Cliff Drake asked about Rhinocerous Auklets. His description was a good
one--gray above, white below, opens wings when diving--and caused me to
recall my own auklet sighting made at about the same time.
On Friday, I completed a survey at East Bay, Olympia, where I saw 4
auklets. This was a high count for my 37-acre survey area and my first
December record. Rhinos have been at East Bay on fewer than 30 of nearly
300 surveys there.
In previous years, once Rhinos have arrived, they have stuck around fairly
steadily through the winter. I've wondered about reasons they appear in the
southernmost reaches of Puget Sound during certain years and not others.
--
Scott Richardson
NE Seattle
salix at halcyon.com