Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I ventured over to Dash Point again in search of lingering numbers of ANCIENT MURRELETS at Dash Point Park recently observed and we were joined by 7 other birders during our visit between 12:30pm-1:50pm. We were able to count approxiametely 37 birds during our stay(amongst fairly good numbers of Rhinoceros Auklets and lesser numbers of Common Murres),as varying sized flocks of single birds to up to 16 birds in a single flock were noted within scoping range from the public fishing/crabbing pier at Dash Point Park. We were able to watch several groups of Ancient Murrelets fairly close to shore amongst feeding flocks of other waterbirds that lingered throughout our visit and at times a few birds came within 10-15 yards from the pier allowing a few photographs to be taken. A few Ancient Murrelets were heard calling during our visit,but near the end of our visit most of the birds moved further offshore as slight northerly winds picked up that increased swells and "choppy" water conditions. All the observers present were rewarded with good looks at the Ancient Murrelets through spotting scopes,despite the constant gloomy,cloudy conditions. We were also able to locate a few other notable species during our visit to Dash Point Park including:

3 Red-throated Loons
2 Western Grebes
12 Brand't Cormorants(amongst fairly large numbers of Double-crested Cormorants)
8 Bonaparte's Gulls
28 Common Murres
67+ Rhinoceros Auklets
1 Pileated Woodpecker

On our way home my mother made a few stops along S.R.509(Marine View Drive)along with Phil Kelley where we noted a few additional highlights for the afternoon along the Hylebos Waterway including the following:

7 Northern Pintails
1 male Eurasian Wigeon(amongst a large lingering flock of 200+ Am.Wigeons)
24 Killdeer
2 Spotted Sandpipers
14 Black Turnstones
4 Dunlin
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler

This evening when we arrived home at 4pm we encountered an actively calling "Black" Merlin that we observed from our home.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net