>I am writing to ask for comment on the Pelagic Cormorant i.d. Does this
>seem reasonable? We saw 2 cormorants diving around the ferry boat while at
>the Bremerton docks. The bird was totally dark, including the bill. We got
>very good looks at it.

Sounds like Pelagic.

>While at the docks at Bremerton, we also saw a bird which I initially
>i.d.ed as a Belted Kingfisher. We only saw the bird from above as it was
>flying near the water and we were on the top ferry deck. The bird was very
>dark from above, had a long dark bill, a white ring around its neck, and
>white patches on its wings. It flew several times over a 15 minute period
>along side the boat, usually flying under the dock itself. I later
>questioned the i.d because the head looked black rather than blue, and I
>wasn't sure if the kingfisher would be present in this habitat. Any
>comments?

I can't imagine what this would be other than a kingfisher. In the shade,
kingfishers can look very dark.

>There was another bird that we saw in several locations at NWR and at
>Discovery Park. I initially thought it was a Song Sparrow (they were
>everywhere at NWR), but it seemed slightly bigger, darker around the
>breast and face, and seemed to be rusty brown on the back. I saw several
>foraging in the rocks along the river on the eastern side of NWR. I later
>thought that perhaps the bird was a Fox sparrow. Any comments?

Definitely Song Sparrows. They are considerably larger and darker here
than in the east.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416