Hello Tweeters,

Actaully, it would be the second Greater Shearwater for WA. Barbara
Blackie and others reported one on a NOAA cruise off Cape Flattery on
6/24/2000.

First or second, it is still a great bird for Grays Harbor County!

Russell

SnyderLaBar at aol.com wrote:

> Our annual Westport Seabirds pelagic trip to Quinault and Grays canyon was
>one of our best pelagic trips ever!! With a full boat of birders, calm sea
>and low glare, we observed some great spectacles. First birdwise was the
>first sighting for Washington of a Greater Shearwater. We spotted a group of
>shearwaters on the water at about 45 miles out between the canyons. I noticed
>one bird that had a darker head than the Pink-footeds that were main species.
>We had been looking for Buller's and my first thought was that. We got
>everyone on the bird and as we started slowly drifting towards the flock,
>Michael Donahue and I noticed that the bird had a very dark cap, black bill
>and a white collar, cheek and throat. We both realized that this was not a
>Buller's and that it was a Greater. We got to within 50 feet of the bird and
>noticed the brownish back feathers with white fringes that a gave it a scaled
>appearance, which is classic for Greaters. The bird then came off the water
>and we got to see the white band above the dark tail. Several birders got
>some good photos.
>There has been less than 5 records in Calif. and one record from British
>Columbia.
>Other birds of note were: 10 South Polar Skuas, all three jaegers, 2 Leach's
>Storm-Petrel, several Tufted Puffins, good numbers of Cassin's Auklets, 1
>Buller's Shearwater and the rest of the usual suspects.
>The other MAIN highlight was observing over 450 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
>plunge feeding with over 2000 shearwater following them!!!! The ocean was
>just rippling with biomass. We also had a Humpback Whale give us a show next
>to our boat for about 20 minutes
>If you are interested in joining us on any remaining trips this year, check
>our web site at www.westportseabirds.com.
>
>Bruce LaBar
>Tacoma, WA.
>snyderlabar at aol.com
>
>

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Russell Rogers
219 South 2nd Ave
Sequim WA 98382
(360) 582-3781
mailto:rrogers at olypen.com
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Russell Rogers
Fish and Wildlife Biologist
Point Whitney Shellfish Laboratory
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
1000 Point Whitney Road
Brinnon WA 98320
(360) 586-1498 ex 221
mailto:rogerrer at dfw.wa.gov
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