While doing my weekly seawatch from the South Jetty of the Columbia
River, Clatsop Co. two small (murrelet-sized) alcids flew by. They
were black above, white below with white underwing coverts.
Forehead, crown and nape were black to the eye and chin,throat and
fore neck were white. The transition between black and white was
clear and sharp.

I managed to watch them for at least 30 seconds as they flew out to
sea on the ocean side of the jetty. I did not see them land nor was
I able to relocate them in the remaining 1.5 hours that I spent on the
jetty.

I am confident enough that these were XANTUS' MURRELETS that I believe
it's worth while for others to going looking, but would have needed to see
them longer to add them to my life list as definite.



--
********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
* mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk from a handsaw.
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws