Bruce LaBar and I went up to Port Angeles today to take a look at the Common
Eider. We arrived at the observation platform spot around 8:00AM and the
bird wasn't to be found, so we went to the site further west described by
Gene Hunn and others. A gathering of scopes led us right to the bird, which
was excessively cooperative. Excellent bird to see in the state. Also in the
area were several adult Mew Gulls.

After observing for some time we headed to the Oyster House area near
Sequim. The tide was such that the birds were a very long distance away. The
alternate Bar-tailed Godwit found yesterday by Patrick Sullivan was spotted
on the mudflats at an extreme distance. We watched it with three Marbled
Godwits and a dowitcher or two, and got to see it in flight a couple of
times. Later we were scanning from the Three Crabs Restaurant parking lot
and spotted the bird much closer, which a flock of Black-bellied Plovers. I
took a bit of video of this brightly plumaged bird. Eventually the bird flew
back towards the oyster house, alone.

On the topic of gulls at North Cove, if a bird has a pale yellow eye, it
simply isn't going to be a California Gull. This mark, upon many others, was
noted by Marcus and Bruce as described in Marcus' post. Keep looking y'all.

Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington