Tweets --

Elegant Terns have apparently made the turn and penetrated at least part
way into Puget Sound. I've just come from spending an hour watching 3 birds
at Oak Bay County Park, here in east Jefferson County. Oak Bay is
immediately south of Indian and Marrowstone Islands. The birds were
roosting and preening on a mudflat in the lagoon, with occasional forays to
the bay. While I have frequently seen Caspian and Common terns at this
location (as well as a good variety of gulls), this is the first time I've
seen Elegant Terns outside of California - in fact, only the second time
I've seen this species, period! I realize a couple birds were reported from
Whidbey Island a couple weeks ago, but I was still shocked to see these.

Q: How many records are there from this far north? Are there records for
Vancouver Island - perhaps Tofino?

For those of you who haven't made it to SW Washington to see them, in
comparison to Caspian Terns these are: noticeably smaller, thinner-billed,
longer-crested, and in winter have white foreheads. Bill color is
similar-to-paler/yellow. In the case of these three, one still had black
stippling on the forehead, and only one had a markedly *yellowish* bill. A
pleasant surprise was a barely perceptable pinkish blush on breast, belly,
and underwing of all three individuals. One additional impression was that
they were - dare I suggest it? - *quieter* than Caspians.

My original hope in going to Oak Bay was to see shorebirds; two killdeer
were the only representatives. But any day Nature hands me an opportunity
like this is no day for complaints.

So, keep your eyes open, everyone! Michael Price's Angel of Free Gifts
seems to be making the rounds. (M: Congratulations on the Upland Sandpiper,
and thanks for sharing!)

-- Janet Hardin
Port Townsend, WA
wings at olympus.net