Yesterday I kayaked from Port Townsend 2 miles out to Rat Island (a barely
vegetated gravel bar just offshore from Marrowstone and Indian Islands).
There were 120 Harlequin Ducks sitting on the cobbly beach ?mostly adult
plumage males, with some females and younger males). Are these adult males
about to head to breeding rivers? And where are their mates? Or have they
already deserted their mates at those rivers? What is the story?

Ken Wilson
Port Townsend, WA
kenw at cablespeed.com