Subject: Tropical Kingbird
Date: Oct 25 10:35:19 2000
From: P&B Bell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi Tweets -

Well I was part of the group down at Ocean Shores yesterday, but not as
early as the rest of you. I arrived about 3:45 PM and proceeded to
search the area the Tropical Kingbird and warblers had been seen. Worked
it over pretty thoroughly, and then went to the area closer to the
marina. Between 3:45 and 5:00 PM no sign of the kingbird, but that could
have been because of the Peregrine Falcon that showed up a couple of
times. Including one time right down over the point. I checked out a
couple of other places at OS, including the jetty.

Back at the marina at 5:30 and the Tropical Kingbird was on a wire above
the parking lot just to the Damon Point side of the marina behind the
motel. Immediately recognizable without binoculars from Pt. Brown Rd by
it's flycatcher habits - darting out from the wire and then back. From
5:30 to 6:10 the bird variously worked from the wires or from the row of
small trees on the west side of the parking lot making sallies out for
insects. Got some nice binocular and scope looks, tried some pictures
(hopefully the light wasn't too bad - overcast). Grey head, largish/med.
heavy bill, greyish/green back, brown coverts, tertials, and primaries
(secondaries hidden) edged with whitish, tail brown and definitely
forked, breast/belly/flanks almost lemon-yellow. In sunlight this bird
would have been spectacular. Primaries seemed to be staggered, but it
didn't always cooperate and hold them to be seen well. The bird finally
flew down to a rock on the groin and disappeared. It is a good looking
bird, well worth the trip.

Cheers,

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
bellasoc at isomedia.com
www.peregrinenorthwest.com