Hello All
This morning (11 August 2006) I did a 4-hour seawatch from the last viewing
stand at Cape Flattery, an incredibly interesting place to view from. With
near-optimal viewing conditions (high overcast, calm seas, almost no wind) I
was able to scope and identify many things up to 2.5 or 3 miles out. Most of
the highlighted birds below are only unusual in being viewed from shore. It
really seemed I was birding real pelagic waters from shore, a rare
opportunity.

CAPE FLATTERY (0615-1015hrs):
Harlequin Duck (8)
Surf Scoter (200)
White-winged Scoter (15)
Common Merganser (3)
Red-throated Loon (5)
Pacific Loon (12)
Common Loon (10)
Red-necked Grebe (1)
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS (1):
Pink-footed Shearwater (1)
BULLER'S SHEARWATER (2): one entered the straits behind Tatoosh I.
Sooty Shearwater (180)
MANX-type SHEARWATER (1): Seen at 0720hr, about 3/4 mile from vantage point.
I could not for the life of me make out the white undertail coverts, but
the head pattern looked perfect for Manx which is the most likely.
Brown Pelican (25)
Brandt's Cormorant (60)
Double-crested Cormorant (20)
Pelagic Cormorant (350)
Bald Eagle (5)
Peregrine Falcon (2)
Black Oystercatcher (15): molting adults.
Red-necked Phalarope (80)
RED PHALAROPE (1)
POMARINE JAEGER (8ad): most jaegers flew by to south between 0615 and 0700.
Parasitic Jaeger (18)
Heermann's Gull (2)
California Gull (50)
Gl.-winged/Western Gull (####)
SABINE'S GULL (1-HY)
Black-legged Kittiwake (1-SY)
Common Murre (####)
Pigeon Guillemot (500)
ANCIENT MURRELET (1-HY): flew in and landed fairly close to shore.
CASSIN'S AUKLET (30): actively diving, feeding in one particular tidal zone
a mile out or so.
Rhinoceros Auklet (400)
Tufted Puffin (100)
Black Swift (25): flying everywhere between Tatoosh and the platform;
calling, chasing, some very close-up at eye level.
Belted Kingfisher (1)
Cedar Waxwing (2)
Orange-crowned Warbler (2)
Wilson's Warbler (1): flew in from off the water and began catching flies
around the bluff.
Red Crossbill (5): high-pitched, bell-like call notes unlike what I've been
hearing on the south coast lately.
--
Sea Otter (1)
Steller's Sea Lion (15)

Carol Schulz and I also birded the Elwha River mouth yesterday, 10 August.
Highlights there included a Green Heron, a Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Ruddy
Turnstone, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 1 Red-necked Phalarope.

We camped at Hobuck Beach just south of Cape Flattery and birded the beach
both days. Shorebirding was very good with the following totals:

Black Oystercatcher (1)
Semipalmated Plover (275)
Spotted Sandpiper (1)-juv.
Wandering Tattler (1)
Sanderling (11)
Western Sandpiper (350): 90% juv.
Least Sandpiper (700): 75% juv.
Semipalmated Sandpiper (3)
Red-necked Phalarope (1)

Finally, a stop at Three Crabs this afternoon found the tide too high for
viewing, and few birds even on Helen's Pond. A flyover Baird's Sandpiper was
the only highlight.

That's about all.

Cheers and good birding,
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington