Greetings Tweeters,
Had a good moring along the Pacific County North Coast today. Started at sunrise at Grayland Beach, 0830 to 1000 at Midway Beach, North Cove at 1015 to 1045, and Tokeland from 1100 to 1230. First bird of the day was a Barn Owl working the dunes at Grayland State Park in the pre-dawn light. The WILSON'S PLOVER was located among 21 to 23 Snowy Plover in the wreck line between access trail #3 and #4. Much further down the beach were 4 Streaked Horned Larks. In addition to the plover show at Grayland, there were large numbers of birds moving and concentrating in feeding flocks just offshore. Possibly the most abundant bird early was Red-throated Loon, but within an hour they were outdone by Pacific Loons (est 400). Later Sooty Shearwaters outdid them all, with many feeding just outside the surfline. Alcids included Rhinoceros Auklet and Common Murre. Gulls listed in order of abundance were California, Heermans, GWxW (did not take the time to sort them out), and Boneparte's (3). There could have easily been others, but I did not spend a lot of time sorting them out.

At Midway Beach the ponds were quiet, but the outer beach had good birding. Many of the offshore feeding flocks from Grayland had made their way south and were closer to the beach here. Hundreds of Pacific Loons in a range of plumages was the most abundant species. Many Sooty Shearwaters were inside the surf line. A MANX SHEARWATER was seen well in one of the feeding flocks; first inside the surfline, then just beyond. Among the other nice finds at midway were 23 LAPLAND LONGSPURS (in the outer dunes adjacent to the outer beach) and 24 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (resting in the weed/wreck line on the outer beach to the north).

At North Cove there was a good variety of birds feeding and roosting. Among the highlights were CLARKS GREBE, Red-necked Grebe, and Black-Legged Kittiwake (all singles). Moving on to Tokeland, the tide was just wrong. A handfull of Marbled Godwits and Willets (8) were inside the boat basin. Out on the flats to the east were good numbers of shorebirds including about 135 Godwits. At this distance there were two birds that were smaller/shorter, paler, and showing white undertail and contrastingly dark primaries (blackish) against much paler wing coverts. These birds consistently fed closer to the shoreline, and often moved together and apart from the Marbleds. So... I would expect that Bar-tailed are still around and might be found at the high tide roost in the harbor. A handsome Northern Flicker with bright yelow shafts and undertail, and bright red moustache spots and nape slash was between the harbor masters office and the campground. A full species list will be posted to ebird.

Cheers and good birding
Bill Shelmerdine
Olympia
georn1 at hotmail.com