Hi Tweets -

Rick Romea and Cindy and I birded the north Kitsap Peninsula and up to
Sequim today. Had some mild activity at Point No Point with good looks
at Common Terns. Port Gamble had lots of Red-necked Grebes and
Rhinoceros Auklets. Sizeable numbers of Black-bellied Plovers at the
south end of Sequim Bay.

Diamond Point was the hot spot for us. Must have been close to 500
Common Murres, including some good looks at adults with "attached"
young. Numerous Rhino Auklets. Neatest bird there was a close (about 25
yards away) Cassin's Auklet - excellent look at a small generally
grey-brown bird with the white crescent over the eye, a smallish white
area under the eye, a dark bill and the lightish spot on the base of the
underside of the bill. When it dove the belly showed white. Overall
impression of head/bill/body shape and proportions just right.

At Three Crabs lots of cormorants, mostly Double-crested, a few
Shovelers and a scattering of alcids. At Oyster House Rd. huge
concentrations of gulls loafing at some distance on the beaches, and
probably close to 3,000 American Wigeon.

A number of Common Loons at various of the stops. A good variety of
gulls: Glaucous-winged, Bonaparte's, Heermann's, California, Mew,
Ring-billed, Western and Herring.

Coming home on the ferry from Kingston we had a great look at a light
morph Parasitic Jaeger - cruising north just over the water surface,
suddenly gaining height to briefly harass a group of shorebirds flying
south.

All in all a most enjoyable day.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA