Just returned from a rather quiet day at Bottle
Beach and South. Highlight clearly was seeing the
Ruff (my third of year and only 4th all time in
Washington) at Bottle Beach. There were several
birders present as well, unfortunately, as several
kite boarders who seemed to have a very
deleterious impact on birds as they avoided the
typical area of Bottle Beach. The Ruff was seen
for perhaps 15 minutes to the South of the Bottle
Beach walk in. It was with a fairly small mixed
group of Dowitchers, Black Bellied Plovers, Dunlin
and Red Knots. A few peeps (probably Western)
were also present. The birds were fairly skittish
and finally flew off when a Peregrine flew
overhead. The bird was seen around 4:40 p.m. -
almost 3 full hours before high tide.

Earlier I found very few birds on the open beach
(Sanderlings only) and none at Tokeland. It was a
surprisingly warm and calm dry day. Nice to be out
again.

--
Blair Bernson
Seattle