S I G H T I N G S
Below are survey reports from
the Grays Harbor NWR Wildlife Biologist and Refuge Volunteers.
Surveys are conducted every few days during shorebird migration.
All surveys are begun just before high tide and are conducted along the Sandpiper Trail at the Refuge.
Note: Non-shorebird species are listed
in italic font.
2011 Shorebird Sightings
| Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 4,128 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
8 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
413 |
Dunlin |
1000 |
Western
Sandpiper |
1800 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Red
Knot |
907 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
-- |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
1 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 6,102 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
24 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
317 |
Dunlin |
970 |
Western
Sandpiper |
3880 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Red
Knot |
679 |
Dowitcher spp. |
32 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
200 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
2 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Monday, May 9, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 17,585 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
|
Semipalmated
Plover |
529 |
Dunlin |
3600 |
Western
Sandpiper |
8400 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Red
Knot |
38 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Pacific Golden Plover |
1 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
8 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
5000 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
Comments:Calm, OC. 2 Short-tailed weasels and 1 long-tailed weasel.
|
| Date: Saturday, May 7, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 44,828 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
0 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
550 |
Dunlin |
10100 |
Western
Sandpiper |
26170 |
Least
Sandpiper |
5 |
Red
Knot |
1 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Pectoral Sandpiper |
1 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
1 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
8000 |
Caspain Tern |
50 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
3 |
Merlin |
1 |
Bald
Eagle |
1 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Friday, May 6, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 58,025 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
7 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
2215 |
Dunlin |
42060 |
Western
Sandpiper |
9740 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
3 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
4000 |
Caspain Tern |
10 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
1 |
Vaux's Swift |
10 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Thursday, May 5, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 40,713 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
3 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
1695 |
Dunlin |
23730 |
Western
Sandpiper |
13440 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
45 |
Whimbrel |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
1800 |
Caspian Tern |
24 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
No. Harrier |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 68,000 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
3 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
450 |
Dunlin |
17000 |
Western
Sandpiper |
51000 |
Least
Sandpiper |
3 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Whimbrel |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
All birds flew into basin |
Merlin |
1 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
3 |
No. Harrier |
1 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
Comments: Best show of the season! Incredible aerial display for over 2 hours!
|
| Date: Sunday, May 1, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 31,099-33,099 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
2 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
333 |
Dunlin |
8700 |
Western
Sandpiper |
13050 |
Least
Sandpiper |
9 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Whimbrel |
1 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
4 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
9000-11000 |
Caspian Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
1 |
No. Harrier |
1 |
Bald
Eagle |
1 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 20,460 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
2 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
210 |
Dunlin |
10950 |
Western
Sandpiper |
7300 |
Least
Sandpiper |
2 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
2000 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
2 |
Osprey |
1 |
Bald
Eagle |
2 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Friday, April 29, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 31,894 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
7 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
850 |
Dunlin |
13650 |
Western
Sandpiper |
7350 |
Least
Sandpiper |
11 |
Red
Knot |
6 |
Dowitcher spp. |
18 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
2 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
10000 |
Caspain Tern |
16 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
2 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
1 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 20,406 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
1 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
390 |
Dunlin |
14000 |
Western
Sandpiper |
6000 |
Least
Sandpiper |
6 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
6 |
Ruddy
Turnstone |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
3 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
5000 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
1 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
Comments:
|
| Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 17,020 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
5 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
1110 |
Dunlin |
9800 |
Western
Sandpiper |
2100 |
Least Sandpiper |
0 |
Red Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
5 |
Greater Yellowlegs |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
4000 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine Falcon |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
| Comments: The first big groups of shorebirds are being seen at the Refuge! |
| Date: Monday, April 25, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 749 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
6 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
11 |
Dunlin |
467 |
Western
Sandpiper |
115 |
Least Sandpiper |
0 |
Red Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Greater Yellowlegs |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
150 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine Falcon |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
| Comments: |
| Date: Sunday, April 24, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 377 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
12 |
Semi-palmated
Plover |
50 |
Dunlin |
|
Western
Sandpiper |
205 |
Dowitcher
spp. |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
1 |
Mini-Moon
Island
Unidentified spp. |
75 |
Least Sandpiper |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
Merlin |
0 |
Peregrine Falcon |
1 |
Comments: |
| Date: Thursday, April 21, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 57 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
0 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
30 |
Dunlin |
0 |
Western
Sandpiper |
3 |
Least
Sandpiper |
21 |
Red
Knot |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
0 |
Whimbrel |
0 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
3 |
Black
Turnstone |
0 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
0 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
1 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
| Comments: |
| Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 |
| Total
shorebirds observed: 624 |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
2 |
Semipalmated
Plover |
0 |
Dunlin |
0 |
Western
Sandpiper |
0 |
Least
Sandpiper |
0 |
Dowitcher spp. |
22 |
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
300 |
Caspain Tern |
0 |
Peregrine
Falcon |
0 |
Merlin |
0 |
Bald
Eagle |
0 |
| Comments: |
| Date: |
| Total
shorebirds observed: |
Species |
Approx.
# seen |
Black-bellied
Plover |
|
Semipalmated
Plover |
|
Dunlin |
|
Western
Sandpiper |
|
Least
Sandpiper |
|
Red
Knot |
|
Dowitcher spp. |
|
Ruddy
Turnstone |
|
Yellowlegs spp. |
|
Mini-Moon
Island Unidentified spp. |
|
Caspain Tern |
|
Peregrine
Falcon |
|
Merlin |
|
Bald
Eagle |
|
Comments:
|
|
