A Horned Grebe still in breeding plumage. Jim Flynn sent me an email
about his careful scrutiny of this bird with a scope and it is not an
eared grebe. One has been seen here in past winters; and they are
confirmed to start developing their breeding plumage in December.
Perhaps, some horned grebes may have late moulting. Clearly, more
research is needed.

Mr. Flynn also mentioned a few large gulls with black-tipped wings mixed
in with the resident begging hoards of glaucous-winged purebreds and G-w
X W (or whatever) hybrids. These (pure Westerns or CA's?) will be
monitored carefully for the CBC. The solitary common merganser hen (an
all-winter visitor last season) has departed after staying a short time
this year, but there are a few red-breasted mergansers hanging around the
fishing pier. They were not seen last season other than fly-by.

Two days ago, a single Pelagic cormorant joined the totem-pole crowd of
double-crested winter residents. A few weeks ago a request was posted for
announcements of the arrivals of this species on the Puget Sound coast.
Ours has arrived and will be monitored.

More next week after the CBC (unless an eared grebe really does show up!)
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.........................
Maureen E. Ellis me2 at u.washington U of WA and Des Moines WA