Hi Tweets,

While kayaking Friday between Reef and McConnel Islands Northwest of
Deer harbor, in the San Juan Islands, I joined six Red-necked
Phalaropes feeding in a floating mass of kelp, which was drifting to
the east in the fast moving ebb tide. They were doing their typical
?spinning? feeding behavior apparently eating small crustaceans in the
kelp. Luckily they did not seem disturbed by the kayak and I was able
to observe their behavior for about fifteen minutes from about three
meters. It appeared that there were both juvenile birds and adults
showing winter plumage.

On Saturday we joined the trip from Port Townsend to Protection island
NWR. After observing the birds at Protection Island we went to
Partridge Banks and once again were able to observe a small flock of
Red-necked Phalaropes feeding in the kelp beds on the banks.

Don and Sandi McVay
Deer harbor
dmcvay at cmc.net