Subject: [Tweeters] Jefferson Co. highlights 11-15/16
Date: Nov 16 19:23:08 2004
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

On November 15th and 16th my mother and I checked a few Jefferson Co. locations along with searching for target species previously reported by observers onto Tweeters over the past few weeks. On the 15th the Port Hadlock Blue Jay was well observed between 1:30pm-3pm in a residential neighborhood surrounding the intersection of Maple and 3rd Streets. This location is accessed north of main town of Port Hadlock. The Blue Jay was heard several times calling before being seen,but also stayed close to a group of 5-6 Steller's Jays,as well as foraged by itself at times. As noted in Carolyn Eagen's Tweeters posting the Blue Jay offered the best viewing,as we all watched it forage on the ground at a residence by itself,pecking at grubs,etc before flying to a nearby tree then onto a telephone wire. The bird eventually flew into a backyard residence,where the bird has been most recently observed over the past week. The owner of that residence believes there could be up to 2 individual Blue Jays,which is very possible. Today,November 16th we returned to the location, but we and other birders were unable to relocate the Blue Jay. According to the owner of the residence we learned that the bird was not seen/or heard all day. We also learned that at least one Blue Jay was located approximately 4 blocks away at another residence prior of the current Blue Jay sighting. Near the end of our visit this afternoon we observed an adult Cooper's Hawk and later a Sharp-shinned Hawk at the residence and overall diversity was very slow and quite with only 2-3 Steller's Jays noted. Perhaps the Blue Jay moved to another nearby location or is still in the area,which the owner believes.

Away from the Blue Jay we noted a few additional species noteworthy to mention including the following species:

Eared Grebe
3 along S.R.3 near Gorst,Kitsap Co. on the 16th
1 at Hadlock on the 16th

Great Egret
1 lingering bird at the Quilcene Marina on the 16th(previously reported by several observes)

Trumpeter Swan
3 along S.R.19 (Chimacum-Beaver Valley Rd.)at Beaver Valley on the 16th
1 at Quilcene on the 16th
3 at Crocker Lake(viewed from Hwy.101)on the 16th

Black Scoter
5 along S.R.3 near Gorst on the 16th
1 at Hadlock on the 16th

Osprey
1 at Port Hadlock on the 16th

Merlin
1 along Oak Bay Rd. north of Port Ludlow on the 15th

Sanderling
14 at Salsbury Point County Park on the 15th

Dunlin
40+ at the mouth of Gorst Creek,Kitsap Co. on the 16th

Marbled Murrelet
22 at Salsbury Point County Park on the 15th
2 at Oak Bay County Park on the 15th

Mourning Dove
1 at Port Hadlock on the 15th

Mountain Chickadee
1 bird in a mixed passerine flock just south of the Blue Jay location on the 15th

Varied Thrush
9 at Port Hadlock

Cedar Waxwing
15 at Port Hadlock


Additionally, like Carolyn Eagen we were unable to relocate the previously reported Yellow-billed Loon during our visit to the Salsbury Point County Park near the Hood Canal Bridge on the 15th.



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net