Subject: San Juan Island Field Trip
Date: Nov 20 07:37:01 2000
From: Lynn & Carol Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Jim Flynn led a field trip for Rainier Audubon to San Juan Island this
weekend. We met on I-5, south of SeaTac airport at 2PM and took the Friday
ferry at 5:05PM from Anacortes to San Juan Island, arriving at Friday Harbor
at 6:30PM. We stayed overnight Fri and Sat nights. We saw many birds.
Most memorable species seen were a GOLDEN EAGLE flying over the large fields
and perching in a tree at the far side of the fields at False Bay. ANCIENT
MURRELETS flying in groups of 6 or so in the channel at Cattle Point. And a
PALM WARBLER flying down from scrub brush into grasses on the trail to the
lighthouse at Cattle Point.
The Ancient Murrelets were easy to miss (I missed them) but they were seen
by several people in our group. They would fly in small groups through the
channel, but never sat on the water. When they stopped flying, they would
immediately go under the water and disappear. There were usually several
flying together. The Marbled Murrelets were much more numerous, but they
were in pairs, not in groups and they sat on the water, allowing for some
good viewing.
I guess I'll have to try to see some Ancient Murrelets at Brown's Point
Lighthouse, which is in Federal Way, at the north end of Commencement Bay.
I understand they can be seen for a very short time (now) in the fall at
Brown's Point.
We had a wonderful time this weekend in clear, crisp weather, with many of
the little lakes partly frozen in the mornings. Luckily, there was very
little wind, which made for good viewing.
Carol Schulz
DesMoines
linusq at worldnet.att.net