Tweets,

Thanks again for the good advice. You were so enthusiastic that I extended
the trip through Saturday to get another shot at Elkhorn Slough and Moss
Landing.

BTW the new wing of the Monterey Bay Aquarium- The Outer Bay is one of the
more spectacular Exhibits I've seen. Visually stunning with good graphics
and interpretive materials. Surprisingly the big open ocean tank was not my
favorite despite all the press. The jellyfish exhibit on the other hand is
most impressive with several species displayed. They also do a great job
with microfauna - krill up close and personal. Its worth a stop if your in
the area.

On the way down from San Jose on Thursday I stopped at Elkhorn Slough,
despite the 45 degree F temp and the light rain. wind 10-15 mph S-SW, Low
tide.

Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Redtail Hawk
Pair of Black-shouldered Kites w/ PR Crow in attendance
Ruddy Duck
Cinnamon Teal
Scrub Jay
Common Yellowleg
Common Goldeneye
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron(Rookery)
Pied-bill Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Dowitcher
Long-billed Curlew
Willet
Marbled Godwit

Saturday AM 60-65 degrees F, Sunny, light breeze S, High Tide
in addition to those listed above:

Savanna Sparrow
Common Merganser
Bufflehead
Common Loon
Nothern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black Phoebe
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Anna's Hummingbird
Violet-green Swallow

Friday Afternoon Pt Lobos, Sunny w/ High cloud, 60 degrees F, light breeze
5-10 mph
Low Tide: Four or five Grey Whales, 60-100 California Sea Lions, 20-30
Harbor Seals 6 Sea Otters then I started to bird.

Met in the parking lot by the resident greeter, a White Crowned Sparrow
Black Oystercatcher
Wandering Tattler
Redtail Hawk
Turkey Vulture
California Gulls
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double Crested Cormorant
Earred Grebe
Western Grebe
Pied-bill Grebe
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Chestnut-backed Chickadee(well upland)
Bushtits
Scrub Jay

I took Jim Rosso's advice and took my binocs to lunch on Fisherman's Wharf
and was able to see: all three cormorant species( out of two hundred seen
only two( Double creasted) were spreading their wings)
Brown Pelican
All three mergansers(but not in large numbers)
Herring Gull
California Gull
Western Grebes( 150)
Pied-bill Grebe
Common Loon
Brewer's Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warber(in parking lot)
Red Phalarope

An in the lake accross from the motel a Black-crowned Night Heron

A great trip.

Mike Waller
WP Zoo