I'm forwarding this from Alan Grenon, who's not subscribed to Tweeters.
Mike Donahue

Subject: Manx Shearwater

On Tuesday, 22 July, 2003, Chris Duke and I visited Ocean Shores, and
spent a few hours during a couple of visits at Brown Point jetty. I saw
a MANX SHEARWATER there twice between about 8:30 and 8:45 a. m., and
Chris had a possible sighting between 12:30 and 1 p. m. Throughout the
hours of our observations, a few hundred SOOTY SHEARWATERs were present
not far offshore, and there was almost always a large feeding aggregation
of gulls, shearwaters, and murres (among other species) in sight,
although its location varied from just off the jetty tip to a kilometer
or two to the north. My sightings involved a single shearwater flying
from south to north near the jetty tip, in close association with SOOTY
SHEARWATERs, from which it differed in being about 3/4 their size, all
blackish above, and all white below from chin to vent, including most of
the underwing surfaces. In proportions and behavior, it closely
resembled the adjacent shearwaters, mostly soaring near the water and
frequently rolling nearly 90 degrees to each side in rapid flight,
occasionally flapping briefly with stiff wings. Lighting was excellent,
with low sun behind us. Details of variation among the SOOTY
SHEARWATERs' brown plumage and whitish wing linings were readily apparent
in contrast with this bird. The birds appeared to be wheeling in a broad
area, so I expect my two sightings to have been of one individual. We
also saw several harbor seals and a few harbor porpoise in the area.

We may wish to return for further attempts to see this bird, and would
appreciate postings about others' efforts in the coming weeks.

Alan Grenon
Seattle
panmail at fastmail.fm