Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
Start planning to attend the next festival: April 25 - 27, 2025
Black Bellied Plovers in Winter - Photo by J. Wieser
Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
2023 Bird Surveys
Shorebird surveys at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge are conducted every few days during spring migration, mid-April through mid-May. The Refuge Biologist and Volunteers are positioned along the Sandpiper Trail for up to three hours before the predicted high tide and may not be able to answer questions while they are counting shorebirds.
Shorebird Surveys from Sandpiper Trail
at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
Shorebird survey conducted on May 2, 2023 by volunteer J. Grettenberger.
Survey was conducted from 9:53am-12:53pm with high tide of 8.4 ft at 11:53am. Great day to be on the boardwalk- able to see thousands of migrating shorebirds! Highlights included a Peregrine Falcon hunting. Total Estimate- 12,748 Shorebirds!
The Peregrine Falcon was making birds nervous; the majority of them left the survey area and didn't return. The tide was high enough to clear roosting birds on Mini Moon Island; however, most did show up on the mudflat during the survey. High counts of species were early in the survey.
Survey was conducted from 9:53am-12:53pm with high tide of 8.4 ft at 11:53am. Great day to be on the boardwalk- able to see thousands of migrating shorebirds! Highlights included a Peregrine Falcon hunting. Total Estimate- 12,748 Shorebirds!
The Peregrine Falcon was making birds nervous; the majority of them left the survey area and didn't return. The tide was high enough to clear roosting birds on Mini Moon Island; however, most did show up on the mudflat during the survey. High counts of species were early in the survey.
Bird |
Bird Count |
Black-bellied plover |
2 |
Semipalmated Plover |
209 |
Dunlin |
4300 |
Western Sandpiper |
5320 |
Least Sandpiper |
5 |
Red Knots |
0 |
Whimbrels |
5 |
Dowitcher spp |
15 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
12 |
Unknown Shorebirds |
2880 (Mini Moon Island) |
April 30, 2023 survey by Ryan Munes, Refuge Biologist:
High Tide (7.7 ft. @ 9:57). Tide was 0.4 ft. higher than predicted. The weather started at 50 degrees, foggy and calm. Wind picked up and the survey ended with a 20-minute rain event. The tide didn't get high enough to clear roosting birds on Mini Moon Island; about 2,000 never made it close enough to identify. Estimate around 12,362 shorebirds.
High Tide (7.7 ft. @ 9:57). Tide was 0.4 ft. higher than predicted. The weather started at 50 degrees, foggy and calm. Wind picked up and the survey ended with a 20-minute rain event. The tide didn't get high enough to clear roosting birds on Mini Moon Island; about 2,000 never made it close enough to identify. Estimate around 12,362 shorebirds.
Bird |
Bird Count |
Black-bellied plover |
87 |
Semipalmated Plover |
375 |
Dunlin |
4850 |
Western Sandpiper |
4500 |
Least Sandpiper |
23 |
Red Knots |
475 |
Whimbrels |
11 |
Dowitcher spp |
23 |
Yellowlegs spp. |
4 |
Ruddy Turnstone |
1 |
Unknown Shorebirds |
2000 (Mini Moon Island) |
