Hello, my name is Peter Weber. I am an Illinois birder that has the opportunity to bird across the ABA area because of the travel requirements of my job. Something good has to come out of being taken away from my family!

I'm flying into Seattle next Monday (21st) and have plans to take the Princess Marguerite Ferry to Victoria. I will be birding in Victoria on the 22nd with Kevin Slagboom before leaving on the evening ferry to Vancouver. I plan to bird Vancouver on the 23rd before returning to Seattle by reversing my ferry trips.

A couple of questions:

1) What birds might I anticipate looking for on the ferry trips?
2) After finding the Skylark in Victoria and the Crested Myna in Vancouver, how should I best utilize my time to locate some of the following (allow me to apologize for not having a seasonal checklist or range maps available to check the liklihood of any of these species occuring):

Harlequin Duck
Spruce Grouse
Blue Grouse
Ptarmigan (are they worth considering a look for)
Cassin's Auklet (is the one that has been reported still around)
Common Poorwill
Black Swift
Lewis' Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Williamson's Sapsucker
White-headed Woodpecker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Cassin's Vireo
American Dipper
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Mountain Chickadee
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
Red Crossbill
Hermit Warbler?
MacGillivray's Warbler
Lazuli Bunting

3) If anyone is available to bird with me on Saturday, June 26 after 12:00, please let me know! I'll be in Seattle with half a day to look for some of the above species and any assistance would be appreciated! Certainly, I always stand ready to reciprocate. I do have Eurasian Tree Sparrows at my feeders every day!

Thanks. I look forward to visiting the great state of Washington.

Peter Weber
wings at famvid.com
http://www2.famvid.com/wings