Hi Tweets

I went over to the Kitsap Peninsula today to look for the YELLOW-BILLED LOON. Fairly slow going over to Winslow, but had all three cormorants coming into Eagle Harbor as well as PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, and BARROW'S GOLDENEYES. Things really picked up when I reach Suquamish just before 9 AM. I parked at the end of the road near Suquamish Dock and scanned the bay. Lots of activity. My first scan didn't show the Yellow-billed, but then I looked further to the north. The YELLOW-BILLED LOON was foraging by itself about two hundred yards off-shore and spending equal time up and down. I watched it for about 20 minutes and got very good scope views.

I then went back and worked my way thru the other birds. Probably 20+ COMMON LOONs, 20+ PACIFIC LOONs, and a few RED-THROATED LOONs, out there as well as lots of SURF SCOTERs, BLACK SCOTERs, RED-NECKED GREBEs, HORNED GREBEs, WESTERN GREBEs, DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANTs, BARROW'S GOLDENEYEs, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs, and GLAUCOUS-WINGED and MEW GULLs and a single WESTERN GULL. HOUSE SPARROWs and HOUSE FINCH in the vicinity.

I next went up to Point-No-Point. A good size flock of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs just off-shore, as well as about 50 RHINOCEROS AUKLETs. RED-NECKED GREBEs further out, scattered PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, two flock of PACIFIC LOONs came by (about 18 total), and just around the curve were about 30 BRANT. A BALD EAGLE was perched on one of the trees on the ridge, and GOLDEN-CROWNED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs as well as HOUSE FINCH and HOUSE SPARROW along the road coming in. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs were singing.

At Foulweather Bluff the WINTER WRENs were singing on the way in, a couple of MALLARDs and a GREEN-WINGED TEAL and HOODED MERGANSER were on the pond/lagoon. A GREAT BLUE HERON was in the far corner. Off-shore were scads of SURF, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERs and more RED-NECKED GREBEs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, BUFFLEHEAD and a COMMON GOLDENEYE. A few COMMON LOONs and PACIFIC LOONs were also present.

During all this time there was some misty rain, a couple of showers while driving but in general pretty decent conditions. On the way back from Foulweather Bluff it started raining seriously and pretty much get it up on the way home.

A good birding day.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
mailto: bellasoc at isomedia.com
Birding & Natural History Guide
author Birds of Washington State, Lone Pine Publishing
Birding & Natural History Guide