Temp near 50, overcast, rain all day, NW wind 20-30, gusting up to 45+!

The weather was worse today than yesterday. We added no new birds to our trip list, but we got to see some of the birds from yesterday’s fallout in more comfortable conditions (from the car).

The usual places had few or no birds. After making the usual rounds, we ended up back at Clam Lagoon in late afternoon as the tide was coming in.

Many of the birds from yesterday were still hanging around, and as the tide filled the lagoon, the flats got more and more constricted to the northwest corner, where we could sit and watch from the car. Although the lighting, wind, and rain still made photography iffy, we were able to view many of the birds well with the scope.

There were Sharp-tailed, Western, Rock, and Pectoral sandpipers, both Red-necked and Little stints, Sanderlings, and the Mongolian Plover. All except the plover came to the near shore at some point. The plover was only seen briefly way out on the peninsula and I decided NOT to walk out there in these conditions.

One entertaining scene was shorebirds bathing–in the POURING RAIN!

Rock Sandpiper, Sanderling, and Western Sandpipers bathing, Clam Lagoon, Sept 11, 2013.

On our past September trips, we would only see one or two jaegers, as they generally leave by mid-September. So it was a treat today to see eight at one point. In addition, one was in some sort of intermediate plumage–mostly dark, but with some light patches around the head. We caught the following bird with dinner in hand (beak?).

Parasitic Jaeger (with dinner), Clam Lagoon, Sept 11, 2013.

It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so maybe there will be better photo-ops if any of the shorebirds stick around.