I posted this yesterday:

>
>Mike Cormandy posted a message on the WA BirdBox, Jan. 07, reporting what he
>believed to be a female Baikal Teal in Gray's Harbor Co (around Ocean
Shores?). I >couldn't figure out where exactly from the complicated
directions. DeLoreme >cordinates would help clarify it greatly if anyone
else knows the details, or has seen >this bird.
>

I talked with Mike last night at the Seattle WOS meeting. Anyone driving
between Olympia and Aberdeen might just want to spend a few minutes looking
around since it is close to rt. 12. The description of the duck thought to
be a female Baikal Teal sounded like a possible at least. Mike would
certainly appreciate additional corroboration and photos would be most
desirable. It sounds like a long shot since the duck was in a small pond in
a field with only a handful of mallards and green-winged teal, and there are
many many rain pools in the area to hang out in. So, at least give it a
thought as you are passing by.

Directions: DeLorme page 45, T17N, R6W, Sect. 1 (extreme SE corner). This
is about 2 miles SE of Elma (1.1 mi south of rt. 8 intersection on rt. 12),
and ~0.5 miles along and on the west side North Blockhouse Road (unmarked,
but IS shown on the map although not labled as such) which parallels rt. 12
on the west, and is opposite (marked, but NOT on the map) Murray Place which
goes off to the east. Sound complicated enough? You should be able to
figure this out by just looking at DeLorme and finding the coordinates shown
above.

Description: plumage softer brown overall compared to female GWTE, as shown
in Roberson (Rare Birds of the West Coast ...or whatever it's called). It
has a distinctive dark capped look, and white slightly washed tan spot
bordered by darker brown at the base of the bill. Nothing else, flight,
speculum, etc. was mentioned.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

Richard Rowlett <pagodroma at aol.com>
Bellevue, WA, USA