Tweeters,

Bait balls & feeding frenzies continue to be occurring with frequency in the
north Sound and the Strait. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center's
Protection Island cruise on Saturday, 10/21, had the great opportunity to
observe two very intense examples; one at each end of the island. In both
instances we cut our engines & drifted closer watching large flocks
(primarily glaucus winged gulls, but also including Heerman's gulls, murres,
auklets and guillemots and the occasional cormorant, using various feeding
techniques as befits their skills). The variety of predator depth creating
these prey accumulations is always riveting. Add the approach of the odd
harbor seal or two and the scene becomes mesmerizing.

As we approached the island from the NE quadrant we were taken by the huge
numbers of Harbor Seals on the beach. An estimate of 300 would be very
conservative. An elephant seal was also spotted on the western spit lolling
on the edge of an additional body of approximately 100 Harbor Seals.

Remaining cruises are scheduled for Oct. 28th, Nov. 4th & 25th and Dec.
31st.

Key:
P-Protection Island
R - Rat Island/Kilisut Harbor
PtH - Point Hudson

Common Loons- R
Red Necked Grebes - P,R
Horned Grebes - R
Double Crested Cormorants - P,R
Pelagic Cormorants - P,R
Great Blue Herons - P
White winged scoters - P
Surf Scoters - P
Harlequin Ducks - P,R
Western Sandpipers - R
Heerman's Gulls - P,R
Mew Gulls - R
Glaucous winged Gulls - all
Common Murres - P,R
Pigeon Guillemots- P,R
Rhinoceros Auklets - P
Bald Eagles - P,R (all mature)
Rock Doves - PtH
Belted Kingfishers - PtH
Northwestern Crows - R
Starlings - PtH

Mammals:
Harbor Seals - P,R
Elephant Seal - P
Deer - P

submitted by:
Peter Badame
PTMSC