In the past few weeks I've spent many hours on the water, boating from the
Seattle area northward to Edmonds/Lynwood/Everett and up the east side of
Whidbey to San Juan Island. I also traveled (via zodiac) the entire eastern
shore of Bainbridge, and up to Miller Bay.

The only place I've seen more than just a handful of Caspian terns is around
Seattle's pier 90 and the north end of Myrtle Edwards Park; I've noticed
them over the past several years, and have read several tweeter reports as
well. If the Caspian terns from Tacoma have relocated as a group, I suspect
it's somewhere other than these places I've been frequenting.

Yesterday was a quiet day on the water bird-wise, but the west side of San
Juan Island was busy with whale watching boats and about 20 orcas in their
usual area.

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