Hi Tweets,


Barbara and I were in Pacific County on Sunday and Monday. We found the
YELLOW-BILLED LOON in the Ilwaco harbor near the cranes at the harbor's
left side.


The extensive new saltwater tidal marsh along both sides of US 101
northwest of South Bend have lots of foraging ducks. The deeper ponds near
the bluff had diving ducks -- BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED
MERGANSER, plus AMERICAN COOT, PIED-BILLED GREBE, GREAT BLUE HERON, and a
COMMON LOON.


The most interesting stop for us was at the estuary of the Palix River just
off U.S. 101, where we found 80 MARBLED GODWITS and 20 WILLETS foraging in
the tidal mud, along with assorted BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and perhaps 1000
peeps, we identified LEAST SANDPIPERS and DUNLIN. There were also lots of
ducks including MALLARD, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK and GREATER SCAUP. When we returned the
following day we saw a PEREGRINE FALCON come by to stir up the
shorebirds. At South Bend we saw our first TURKEY VULTURE of the year.


On the Long Beach Peninsula itself we found a lone PACIFIC LOON in Black
Lake. In the large field near the south end of Sandridge Rd we saw a large
flock of some 200 CANADA and CACKLING GEESE, with about 20 GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE mixed in. We had seen tentative reports of RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRDS, but in several hours at a residence in Ilwaco we observed
only lots of ANNA'S. Our earliest record of RUHU in Pacific County is in
the first week of March, so we wouldn't expect to see Rufus much before the
end of February.


On the Brady Loop Rd on the way through Grays Harbor County we found a
flock of 95 TRUMPETER SWANS, plus BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
DUNLIN, and a very pretty NORTHERN HARRIER.


Good birding!

Paul Webster

Seattle

paul.webster AT comcast.net
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