Unusual birds are visiting here now

George Walter

Photo by Jill Severn

KGY Radio
1700 Marine Drive NE
Olympia, WA 98501
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August and September are the best months for seeing unusual avian visitors. If you keep your eyes out for them, you might spot something special.

This is exactly what happened a few weeks ago in Port Townsend. Someone spotted a large gull-like bird that wasn’t a gull. It turned out to be a Red-footed Booby, a tropical ocean and coastal species that usually ventures no further north than Baja California. Since then, many birders have visited Port Townsend, repeatedly documenting this continuing visitor. You can see multiple photos and accounts of this bird at the Washington Rare Bird Alert.

This is the Red-footed Booby in flight.

Larger rare birds are easier to spot; perhaps the easiest of all is the Great Egret. This wading bird is about the size of our local Great Blue Heron but is all white. Imagine a single large white heron striding through a green wet meadow. That’s the search image to keep in mind. Right now, there are a few of these striking birds to be found in Western Washington. If you spot a smaller white heron? Well, that’s also not a heron either; you have lucked upon an extremely rare Snowy Egret or Cattle Egret. Be sure to let the rest of us know right away!

This headshot is of the Great Egret.

Other semi-rare birds visiting our area include Brown Pelicans, now seen in the Tacoma area and likely to fly down our way. Also, several species of terns, including one Arctic Tern (usually only seen over the ocean), have been hanging out near KGY Point, also next door at Billy Frank, Jr. Park, at the north end of the Port of Olympia peninsula. You will need binoculars to get a good look at these visitors. And don’t ignore the interesting but less rare shorebirds that might be at the Point. In recent weeks there have been both Black-bellied Plovers and Long-billed Curlews seen there.

If you happen to be at a location with a good view of open marine water, be sure to scan for unusual birds. Last weekend, I was told, a flock of about 20 Red-necked Phalaropes were spotted in Case Inlet feeding in a tidal rip (an area where two currents meet). These are unusual sandpiper-like birds that feed on small swimming marine creatures, like shrimp. The shifting currents sometimes collect these creatures in a concentrated area, thus creating a mass-feeding opportunity.

This is the Red-necked Phalarope.

One never knows when an unusual bird will show up. Just last week, birders reported a Black Phoebe at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (which is not the same as the previously mentioned Billy Frank, Jr. Park). That’s a small bird that might be difficult to spot. Also, almost every year a few Sandhill Cranes stop by at the Refuge.

I usually keep track of rare birds on the rare bird alert mentioned above. I don’t usually chase them – I haven’t even visited Port Townsend yet – but it’s fun to see what rare avian visitors might be in the vicinity. Our photographer, Liam, reports on his unusual sightings there; that’s how I keep an eye on his travels.

But you might not have to leave home to spot a rare bird. Do you have a hummingbird feeder? If so, you may have a steady stream of Anna’s Hummingbirds visiting and an occasional Rufus Hummingbird as well. If you watch these species carefully, you will learn their appearance and behavior. Thus, you are ready to spot an unusual visitor. The Black-chinned Hummingbird is most likely since they are common breeding birds in Eastern Washington and sometimes fly over the mountains before starting their southern migration.

The Black-chinned Hummingbird is rarely seen in western Washington.

Another possible visitor is the Calliope Hummingbird. This species, the smallest bird in the United States, breeds in the mountains of Washington and elsewhere, feeding on wildflowers. Their wintering territory is in southern Mexico, some 5000 miles distant. Occasionally, they visit feeders in our area before starting that migration.

The Calliope Hummingbird has an unusual pattern of feathers below his beak.

A North American bird book might be useful to check out the appearance of these two locally uncommon species, and any others that might pop by. The Black-chinned is larger than any other hummer that might visit, and the male Calliope has unique colorful stripes under his chin. And check the California hummingbirds as well. These species, especially the Costa’s Hummingbird, are known for sometimes migrating north after their breeding season.

And why do these rare visitors get lost? Answering this question involves the complexity of avian migration and is not yet fully understood. Sometimes a bird will get confused and fly in the wrong direction because some of its migration senses have failed. That’s likely the case with Red-footed Booby. Other species just have wandering as part of their behavior tendencies.

Regardless of the cause, these rare visitors can be found every year and are one of the sweetest rewards for the persistent and prepared birder.

George Walter is the environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department: he also has a 40+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com

 Photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, a 17-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.