Tweeters,
The first Port Townsend Marine Science Center Birding cruise of 1998 to
Protection Island reinforced the fact that it's spring in the Northwest.
Flocks of Rhinoceros Auklets on the waters around the Island, Black Brandt
in abundance and many immature Bald Eagles. The highlight of the day was
watching two immature Bald Eagles continually looping and playing "catch
the talon" in the air over the southeastern shore of the island. In all we
spotted 7 immature & 2 adults on Protection Island, 1 mature on the Port
Townsend waterfront and 8 immature and 2 adults in the Rat Island/Kilisut
Harbor/Indian Island vacinity.

Sightings for 3/21/98 were:
P-Protection Island R-Rat Island/Kilisut Harbor

Common Loon - P
Red necked grebe - R
Horned grebe - R
Double Crested cormorant - P R
Pelagic Cormorant - P R
Great blue Heron - R
Black Brandt - P R
Black Scoter - P
White Winged Scoter - P
Surf Scoter - P R
Harlequin Duck -P R
Oldsquaw - P
Common Goldeneye - R
Bufflehead - P
Red Breasted merganser - R
Black oystercatcher - P
Black turnstone - R
sanderling - R
Bonaparte Gull - off Point hudson
Glaucus winged gull - P R
Common Murre - P
Pigeon guillemont - P
Rhinoceros auklet - P
Bald Eagle - P R Pt. Townsend
Northern Harrier - Point Hudson (Pt. Townsend)
Rocxk Dove - Pt. Townsend
Northwestern Crow - P
Starling - P

Mammals:
Harbor Seal - P R
Deer - P

The remaining Spring Protection Island cruises are scheduled for Saturdays:
March 28, April 4, April 11, April 18, and April 25.
Contact the PTMSC for additional info or reservations

Regards
Peter B.
PTMSC
360-385-5582