Tweeters,
I have seen them at Dungeness Spit this time of the year. Again very
close to land.

Barry Levine
Seattle levineb at bsd405.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Wile [mailto:mikewile at attbi.com]
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2002 1:21 PM
To: garybletsch at yahoo.com; tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Ancient Murrelet strategy


Tweets-
I totally agree with Gary in terms of the best months and good
places to see Ancients. I will add that probably the most reliable spot
in my experience has been taking the ferry to the San Juans. The 4 or 5
times I have done this in November/December (usually not just birding
trips) have always been rewarded with great views, including right off
the ferry dock in Friday Harbor.

Good Luck

Mike Wile
Redmond, WA
mikewile at attbi.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Bletsch <mailto:garybletsch at yahoo.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2002 12:04 PM
Subject: Ancient Murrelet strategy


Dear Tweeters,

Here is my two cent's worth (adjusted for inflation) on
trying to find Ancient Murrelets for one's life list.

When I went for this species in the early nineties,
several of us got together and took the ferry from Whidbey to Port
Townsend, as pedestrians. We rode it back and forth a few times. I
believe it was November, or perhaps December. Certainly, almost all of
my ANMU sightings since then have been in those months. Anyway, one or
more of our group saw one or more birds on each leg. I think we took the
ferry there, back, there, and back again (four crossings). I had
horrible cheapo binoculars at the time, and so I was the last one to get
a decent look, my friends all having Zeiss or other nice bins. Even with
my $29.99 optics, though, I got great looks on our last leg.

I have not bothered to do the ferry trip again, at least
not in the cold season. Since then I have found that two or three
November trips to Green Point (Washington Park) in Anacortes, per year,
usually suffice to find an Ancient or two, for ye old Skagit county year
list. That strategy has usually demanded long sessions at the picnic
table out there. Optimal conditions have often included cold rainwater
running down my back, continual need to wipe off eyeglasses, and wind
threatening to knock the tripod off the table, but there is also a
special quality to Green Point in late autumn, and the chance for big
flocks of fish-eating birds up close.

Good luck with your lifer ANMU!

Gary Bletsch



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