Natalie and I were joined by two friends - Marcus Roening and Amy
Garrigan - on a day-long birding trip to Point No Point and Foulweather
Bluff in northern Kitsap County today (DeLorme Page 78, A4), and our
efforts paid off with some good birding in great weather conditions.
Among the highlights, this morning we observed one PALM WARBLER along the
trail and on the logs along the upper beach between the lighthouse and
the observation deck.

Around noon we wandered the trail to Foulweather Bluff and scanned the
saltwater for views of all three scoters and RED-THROATED and COMMON
LOONS, and in the marsh we compared the BONAPARTE'S and MEW GULLS before
discovering five GREATER YELLOWLEGS feeding in the north end of the
marsh, with two DOWITCHERS, likely Long-Billed, working the shallows for
food along with them.

After taking a late lunch break at a nearby Mexican restaurant, we headed
back to Point No Point for one more long look in the afternoon. The
treats on the second visit included watching two PARASITIC JAEGERS
chasing Bonaparte's Gulls. We also added views of quite a few loons,
including a PACIFIC LOON. We ended the evening with long views of
shorebirds flying across the channel between Whidbey Island and Hansville
before they landed to offer looks at BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, DUNLIN and
SANDERLING.

It was a great day to be out in nature! Happy birding!

--
Rob McNair-Huff ---------- Tacoma, WA
Author of Birding Washington (Falcon Publishing, 2004)
and Insider's Guide to the Olympic Peninsula (Globe Pequot, 2001)
White Rabbit Publishing ---- http://www.whiterabbits.com
Mac Net Journal ---------- http://www.macnetjournal.com
The Equinox Project ------ http://www.whiterabbits.com/weblog.html