Just the highlights from limited birding stops during an anniversary getaway:

Sat AM at the Ocean Shores Jetty: twenty-something Black Turnstones, three Wandering Tattlers, dozens of Heermann's Gulls, and a lone Whimbrel north along the beach, well above the wrack line, and oblivious to passing people/dogs/vehicles. An odd assortment of landbirds well out on the jetty, including an Orange-crowned Warbler about two-thirds of the way out, and a Fox Sparrow not much further in, plus the usual Savannah Sparrows and a Common Yellowthroat.

Sat PM at Oyhut Game Range: About 200 peeps, including three Semipalmated Sandpipers. Most of the rest were Leasts. Also twenty-plus Semipalmated Plovers, actually outnumbering Killdeer (!) and 5 Baird's Sandpipers, dissociated from the smaller peeps. Hordes of American Pipits, with a few Horned Larks peppered in. On the base of Damon Point, while watching fruitlessly from midnight to one for aurora, we heard GH Owl calling

Sun AM at Game Range: 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Baird's Sandpipers, 2 Red-necked Phalaropes, a few Leasts and Westerns, about 15 Killdeer, 3 Pacific Golden-plovers. Searched in vain for Americans... Best in show goes to the three River Otters splashing around in the shallow pond, very near the Tonquin Access.

Sun noonish at the jetty and north: Two Lapland Longspurs rattling overhead right by the parking area. Also a steady stream of 1000's of southbound Sooty Shearwaters and one PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER going in the opposite direction.

Sun PM at Hoquiam: Stilt Sandpiper still present

jeff Bryant
seattle
jbryant_68 AT yahoo