Subject: N. Kitsap to Port Townsend
Date: Mar 27 18:15:52 1999
From: Penelope Bell - bellasoc at mail.isomedia.com


Hi Tweets

A group of Seattle Auduboners birded their way from the north Kitsap up
thru Marrowstone Island to Port Townsend today. The day started out in
bright sunshine at Port Gamble. We had a remarkable collection of diving
ducks there - 30+ Greater Scaup, 40+ Bufflehead, 50-60 Common Goldeneye,
about 175 Surf Scoters, about 100 White-winged Scoters, and over 100
Oldsquaw. The birds were gathered together in groups and layered out
from shore by water depth, and virtually all were in wonderful alternate
plumage. Great views under ideal light. Further out was a scattering of
Common Loons, Horned and Western Grebes, and Pigeon Guillemots. While we
were watching the ducks, over by the jetty we had a Gray Whale spouting
and rolling up, with a couple of Harbor Seals closer in to the jetty.
Spectacular start for the trip.

At Salsbury Point park we had great looks at Pigeon Guillemot and Common
Loon, and decent looks at Red-breasted Merganser, Barrow's Goldeneye,
American Wigeon and assorted gulls. Continuing on to Oak Bay county park
in Jefferson County, we had a group of 200 Brant in close range and
probably 30 Northern Pintail. The group of Mew Gulls included a couple
of California Gulls and some G-W Gulls. On the county park on the Indian
Island side of Oak Bay we got views of Harlequin Duck, Dunlin, Black
Turnstone and Surfbird. We filled our list of 56 mostly waterbird
species out at Fort Flagler, the pond in Port Townsend (while under
cover during a hailstorm) and Fort Worden.

All in all an excellent trip.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com