Subject: [Tweeters] Mason County birds and Orcas
Date: Feb 3 23:26:43 2005
From: Jason Paulios - jpaulios at earthlink.net


Hello all, today we ventured over to Hoodsport to see if we could relocate
the transient pod of 6 Killer Whale (whales?) along Hood Canal. Positive
sightings from this week made us feel our chances were good.

We first stopped at Potlach State Park a little after noon and scanned for
five or ten minutes with no luck. There were Common Loon; Eared, Horned and
Red-necked Grebes; both Goldeneye; and W/W and Surf Scoters.

We then drove north along 101 scanning the open water when we could.
Eventually at about 12:45 we stopped at a large pull off just after
Lilliwaup and found a gentleman watching the pod! We got distant looks here
of the surfacing group as they headed south. We raced back towards
Hoodsport but stopped at a diving pulloff to look at the group once more
closer in. Eventually we ended up at the Hoodsport "marina" and waited for
the pod to come in. While here we talked to a Hoodsport resident who
mentioned that he started the day at Dosewallips and eventually saw the pod
at "Octopus Hole" (I think) and trailed them south. The pod was surfacing
for about 2 minutes between deeper dives and includes some young Orcas at
least one female. The Hoodsport resident said that this group was last seen
in Alaska.

Birds at the marina included: R/T and Common Loon, Horned and R/N Grebes,
both Goldeneye, W/W and Surf Scoter. Also Mew, Western, and G/W Gull. R/B
Merganser, Bufflehead and A. Wigeon rounded out the ducks.


Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA