Hello Tweeters,

I spend 3 days birdying in GRAYLAND,manly BOTTLE BEACH,
WESTPORT & TOKELAND.
Friday the High tide was at 12.09 at .9 feet.as I WALKED TO THE bEACH AT
9.30 am,it was fogged heavy.No birds only the sound there made.The Fog
lifted finally and the birds where already coming close in high numbers,and
start moving to the right close to the pilingsThis time since there was
already close I did not got the numbers who where high of most species.Best
bird was the JUVENILE PACIFIC PLOVER,who I took lot's of photos close
range.I T WAS SO Intertaining whe the ADULT PEREGRINE FAlcon appeared who
pursuit this huge group of
Shorebirds.I TAKE THIS BIRD IN NO TIME TO GET HIS PREY,It been so long for
me to witnessed this affair.The birds settled down,and some came back.
Here are the species I observed:Black-bellied Plovers huge amount ( could be
500 birds,1 Pacific Golden Plover,5 willet's
3 Greater Yellowlegs,8 Whimbrel,4 Marbled Godwit,1 Black Turnstone,6 Red
KNOT, 25 Sanderlings,200Western Sandpiper,1 Baird's Sandpiper,125 Least
Sandpipers,150 Short-billed Dowitcher.All of this species could be lesser
ore more,not count every bird.

Westport had still the masses of Shorebirds most all Godwit's
and the large numbers of Heermann's Gulls to the left side,lot's of Gulls &
Pelican on the Jetty,but no Bar-tailed Godwit among the 800& Marbled
Godwit's.Off to Tokeland in the late afternoon on Friday.I had to be so
lucky there where around 85 Marbled Godwit close where the marina is,this
birds was resting and preening ,and it was easy to pick the Juvenile
Bar-tailed Godwit out, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THIS BIRD SO CLOSE UP.
AND SINCE THIS BIRD WAS SO LIGHT ON THE CHEST ALMOST WHITE PRESUMING IT WAS
ALREADY IN Winter plumage.I WATCHED THIS BIRDS FOR ALMOST TWO HOURS

Saturday I repeated the same trip,only there was no Fog at all ,
and it was warmer .The birds where the same with out the PEREGRINE
FALCON.there WHERE A LOT MORE BIRDERS it was the weekend and most came for
the Pacific
Golden Plover.I drove again to Tokeland to see the Bar-tailed Godwit but
No birds where to see in front,there all was roosting on the Jetty.But there
was NO BAR-TAILED Godwit among the group of 85 Marbled Godwits ,but the
where 6. Willet's on the Jetty.Checking out Gave Yard Spit it was full of
Shorebirds Gulls & TERN'S ALL WHERE CASPIAN Tern's,but sitting so close
would be not easy to find.the time is now showing up even in AUGUST staying
to November.But I saw also spotted also 9 Long-billed Curlew,this birds some
time are so hard to find there been showing up almost every year on the spot
what is direct next to this big camping area.Curlew's also can be seen on
Bills Spit in Ocean Shores.Among all the birds there was the Sandpipers
walking among all the bigger Birds.It was a great trip and meeting all the
birders was also fun

Cheers Ruth Sullivan

Here is my Website to look at the photos

http://www.pbase.com/godwit/