Subject: [Tweeters] another day on the coast--off topic whales
Date: May 9 17:18:27 2013
From: Byers - byers345 at comcast.net


Hello Tweeters,
We spent our first full day on the coast checking out all the usual spots on the Ocean Shores peninsula. By about 7:30 am we were at the Pt. Brown Jetty. The tide had just hit low and was coming in. For some reason we couldn't find any Rock Sandpipers or Surfbirds, although we did see Ruddy Turnstones and Wandering Tatlers (and later Black Turnstones). We climbed onto the jetty for a territorial view and were rewarded with (off-topic here) the sight of Gray Whales feeding just off the end of the jetty! There were also Harbor Porpoises, and the usual Sealions and Seals, so it was hard to stay on task!
Nonetheless, we noted over 100 Common Terns and dozens of Bonaparte's Gulls feed enthusiastically. There were only a handful of Brown Pelicans, lots of Pacific loons, a few Western Grebes, Pigeon Guillemots and Rhinoceros Auklets.
Other interesting observations during the day were (1) a skein of about 100 White-fronted Geese flying north along the coast against a brisk northerly wind at Griffith Purdy State Park (Copalis Beach), and, at Bill's Spit hundreds of shorebirds shooting into flight when a Peregrine Falcon appeared.
Hoping for more good stuff to report tomorrow, I remain, Charlotte Byers, Seattle