Looking at the weather forecast early yesterday morning I decided it would be a great day to do a little riding on the motorcycle and also go after the COMMON GRACKLE (a state bird for me). I packed up my gear (minus the scope this time) and caught the Edmonds - Kingston ferry at about 10:00 am and headed straight to Sequim. I birded the area where the grackle had been reported for a while, and eventually sighted the bird as it called from some bushes and flew to the top of a small pine tree (similar to what Wayne Weber had happen a little later in the day). I then went over to the 3 Crabs Restaurant at about 1:30 and scanned the area before heading back to Ballard. All in all a pleasant ride and birding trip with 52 species seen. A few additional highlights included:

BRANT - a small flock of about 20 birds flying by at Point No Point

MARBLED MURRELET - a pair at Salsbury Point Park, and a couple pairs at Point No Point

COMMON GRACKLE - Sequim (Twin View Drive / Marine Drive)

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER - although Matt Dufort and I had stopped and had seen this bird earlier in the week I wanted another look. The bird was on its favorite branch the whole time I was there - about 6:00 pm

Cheers and Good Birding



Michael Fleming

Ballard, WA

michaellf AT myway.com

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