Photos by N.S. Nokkentved/The Olympian
Bob Morse scans the waters of Ocean Shores for interesting birds.

Sanderlings feed on small creatures in the sand just above the surf line.

Birders flock to coast

Uncommon species can be seen along Washington's coastal shores

N.S. NOKKENTVED, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published September 18, 2001

OCEAN SHORES -- In the bright sunlight, a mist rises from sand left wet by a receding tide.

A flock of sanderlings feeds above the crashing surf -- little legs scurrying as they race ahead of an incoming wave.

For anyone who enjoys bird watching, Ocean Shores is one of the best places in Washington to do it. Most of the 365 bird species found along the coast are found here, Olympia birder and author Bob Morse says. It's also a likely place to find rare birds.

"For those of us seeking rare or unusual birds, it's a marvelous place," he says. The area includes a large variety of habitats, and "different habitats mean different birds," Morse says. "It's not uncommon to see 100 species in a day."

And bird watching is a part of the $1.7 billion wildlife-watching industry in this state.

The 6-mile peninsula is laced with canals and lakes -- the Pacific Ocean beaches to the west and the extensive estuary of Grays Harbor on the east -- and Morse knows the best places to see the shorebirds here.

Best spots

Beyond the beach at the Marine View Drive access, four crook-necked brown pelicans fly by. On the sand, sanderlings are intent on tiny creatures in the sand.

The south end of the peninsula, the North Jetty, which forms the north side of the entrance to Grays Harbor, is a good vantage point to watch shearwaters, cormorants and other ocean birds.

The bay north of Damon Point is a good place to get a close-up look at loons, grebes and a variety of ducks and gulls.

The hard-packed sand beach can be reached by car in five places. Out beyond the surf, a flock of sooty shearwaters -- thousands of them -- wheel just above the waves, and on the sand gulls and terns rest and sanderlings feed in tire tracks.

This congregation of shorebirds attracts more than just bird watchers -- birds of prey, including peregrine falcon, merlin and gyrfalcon, find good hunting here.

During an outing, Morse and fellow birder Keith Brady, also of Olympia, watch about half a dozen marbled godwits intently probe the mud for tiny animals at Bill's Spit on the east side of the peninsula.

Suddenly the flock rises. Looking for what has disturbed the birds, they see a peregrine falcon diving into the midst of a flock of gulls just up the beach. The falcon comes away empty-handed -- that time.

Birds bring bucks

The abundant shorebirds here are a resource not just for birds of prey, but also for the local economy.

"Bird watching is an important form of eco-tourism for our region," Morse says.

About two years ago a rare bird sighting here brought birders from across the country.

A rare Eurasian dotterel showed up in mid-October in 1999 and stayed about 10 days. About 500 birders from across the United States and Canada descended on Ocean Shores to get a glimpse of this rare bird. They pumped an estimated $20,000 into the economy, Morse said.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that more than $1.7 billion is spent annually in Washington on wildlife-watching activities, mostly in rural areas. This is money spent locally on food, lodging, transportation and equipment, and it supports more than 21,000 jobs.

Getting started

Though any time is good for bird watching at Ocean Shores, the best time is one or two hours before and after high tide. The birds are concentrated on less beach, and they are closer to vantage points.

Later in the fall, as more birds head south, the birding gets better, though weather gets worse, Morse says.

Birding is something the whole family can enjoy, Morse says.

"There's always something different, always something new, and once in a while something super," Brady says. "It's just like a treasure hunt."

Bird watching is inexpensive, and it's easy to get started -- just watching birds at a feeder in the back yard is enough for some. For those interested in pursuing birding, a pair of binoculars and a good field guide is all you need to get started.

Field guides cost about $20, and good binoculars vary from $50 to more than $1,000, says Morse, who has written a guide to 160 good places to watch shorebirds on the Washington coast.

N.S. Nokkentved covers the outdoors for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5445.

On the web:

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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