Hi Tweeters,

This past weekend for my mothers birthday I took her
on the Protection Island cruise. It was a fabulous
trip. All told I probably saw about 20 Tufted Puffin,
many up very close. My mother got to see quite a few
as well. The island was filled with burrows of mostly
Rhinocerous Auklet but some puffin too. There was
probably 50 Bald Eagles on the island in many phases
of plumages. At the end of the trip we cruised by
Indian Island and saw a pair of Bald Eagles being
stooped on by a pair of Perigrine Falcons. The
falcons were kings of the sky as the eagles drifted
down to tree line to land, seemingly just to get away
from those pesky falcons.

I had mentioned I wouldn't mind going to Port Angeles
yesterday. My mother suspected it was bird
related...she was right. It was to see the Common
Eider. What a great bird and what ease to view it
with! I was most impressed with the size of the duck
and the interesting bill shape. He was at the
Westport Shipyard yesterday morning. The eider was
doing a lot of preening and would wing flap giving
great views of the inner and outer wing. The sun was
behind us, the looks just couldn't get any better. My
mom the accidental birder as it often seems, got great
looks too.

If anyone goes to see the eider and is hungry before
or after I would very much recommend Cafe Garden
Restaurant at 1506 E. First Street. They have great
food. Port Townsend also has great food at the
Fountain Cafe. Definitely worthwhile places to spend
the birding dollar. We wish there was such good
eating in south King County.

We also drove up Mt Walker outside of Quilcene
yesterday for the great views. Got to see gashawks in
the form of the Blue Angels while gazing across the
sound from the Olympic Peninsula. That was certainly
a unique setting to see the jets from.

Thanks for all the great information everyone posts on
Tweeters. It sure makes birding fun!

Kathy
Roosting in S King County



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