Bayocean Spit

I went down to the beach again this weekend in hopes of finding some good shorebird numbers.  I decided to bird the Bayocean Spit, a favorite area of mine.  Even on a wonderful day, the beach is often empty of people.

Birds were there today, many were flying north. Greater White-fronted Geese.

Brown Pelicans were busy in the surf zone.

A few Caspian Terns were screaming at each other.

Lots of peeps.  Last time I was at the beach I saw few Semipalmated Plover, today they were the most numerous bird on the beach.  I would estimate 2000 of them.  Still lots of Western Sandpipers and Dunlin as well.

I carefully checked each bird I saw, no odd peeps were seen. There were many Least Sandpipers as well.  Odd how one Least Sandpiper by itself can look very large, yet when it runs into a flock of other Leasts, it shrinks down to their size.

I made it up to the south jetty, the wind was blowing harder by then so I sat in the lee of the jetty in hopes a flock of Red Knots or something fun would fly by. Here are more Dunlin.  Pacific Loon in the background.

Large numbers of Bonaparte's Gulls were in the area. 

Pacific Loons have bright white underwing coverts and you can see the silver on the back of the neck.  To me other loons in breeding plumage are not as sharply defined under the wing.

There was a nice Red-necked Grebe in the channel.

On the way back to the car, I cut across the dunes in the hopes of hearing or seeing something good.  Lots of White-crowned and Savannah Sparrows.

I cut back to the beach after awhile and found the shorebirds again.  Flying Dunlins are beautiful birds.

A number of Red-necked Phalaropes were heading up the beach as well.  This is my favorite photo of the day.

Red-necked Phalaropes seemed to me to be about Semipalmated Plover in size, but thin bills and they do not mind the waves at all.  You can spot a flock way down the beach simply by their reaction to the waves.

I thought I would throw in two Blue Grosbeak photos I took in Beaverton this week.

You can see Blue Grosbeaks do not molt into their blue plumage aspect, they wear into it.  I have not had a chance to see if this is a SY bird or not.  I think the buff edges to the tertials means yes, but I could be wrong. Will look into that tomorrow and correct as needed!

Thanks for visiting!

For a dog's version of the trip try here