Washington Coast Trip Day 2

Two Semipalmated Sandpipers Calidris pusilla , a distant shot, but great birds for our area.

Yesterday Ken and I spent our second day on the Washington coast, and managed to find a few birds through the fog. When we got up it was really foggy, so rather than head right for the Ocean Shores jetty, we stopped first at the Hoquiam sewer ponds. This worked out great, because we found 3 Semi-palmated Sandpipers there. These are uncommon in our area, and to find 3 was really great. We also had nice looks at variety of other shorebirds, and then headed for the open coast.

Wandering Tattlers Tringa incana at the Ocean Shores Jetty.

When we got to the jetty, the fog had started to move out to sea enough that we could so some seawatch. We got great looks first at both Black and Ruddy Turnstone as well as three Wandering Tattlers at the base of the jetty.

Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres at the Ocean Shores Jetty.

Then on looking out past the jetty we had good numbers of Surf Scoter, a few White-winged Scoter, Brown Pelicans, as well as Heermann's, California, and Glaucous-winged/Western Gulls. Alcids were also moving, with Rhinoceros Aucklets and Common Murres in good numbers being seen.

Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala at the Ocean Shores Jetty.

The rest of the day was not as good, with the Oyhut Game Range being unproductive for shorebirds from both ends, and the access to Bill's Spit being closed. We did see maybe 55 Marbled Godwits at long distance with spotting scopes from the road there.

Wandering Tattler

We decided to leave a bit early to beat traffic and got home by about 4:00 PM.

Another good day birding together.

Good birding. Steem on!