Subject: Westport, WA Birding
Date: Sep 23 13:57:52 1996
From: "GARY OTNES" - OTNESG at mdh-fergus-falls.health.state.mn.us



WOW!! Just returned from birding Westport and area from Sept 8-Sept
20, '96. Compared to Westport, birding in Minnesota at that time of
year is like birding in your basement. With the lights turned off!
We walked endless miles of beach at least twice daily; sat on jettys;
skulked thru underbrush; took several pelagics in a friends 21 foot
boat.
We, wife and I, got over a hundred species. Here's the highlights:
Dark phase South Polar Skua; saw twice at sea.
Great Egret, flying over Westport Marina.
Scrub Jay in Westport.
Long-tailed Jaeger....4.
1000's of Sooty Shearwaters. I had no idea they gathered in such
tremendously huge flocks!! They swerled back and forth just beyond
the surf breakers for hours on end, then just drifted away.
Pink-footed Shearwater...several.
Buller's Shearwater....2.
Flesh-footed Shearwater....1.
Black-footed Albatross....5.
5 species of Alcids.
Adult Arctic Loon...1...white flank patch showing.
Band-tailed Pigeon....1.
lots of Ocean Sunfish and Dahl's Porpoise.
Gary and Marion Otnes
Fergus Falls, Minnesota