[obol] Salishan Spit 5/5

From: "5hats@xxxxxxxx" <5hats@xxxxxxxx>
To: obol <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 6 May 2013 05:14:22 +0000


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Laura and I received access today to Salishan Spit on the west side of Siletz 
Bay. So we drove out there and spent some time looking over the area.  By the 
time we arrived it was after 2:30 PM, and must certainly have been ninety 
degrees, so the birding, particularly for passerines,  was undoubtedly limited 
compared to what it would have been earlier in the day.  However, the potential 
in that area is enormous.  At mid-tide the west side of the bay has a great mix 
of rock and sand habitat which attracts a variety of shorebirds.  We saw 
DUNLIN, WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, BLACK-BELLIED and 
SEMIMPALMATED PLOVER, WHIMBREL, and RUDDY TURNSTONE.  The habitat is such that 
a much greater variety of shorebirds could be expected with regular coverage.  
We also saw quite a few flocks of peeps coming in off the ocean and flying due 
east to the opposite side of the bay, where access is limited, parking 
difficult, and long range views the norm. A good scope would be very helpful in 
birding Siletz Bay at any tide and from any location.  There was also a GREAT 
EGRET in the pond midway down the spit, and the bay held lots of CASPIAN TERNS, 
 and a flock of about twenty BRANT.

     Passerines were scarce.  We did see one odd sparrow, which I could only 
assume to be an oddly plumaged SAVANNAH.  It had the characteristic form and 
pattern of that species, but the entire face, other than the auricular region 
and malar stripe, was plain mouse gray.  There was no yellow supraloral, nor 
any yellow at all on the face.  I cannot recall ever seeing a Savannah Sparrow 
in that particular plumage.  The only other sparrow species it slightly 
resembled was a Lincoln’s, but it was not buffy enough for that species, the 
flank striping was too bold, and the bird was not dainty enough overall.  

   If one does not have vehicle access to the spit, the best approach would be 
to walk from the parking lot at Salishan shopping mall along the nature trail 
on the south edge of the bay.   From the parking lot there to the pond at the 
mid point of the spit is a walk of about 1 1/2 miles.  It is about another .8 
of a mile to the end of the road, and the best shorebird spot is closer to the 
end.  The best potential area for passerines would be from the pond (there is a 
large gravel pullout area there) to the end of the spit.  

     We also walked over the foredune to the ocean.  From there we looked north 
and saw about two hundred fifty people on the beach north of the mouth of the 
river.  South of the river the beach was practically deserted.  There were only 
two other people out there on probably close to two miles of beach.  There is a 
considerable amount of dry sand beach with quite a bit of piled driftwood 
there.  It would not surprise me if perhaps Snowy Plover could be found there 
on occasion.
[obol] Salishan Spit 5/5

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