In a message dated 97-03-19 12:45:32 EST, you write:

<< Tweeters;
Has anybody been over to Point Salisbury/Port Ludlow or Marrowstone Island
lately?
I'm leading a field trip on Sunday and wanted to know if the scoters and
other ducks were still around. I saw the message about the Rock Sandpipers
at Fort Flagler so we may try a hike out the spit. I sure hope the monsoons
let up before we attempt our little trip.

Tracee Geernaert
tracee at iphc.washington.edu >>

Tracee,
Tom Schooley and I did Kai Tai Lagoon, Port Hudson, Fort Worden and the
County Park just to the south and Lower Oak Bay CP in poor weather conditions
on Saturday. Sea ducks were very low in numbers, dabbling ducks were low at
Kai Tai. There was a great rip going at Point Wilson at Fort Worden but
little working it in the rain. Harlequin Ducks were present in their usual
numbers but otherwise we had to work. There were some Brant at Lower Oak Bay
but just a fraction of the usual number. We split at that point and in
addition to the Rock Sandpipers at the spit there were good numbers of Black
Turnstones (about 60), a Ruddy Turnstone and three Black-bellied Plovers.
Again few ducks present. From Mystery Bay SP, I estimated that there were
1100 Red-breasted Mergansers out in Kilisut Bay in two separate rafts (the
largest concentration I can remember seeing) as well as 8 Common Loons and a
few Greater Scaup. An immature Bald Eagle flew low over tthe water birds
several times without raising them (I am used to the eagles causing super
panic to everything in an entire bay). There were about 60 Green-winged Teal
at the Marrowstone causeway at dusk with 60 Pintail passing over and a loose
flock of 60 Double-crested Cormorants passing over going to a roost, I
presume.
Tom had one Surfbird at Lower Oak Bay after I left him.
The few active observers on the north peninsula, that I know, have felt
that most of the saltwater birds have been low after the storms on the north
peninsula. The weather was so wretched so often that I can see why the birds
might decide they should go further south. Of course, I don't know that was
what happened.
Good luck,
Bob Norton
Joyce, (near Port Angeles).WA
norton360 at aol.com