Hello all, today's big winds had me thinking something great would show up
along the water. Keith Brady and I made the now-familiar trek to Luhr Beach
to see what was happening out there. Arrived before 5:00 at a very high
tide. Keith refound the young BROWN PELICAN in the same location as I saw
yesterday, over towards Anderson Island in Pierce county waters. The best
sight of the day was a flock of 42 COMMON TERN flying about in the high
winds, this is the largest flock I've seen in the area...unfortunately they
remained quite distant throughout our visit. I finally found 2 MARBLED
MURRELET out amongst the chop, thus putting an end to my constant bitching
about this nemesis species for Thurston county...now for that Ruffed
Grouse...

Other birds:
Common Loon
8 Horned Grebe
5 Western Grebe (forgot to mention I saw 3 small groups the other day)
1 R/N Grebe
W/W Scoter
Surf Scoter
2 N. Harrier
1 California Gull (1st winter)

Earlier in the day during the winds and rain I stopped at Capitol Lake
interpretive center in Olympia to see what was about. I had hopes of
picking out a Black Swift amongst the birds but it was not to be. I DID see
flocks of well over 100 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS and 30-40 VAUX'S SWIFT flying
about in swarms, this is the largest single-species swallow flock that I've
seen in WA. They reminded me of mayflies swarming around the light pole,
they were just everywhere. Also got to see two Black-throated Gray Warblers
at eye level here, one first fall female and one that could have been a
first fall or fall adult male (according to Petersons Warblers).

Other birds here:
3 P/B Grebe
2 Common Merganser
5 Hooded Merganser
Keith reported seeing a Wood Duck and Green Heron from this location this
week.

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA