A PELAGIC CORMORANT surprised me at Brackett's bay north of the ferry terminal
today just before high tide. First time I've seen this species there during the
last 2.5 years. And I finally spotted my first fall Bonaparte's with loads of
Heermann's, Mew, Ring-billed, and California Gulls, with a few Glaucous-winged
thrown in for good measure. Could have been a Common, but I'd guess by sound it
was a Caspian Tern high above. And it was great to see the patient Osprey with a
plate-sized salmon flopping on top of a fat piling, as the Osprey cautiously
watched for thieving gulls overhead. Also, the marsh has been flooded, so not
even a Killdeer there now, but A.Widgeons and someone else had Green-winged Teal.

Also, Dianne, on a trip to Yakima last Saturday, 9/6/03, we had a TURKEY VULTURE
at I 90 MP88 around the Cle elum exit, and another TUVU on 82 at MP 5. Although
I was schlepping around with a bunch of Bavarian dancers, there were two fine
birders aboard who reported another TUVU on the way back, but I didn't catch the
location.

Patricia Lott

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Seattle, WA
VariedThrush at comcast.net