Yesterday afternoon while working off of Discovery Park I kept an eye out
for parasitic jaegers, having seen one on Labor Day further North; I was
fortunate to glimpse this one as it flapped and soared high overhead, well
above the many Bonaparte's gulls and common terns that were prevalent along
the water. The central tail feathers were tough to see, but the sleek wings
and distinctive flight made it stand out.

Last week I referred to an arctic tern at Lake Sammamish, but it was more
likely to be a common tern (thanks Ian!).

On another topic, I spend a lot of time working and playing on the water and
have been considering getting some image stabilizing binoculars; does anyone
have any suggestions or opinions on their value to birders?

Kevin Li
Seattle, WA
e-mail: kevin.li at metrokc.gov