Today (11/23/02) I started birding at 8AM on the pier at Dash Point Park.
>From 8-9:30AM there were no Ancient Murrelets to be seen. (No other
birders, either.) I saw birds already covered in other reports of today
including 2 RED-THROATED LOONS. A flock of DUNLIN flew across the water as
well. As I was preparing to depart, a single ANCIENT MURRELET appeared near
shore about 150 yards west of the pier. Then 4 more. The 5 ANMU stayed for
just a few minutes and then quickly disappeared.

Along Marine View Drive (Hwy 509) south of Tyee Marina and north of 11th St
E a male EURASIAN WIGEON was on a log with a few AMERICAN WIGEONS. In the
same area was an unusual cormorant. It looked much more like a BRANDT'S to
me than a DOUBLE-CRESTED, both of which were in the area. This bird was
all dark except for a white patch beneath the throat, a white patch on the
upper breast and a white belly. It looked like a Brandt's that had gotten
splashed with Chlorox.

Later I birded the Auburn trail near Emerald Downs in hopes of finding some
sparrows. I saw SONG and FOX SPARROWS, no others. A NORTHERN SHRIKE chased
a sparrow for a few seconds, without success.

Moving north, I headed for the Kent Ponds (Green River Natural Resources
Area). There was a nice assortment of ducks. LINCOLN'S SPARROW was in the
brush beneath the south tower. At 3:30PM a SHORT-EARED OWL got up. For a
few seconds the owl, an AMERICAN CROW and a NORTHERN HARRIER competed for
air space. The owl then perched in full view on a stump. Fifteen minutes
later a coyote walked by the stump and neither paid any attention to the
other. A very large adult COOPER'S HAWK and an AMERICAN KESTRAL rounded out
the birds of interest at Kent Ponds.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA