Tweeters:

My first chance to report in after several days and various activities on
the Olympic Peninsula. I ran, for a second straight year, the Port
Angeles-to-Victoria ferry CBC. Although the wind pattern was not favorable
like last year, when westerly storm winds from the Pacific the day prior
pushed some nice rarities into the Strait, this year also had its surprises,
although there were no tubenoses.

The top bird was a KUMLIEN'S ICELAND GULL, an adult, that flew past and then
on a parallel course to the boat (from a distance), the boat at about
milepoint 16, well inside BC waters. I had been noticing an unexpectedly
good number of THAYER'S GULLS when this bird came by. The bird was too far
off to make out eye color but had the telltale pale plumage overall and
especially translucent white wing tips (from above and below) and was
proportionately long-winged; other field marks were quite similar to
Thayer's, although the bird's mantle was a lighter icy gray. Full details
will go to Mike Patterson.

The other exciting gull, about which I'm less certain, was a possible
VEGA-type HERRING GULL, but the problem was this bird was in a confusing
plumage, third-winter. This bird was at about mile 14, closer to the
international crossing point, it also flew past and then in parallel to the
Coho for a short time. Although I've seen countless Vega-types in my
Russian Far East travels, I confess to not having paid adequate attention to
third-winter birds, and in fact I recall seeing mainly adults and
1st-years....There are written narratives about this plumage, but there are
no illustrations of it anywhere I could find (Harrison's Seabirds, JWBS'
Birds of Japan, MacKinnon et al Birds of China, Sibley, Waterbirds of Asia,
etc.). That being said, the bird immediately drew attention by being
dark-mantled, a unique smoky dark gray with black wingtips, plainly darker
than a regular Herring or Glaucous-winged, but not as dark as a pure Western
or Slaty-backed. The bird's nape, back of head and crown were
speckled/spotted.

Otherwise the ferry run this year was notable for having far fewer
alcids--the ANCIENT MURRELET count was just 55. As last year, most of the 7
gull species represented were on the Canadian side. Lastly, a word of
caution to those considering a trip up to Victoria: heading back to Port
Angeles from Victoria can take quite awhile. U.S. Customs, given recent
events, is taking much more time than usual in conducting its duties and
good identification is essential (we took birth certificates for our kids).
The 4 pm return trip was delayed until 4:40.

Also--I found myself along the upper Queets River in n. Grays Harbor County
the next day (the 28th), an excellent day on the weather. I was surprised
to have an OSPREY hunting the river near us several times; a SPOTTED
SANDPIPER also seemed a bit unexpected, although they might overwinter
regularly here, I'm not certain. Finally, although missed on our
Sequim-Dungeness CBC the 17th, there was apparently a N. GOSHAWK frequenting
the forest along the Dungeness River at the Knutsen farm, on the east side
of the river where the Old Olympic Hwy.
crosses, seen by several locals periodically over the last couple weeks;
also missed on the CBC but reported by a local hunter to me, there have
apparently also been 5 GR. WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at the Old Ol. Game Farm
periodically over the last month.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
email: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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