. We heard a SPOTTED TOWHEE.

The wind and rain had picked up, so we headed inland. At various places along the Brady Loop Rd. we saw GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BLACK-BELLIED and SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERs, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, GREEN-WINGED TEAL and some distant unidentified dowitchers. A RED-TAILED HAWK and a BALD EAGLE were perched in trees. WHITE-CROWNED, GOLDEN-CROWNED, SAVANNAH and SONG SPARROWs were seen. A PEREGRINE FALCON was in the top of a cottonwood. A very large flock of geese held CANADA, CACKLING and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED and seven SANDHILL CRANES. A KILLDEER was heard. ROCK PIGEONs were seen. A NORTHERN FLICKER was in a yard. We had BARN, CLIFF, VIOLET-GREEN, TREE SWALLOWs and perched in a line on Brady Loop (just west of Foster Rd) was a PURPLE MARTIN. A line of trees gave us AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, AMERICAN ROBIN, and several YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERs (both Audubon's and Myrtle's). A couple of DARK-EYED JUNCOs were seen. Several EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs were present. RED-WINGED and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs.

Elsewhere we picked up GREAT BLUE HERON, OSPREY, AMERICAN KESTREL, EUROPEAN STARLING, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and WESTERN MEADOWLARK.

In spite of the weather we had a good day with lots of excellent views. We would up seeing 72 species.

Good Birding,

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at iso media dot com