Hello from Long Beach -

It is gorgeous out right now (3pm / Sat 9/21/13)...wonder if it's raining in Seattle. Rain this am, but cleared out and has been lovely most of the time here. Will take a walk to the beach before dinner - last evening was spectacular w/ mixed flocks (a very long stream of them...kept trickling in) of 3-4 kinds of shorebirds - hmmm, it's been too long since Dennis Paulson's shorebird class - but we were guessing SB Dowitchers (Willets - but seemed to small for them), Dunlin, plovers - working the shore, which was quite soft after the earlier rains. Saw many razor clam holes (guess it was the weekend to dig - but not here). Love the very well camoed pipers or plovers - amongst the drifts of burnt driftwood. We had a No. Harrier hunting yesterday and this morning over the dunes. And last nite we think a Peregrine was chasing some birds in flight. They were successful with their maneuvering and none were caught.

Wed - on the way to LB -
John's River - close to twenty Yellowlegs (lesser?), two Kingfisher and a couple of sp. sparrows. LBB's. Nice little walk - Yellowlegs predictable as they were there the last time.

Bottle Beach - first time there. Luckily a few with scopes (now my next purchase asap) - there was a flotilla of pintails and widgeon and a few Black Bellied Plover - which I never would have known w/ or w/out a scope if someone hadn't mentioned it. (Hi Marvin H. - thanks for all the info and to another couple who willfully shared their scope and excellent id skills)

Wesport - by the Coast Guard (to the right side) many Brown Pelicans, about twenty Marbled Godwits came in. At about 2am I heard birds - sounded like Kildeer - are they night owls?

Tokeland - was fabulous. As if on cue, the godwits were there in the marina. But also many, many B. pelicans and a slew of Heerman's gulls just sitting on the dock. Also spotted some Dowitchers / Willets, or (still deciciding) on the other side of the road from marina.

Wow - another great trip to the beach. Heading home tomorrow - into the rain.

Caryn / Wedgwood (reporting from Long Beach)