Tweeters
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center's birding cruise to Protection
Island also included a side trip to Smith & Minor Islands. We had a great
group of birders aboard and, while we didn't spot the Brown booby which had
been reported on Protection Island on 11/7, we did view approx. 12 - 14
Black Brandt on Minor Island and a LARGE (20 - 30) flock of Oldsquaw on the
south side of Protection Island

Key:
P - Protection I.
S - Smith & Minor Islands

Species Sighted:
Common Loon - P S
Pacific Loon - P
Western Grebe - Point Wilson
Horned Grebe - P S
Double Crested Cormorant - P S
Pelagic cormorant - P S
Great Blue Heron - S
Black Brandt - Minor I.
White Winged Scoter - P S
Surf Scoter - P S
Harlequin Duck - P S
Oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis) - P S
Bufflehead - P
Red Breasted Merganser - P S (female only)
Dunlin - S
Sanderling - P
Ring Billed Gull - P
Mew Gull - P S
Glaucus Winged Gull - P S
Common Murre - P S
Pigeon Guillemont - P S
Rhinocerous auklet - P
Bald Eagle - P S
Belted Kingfisher - Point Hudson Marina
Northwestern Crow - S
Starling - P

Additionally we observed Harbor seals at Protection Island and Smith Island
and Dalls Porpoise and Harbor Porpoise off of Partridge Bank

Our next trip of the year is set forDecember 31st., New Year's Eve at 1 pm
Thanks very much to all the enthusiastic birders who made this trip so enjoyable

Peter Badame
PTMSC .