To augment Wayne's accurate assessment, the Sequim-Dungeness CBC has had the
highest numbers in the last decade, owing mainly to the presence of a boat
party that scores hundreds in the open waters off Protection I. and nearby.
In the Sequim area the highest numbers seem to be a bit offshore, best seen
by scope or from a boat.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
email: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

>From: "Wayne C. Weber" <contopus at shaw.ca>
>Reply-To: contopus at shaw.ca
>To: BARRY LEVINE <levineb at bsd405.com>
>CC: TWEETERS <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Re: Long-tailed Duck Question
>Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 09:04:21 -0800
>
>Barry and Tweeters,
>
>If I understand your question correctly, you were asking whether
>seeing 100 Long-tailed Ducks in a day in Washington is unusual. A
>short answer: no, not in some areas.
>
>Looking at recent Christmas Count results, the Sequim-Dungeness CBC
>seems to average more than 1000 Long-tailed Ducks. (1709 in 2000, 1153
>in 1999, 363 in 1998, 1143 in 1997).
>
>The Ladner CBC, which is partly in Washington State, has a long-term
>average of 170 Long-tailed Ducks (1957 to 2000). The highest total on
>this count was 1043 in 1992. For some reason, this count is not
>included in the Washington counts on the BirdSource website, even
>though it includes all of Point Roberts (which is where most of the
>Long-tails are seen).
>
>Other Washington CBCs which have tallied more than 100 Long-tailed
>Ducks include Port Townsend (173 in 1997) and the Anacortes to Sidney,
>B.C. ferry count (363 in 1998).
>
>On Dec. 9, 2001 I observed a total of 140 Long-tailed Ducks in 2
>groups off Point Roberts (reported in a message to TWEETERS).
>
>On March 30, 1971, I tallied at least 2200 Long-tailed Ducks migrating
>north past Point Roberts. Even I was flabbergasted by this high
>number.
>
>In a nutshell: Long-tailed Ducks are common in winter in the San Juan
>Islands, Georgia Strait, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and northern Puget
>Sound, but they rapidly become much scarcer to the south of this area.
>(They are usually seen in groups of less than 10 in southern
>Washington, Oregon, and California.)
>
>Wayne C. Weber
>Kamloops and Delta, BC
>contopus at shaw.ca
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <barry.levine at bsd405.com>
>To: <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 7:28 AM
>Subject: Long-tailed Duck Question
>
>
> > Tweeters,
> > Yesterday at Larrabie State Park (near Bellingham) Alden Mason and
> > myself saw a raft of Long-tailed Ducks that numbered 100 or so.
>While
> > talking to Rick Romea last night about this, he mentioned he had
>seen
> > about 30 at the John Wayne Marina this weekend. It seemed unusual to
> > both Rick and myself to see so many long-tails here, though I know
>they
> > can be seen in very large numbers to the north. My question to the
> > group: Is this an occurance that happens irregularly? Thanks.
> >
> > Barry Levine
> > Seattle
>


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