Les Carlson and I birded Jefferson and Clallam Counties this weekend. It was very windy when we arrived Saturday morning at Oak Bay County Park. Super high water, not much birdlife except Bufflehead. Next stopped at Mystery Bay again not much. On to Fort Flagler where we hiked out to check the Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Western Sandpipers, and Sanderlings. Could not find the American Golden-Plover in heavy gale force cold winds. But on the way back we did flush up 4 colorful Horned Larks. On to Point Wilson Lighthouse where we watched several Common Murres fly southeast past the point and Ancient Murrelets heading the same direction. Just south of 57th St. on Jackman St. (Port Townsend) on the east side of the road we watched a Tropical Kingbird doing a lot of flying from wires to the backyards. Heading to Clallam County we traded the strong wind for rain. By 4 pm it was heavy and already dark. Never seen so much rain in Dungeness who gets only 11 inches per year. No Tropical Kingbirds here, but did see a Northern Shrike, and Peregrine Falcon. Sorting through gulls and loons we had 1 Thayer's Gull and just as we were pulling back onto the paved road not far from the end of the driving part of Ediz Hook 1 Snow Bunting jumped right in front of the car. Sunday we birded our way out to Neah Bay. Could not find the Tropical Kingbird in Clallam Bay after two tries. Black Oystercatchers, Brown Pelicans and 20+ Black-legged Kittiwakes were at Neah Bay. Back at the base of Ediz Hook in with a small flock of Canada Geese was 1 Cackling Goose. With lots of time fighting the elements we ended up with 90 species.



Ken
Knittle

Vancouver WA
98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com
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