Subject: Seattle Trip Info Request
Date: Mar 5 17:50:47 1996
From: Jefperki at aol.com - Jefperki at aol.com


On the weekend of March 16-17, Noel and I will be in the Seattle area for
birdwatching. Weve monitored Tweeters and BirdChat for the last several
weeks, and are very excited to try for some of the specialties / visitors in
the area.

The following is our itinerary/targets. If anyone has comments on our plans,
recommended alterations, alternate sites for target birds, or details to help
us find specific sites / birds, wed appreciate any help. I know this plan is
very aggressive (optimistic), and well cut parts out as time requires, but
on paper, its a blueprint to 7 lifers in a weekend, and worth dreaming
about, anyway.

As always, well post a trip report on our return, and forward any detail
notes weve collected to anyone who wants them.

Thanks in advance

Jeff & Noel Perkins
San Rafael, CA
jefperki at aol.com

Fri 3/15 6pm, arrive SeaTac, drive to Mount Vernon
Sat 3/16 6-8am: GREAT GRAY OWL at Ovenell Road (understand it has become
scarce lately)
Sat 3/16 8-10am: TRUMPETER SWANS, Fir Island Road between LaConner and Conway
Sat 3/16 10a-noon: GYRFALCON, Samish Island Road (is the 90 degree bend in
the road the one illustrated in Wahl/Paulson p. 67 with the left-most Snowy
Owl x ? When seen, is the Gyrfalcon roosting on poles, trees, or more
commonly in flight?)
Sat 3/16 noon-2pm: KING EIDER, Whidbey Island (how far s on Whidbey Island is
Hastie Lake Road? Does it intersect SR 525?) (not lifer, but fun)
Sat 3/16 3:30-5pm ferry from Whidbey Island - Port Townsend
Sat 3/16 5pm-dusk: YELLOW-BILLED LOON, MUTE SWAN , Sequim (any directions to
the John Wayne Marina?) (not lifers, but fun)
Sat night: Stay in Port Angeles (recommendations?)
Sun 3/17 7-8am: GLAUCOUS GULL, Elwha River mouth
Sun 3/17 8-9am: ROCK SANDPIPER, Port Angeles Coast Guard Station (any better
place to look for this nemesis bird for us?)
Sun 3/17 9-11am: transit, hwy 101 to Olympia
Sun 3/17 11am-1pm: SLATY-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, Nisqually NWR (I assume
that there is a Nisqually NWR marked exit off of I-5, and viewing is from &
around this spot)
Sun 3/17 1-4pm: LITTLE GULL, American Lake, Tacoma (any directions would help
- I have no maps or notes on where the lake is, & where to find the gull)

I think everything else we may wish for is a mountain species, and will have
to be another trip. But if these are at someones feeders close by, we would
love some tips (ok, laugh if you want): COMMON REDPOLL, AMERICAN TREE
SPARROW, SNOW BUNTING, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.

There was a one day report of LEACHS STORM-PETREL off of Bayview State Park.
Was this as bizarre a sighting as it sounds to me, or is this worth a look?

If only we had a little more time (or a Star Trek Transporter), we would:
figure out some way to work the ferry schedules so we could go after the
FALCATED TEAL in Tofino.
figure out some way to get to Moses Lake for the SNOWY OWLS