Hi Tweets,

I went to the coast yesterday (9-29) for the Westport Seabirds trip.
We motored out for about 30 minutes under fair skies before Phil
Anderson reversed the decision, based on sea conditions and reports
from boats that were farther out, and headed back to the marina.
Prudence is always appreciated even though that was my last
opportunity for tubenoses this year. The three spotters graciously
offered to guide any who were interested in a tour of Bottle Beach,
the Hoquiam STPS, and the Oyehut Game Range ponds. It was a tough
decision not to join these three outstanding birders, but I really
wanted to try for the Snowy Plovers again so I went south.

I drove the beach from the Cranberry Road access in Grayland to south
of the Midway Beach access. There were SANDERLINGS everywhere and not
much else in the way of shorebirds except for six dowitchers (by body
bulk they looked to be Long-billed) along the shore break and one
LEAST SANDPIPER in the company of several BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS higher
up the beach. I then drove in the Midway access and walked out to the
beach. I didn't find any Snowy Plovers, but did watch a small flock of
seven PECTORAL SANDPIPERS touch down close to where the beach met the
dunes and grass. At North Cove there were three RED-THROATED LOONS
just offshore and the expected gulls at rest. At Tokeland the juvenile
BAR-TAILED GODWIT was on the small float with a small number of
Marbled Godwits so it was easy to detect and identify. In the Tokeland
vicinity there were also six WILLETS and 9 WHIMBRELS.

I bypassed Bottle Beach because of the high tide, figuring it wasn't
worth the walk out to the beach. I headed for the Hoquiam STPs where I
saw one more Pectoral Sandpiper. There were also GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, CACKLING GEESE, and both Common and Richardson's CANADA GEESE.

At the Oyehut Game Range, I missed the rest of the Westport Seabirds
folks. I could see them walking back out along the beach as I was
headed in along the inland trail from the public parking on Marine
View Drive. The ponds were much drier now than several weeks ago.
There wasn't much bird activity when I arrived, mostly Killdeers,
Great Blue Herons, and Canada Geese. However, a flock of 22 PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS touched down and fed for quite a while. Then 3 WHIMBRELS
flew off from the grassy dunes between the ponds and the beach. There
were also quite a few AMERICAN PIPITS around.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds