December 18, 2006

Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SE.

Observed a small group of sanderlings along the beach.

Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Styrofoam, Wood pieces. Most debris was very light and was high up on the beach, near or in the foredunes.

On beach I saw a second(?)-year bald eagle, a few western gulls, and sanderlings. Further south on mile 287, saw a whimbrel with more sanderlings. The bay side was spectacular. Birds everywhere. Thousands of American wigeon, with at least five Eurasian wigeon mixed in. Hundreds of bufflehead and brant, a dozen ruddy ducks, several common loons, horned grebes, and a Western grebe, several hooded mergansers, surf scoters, lesser scaup, great blue herons, great egrets, a few common goldeneye, and a beautiful flock of dunlin. In the bushes along the bay, saw fox and song sparrows, black-capped and chestnut-backed chickadees, wrentits, a varied thrush, yellow-rumped warblers, and many ruby-crowned kinglets. Finally, near the parking lot, as I was leaving, there was a beautiful short-eared owl flying around and chasing off a Northern harrier. I also saw a Northern flicker in the distance and a possible merlin flying low over the dunes. All in all, a beautiful day (and a kind of present since it was also my birthday).