Two Days at the Coast

A Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus that gave a close up fly-over at the Oyhut Game Range today.

I just got home from a 2-day trip to the Gray's Harbor area of the Washington coast, birding and relaxing. The weather was spectacular, temperatures reaching the 70's with sunshine both days, light winds, and it was as nice as I ever remember for weather in the fall at Ocean Shores.

Willets Tringa semipalmata at Tokeland yesterday.

Yesterday we birded the areas of the south side of Gray's Harbor. On the way down we drove the Wenzel Slough Road and were surprised by a Black Phoebe that flew across the road in front of the car, perched very briefly for a photo, then took off over the barns and disappeared. This is a species that is increasing in Washington, but remains relatively uncommon.

A California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus at the Westport Marina Coast Guard Station yesterday.

At Tokeland the expected Willets were present at the Marina, and at Bottle Beach the birds stayed far out on the mud flats and views were poor. Maybe 400 total shorebirds were present, with a mix of what appeared to be mostly Western Sandpipers, and a few Dunlin, at least one Short-billed Dowicher, and a few Sanderlings.

A sample of the Marbled Godwits Limosa fedoa at Westport.

At Westport we looked at the Coast Guard Station for a Bar-tailed Godwit among the hundreds of Marbled Godwits without luck.

A Western Gull Larus occidentalis today at the Jetty.

Today we started at the Point Brown Jetty where a nice flock of Black Turnstones and Surfbirds was at the base of the jetty, but not many birds were on the water of flying around.

Surfbird Larus occidentalisat the Jetty today.

Three Black Turnstones Arenaria melanocephala in profile with a Surfbird face on.

At the STP we enjoyed a nice flock of American Pipits really close up for photos, and walked to the base of the jetty, but birds were scarce. We drove around just seeing what we could find, but the best looks were geese at the golf course, including both Cackling Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese.

Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons at the golf course today.

A nice trip, a chance to introduce a non-birding friend to the birding in the area, and home safely.

Cackling Geese Branta hutchinsii at the golf course with the GWFG.

Good birding. Steem on!