Hello Tweets,

This afternoon at 2:20pm we located an adult THICK-BILLED MURRE off the Point No Point Lighthouse,where the bird was observed for about 10 minutes. The bird was first detected flying offshore northeast of the Point No Point Lighthouse until the bird landed on the water and allowed great,but distant scope views. The bird remained in relatively calm water 8 more minutes before flying off to the northwest in Admiralty Inlet towards Double Bluff on Whidbey Island. We kept our spotting scopes on the bird until we lost view of it,as it flew low over the water. While the bird was on the water before it flew off we obtained good scope views of the distinctly black and white plumage,being crisp,dark black above and solid white below with no hint of any smudgy or streaked areas on the flanks or sides. The bird was clean cut and even at the fair distance we were able to view the distinct thicker,shorter bill compared to several nearby Common Murres. Perhaps this is the same individual Thick-billed Murre that has been reported recently from Point No Point by other observers,but we haven't seen any reports about the bird's plumage. We also noticed that the Thick-billed Murre appeared shorter and thicker-necked that the Common Murres,as well as having a somewhat more stockier appearance in flight too. It was a great bird to see,especially less than 10 minutes of arriving to the Point No Point Lighthouse!

We continued searching the offshore waters off Point No Point until 3:30pm when lighting conditions decreased considerably,as well as many of the waterbirds being more dispersed. We did run into several birders during our visit including a birder on her last vacation in Washington from San Diego,California. Her main target bird was the Long-billed Murrelet,but we failed to produce that bird for her but maybe she had it after we left. There were very good numbers of alcids,as well as other waterbirds species that all moved around as the currents changed. We also had a few large ships go by,as well as a lone ferry too all heading towards Seattle. A list of our other notable species at Point No Point included the following species:

1 Red-throated Loon
9 Pacific Loon
1 EARED GREBE
15 Brandt's Cormorants
8 "Black"Brant
350+ Bonaparte's Gulls
14 Common Murres
12 Pigeon Guillemots
33+ Marbled Murrelets
65+ ANCIENT MURRELETS(observed in groups of 3-10 birds being either in flight or swimming birds on the surface of the water) Many birds offering great scoping views a short distance offshore from the lighthouse!
9 Rhinoceros Auklets
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler


Earlier in the day we were treated to great scope views of the WHOOPER SWAN between 10:30am-11:30am along Hwy.9 just south of the intersection with Marsh Rd.(south of the city of Snohomish). The bird was first detected amongst a large gathering of resting Trumpeter Swans in a large,extensive grassy field west of Hwy.9,as the fog began to slowly lift. We spotted the bird within 5 minutes of arriving to the first small pull-off along Hwy.9 south of Marsh Rd.,where we were joined by two other vehicles that were also parked there. We got out and immediately scoped the distant swan flocks until the bird was found in the further north of two large flocks. The bird remained at this location offering great scope views for many other birders,but it was just slightly too far for superb photos. During our observations of the bird it grazed,preened and walked a short distance in and amongst the Trumpeter Swans,but overall never strayed too far and was usually always visible since the lighting was excellent after the fog finally burned off. It was an exciting bird to finally see since we've been so busy with CBC's and other commitments! Altogether there were about 25 birders that we noted that saw the bird,which includes birders from another pull-off along Hwy.9 just south of where we were parked. The adult EMPEROR GOOSE was also visible from this same location,but in another flock of swans slightly south of the north flock that contained a small flock of Canada Geese and up to 12 Greater White-fronted Geese too.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com