Hi folks,

I won't make the Picnic this summer (at least I made the first ones). Too much going on the next morning in the South Sound to make the run up I-5 for an evening. Sorry to miss the good people and the good times.

Remember me to all - and have a great picnic.

PS - Flew around the San Juans and to Point Roberts and back this morning. LOTS of gulls, apparently attending "bait" balls. An increased number of Common Murres along the Salmon Banks and the south end of San Juan Channel, mostly in small groups of 3-10. When I boated around there on 8 July and flew over last Saturday the 19th, I saw very few murres. No large concentrations of alcids seen today - either Common Murre or Rhinoceros Auklets.

Neat sighting was a pod of 5 Orcas about 2 miles south of Iceberg Point - including a mother and her calf!!

Best,

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net