Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I took advantage of the best day of this weekend for
birding, as tomorrow rain is forcasted in WA, as we birded mainly Jefferson
Co., with minor birding at a few Kitsap Co.locations, as the weather was
quite good throughout the day, with mostly cloudy to partly sunny skies,
with a few threats of showers at times, late in the day, and encountered a
total of 102 species for the day. The main highlight of the day was a
winter-plumaged RED KNOT at the north end of Indian Island, visible after
extensive scoping from the west end of Ft.Flagler S.P. at 1:30pm at incoming
tide, as it foraged with several other species of shorebirds at the time.
This bird was seen at the same location, as we noted this species on 4-9-00,
and is presumed to be an overwintering bird, due to the date.

We started near Seabeck in Kitsap County at 6am, where we observed and
photographed a pair of MOUNTAIN QUAIL, at the same location as on the 17th,
along with a single Gray Jay, two Rufous Hummingbirds, and a pair of
Sharp-shinned Hawks among more common species. Next, heading north, we
checked the Salsbury Point County Park, where we ran into Dennis Paulson,
leading a master birding class field trip, as the highlights at this
location consisted of 4 MARBLED MURRELETS.

In Jefferson Co., we made a quick stop along Hwy.19(Chimacum-Beaver Valley
Rd.), at the south end of the Chimacum Valley, just north of Larson Lake,
where a MUTE SWAN was noted, as it has been observed in recent past years.
At Oak Bay Rec.Area an extensive search of both access areas produced the
following highlights:

87 Pacific Loons
350 Brant
44 Harlequin Ducks
2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS

At Mystery Bay S.P., just north of Nordlund in Jefferson Co., several
notable waterbird numbers, and two species of shorebirds that included:

58 EARED GREBES
190 LONG-TAILED DUCKS(Oldsquaw)
1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
2 Black-bellied Plovers

At Ft.Flagler S.P., we started out by birding the eastern portion of the
park, including Marrowstone Point Lighthouse, and the settling ponds, then
proceeded to the camping area on the west portion of the park, and walking
spit. Most notable in highest concentrations were large numbers of
Rhino.Auklets, with up to 450 noted, along with lesser numbers of Pigeon
Guillemots, and Red-necked Grebes, mainly off Marrowstone Point, with all
three species noted in breeding plumage. The most coverage was made at the
west end of the walking spit, where extensive scoping was made while viewing
up to 11 species of shorebirds, as they all foraged on the north end of
Indian Island, along with good numbers of roosting gulls, as most notable
highlights within the park boundaries consisted of:

10 WOOD DUCKS(9 males, 1 female)
1 male EURASIAN WIGEON
58 Harlequin Ducks
62 Black-bellied Plovers
2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS
2 RUDDY TURNSTONES
42 Black Turnstones
3 SURFBIRDS
38 Sanderlings
1 RED KNOT
27 WESTERN SANDPIPERS
12 LEAST SANDPIPERS
56 Dunlin
1 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL
1 Herring Gull
1 THAYER'S GULL
5 Hutton's Vireos
2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS

On our way back, we stopped along Hwy.116, at the south end of Kilisut
Harbor(Scow Bay), where 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were observed at incoming tide,
then 2 more GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and 1 male EURASIAN WIGEON at the mouth of
Gorst Creek, both observed upon a quick check before arriving home, at high
tide.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net