Conrad Selfors wrote:

>About 100 yards offshore we saw coming in with the tide what appeared to be
>a Kittlitz's Murrelet in winter plumage.

>Can anyone out there help me?. How often are they ever seen here in the
>Northwest Washington area??????

Once again, I can't speak for Washington, but just across the water here in
Victoria we have only one confirmed record, a bird that remained just off the
Ogden Point Breakwater at the entrance to Victoria harbour from late November
to early April - about 1987-88 I beleive. This bird was well seen,
photographed and confirmed by many. I'm not aware of any other BC records
south of the Queen Charlotte Is/Prince Rupert. Our newest Tweeter Neil Dawe
may be able to expand on that(?)

At any rate, if the Port Townsend bird can be confirmed, it would be an
important sighting of an accidental visitor.

When you're finished with it, give it a little push across Juan de Fuca to us.

Bryan Gates, Victoria
bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca