Subject: [Tweeters] Thick-billed Murre at Point No Point 2-1-07
Date: Feb 1 18:29:11 2007
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Tweets,

The THICK-BILLED MURRE was observed very,very briefly and independently this afternoon at 2pm just northeast at approximately 50 yards off the Point No Point Lighthouse. The bird came swimming in from the east all by itself allowing for a 3 second look before diving. Although the bird was seen only for a few seconds it was seen well and confidently and matched the bird photographed recently by Brad Waggoner, Ryan Merrill and Denny Granstrand. The bird from that point on could not be relocated despite searching until 3:30pm when 4 birders left the location. It is unclear where the bird could have gone when it dove,but perhaps it caught an underwater current and drifted well beyond where we actually searched. Initially, we began our searches for the Thick-billed Murre at 10am,where we joined several birders under very calm conditions and great lighting. By 11am the wind became strong and to our disadvantage to all birders. Much of the searching came from the north end of the lighthouse,where the best viewing was made from just behind the lighthouse building itself due to be fairly blocked from the wind.

Throughout the day we encountered good numbers of alcids overall,which came and went with the rip currents along with hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls too. Due to great lighting all day most birders obtained good views of most of the species,except for a few species that were noted further offshore and due to the rougher waters viewing was somewhat difficult. The most abundant alcid species that were noted that were visible were Marbled Murrelets followed by Common Murres. We noticed how variable Common Murres were that ranged in all types of plumages from near breeding plumage to winter plumage and everything in between,BUT nothing like the Thick-billed Murre with it's blacker plumage above and whiter underparts. Of additional note we observed a single Horned Grebe that was in near breeding
plumage. A few other species of note that we encountered during our searches at Point No Point included the following:

75+ "Black"Brant
2 Long-tailed Ducks
7 Red-throated Loons
10 Pacific Loons
4 Western Grebes
1 adult Bald Eagle
6+ Ancient Murrelets
9+ Rhinoceros Auklets


Despite such brief views of he Thick-billed Murre the views of the distant Cascades were great including Mt.Baker,as well as company enjoyed by many birders. May the search for the Thick-billed Murre continue! On a side note 2 Western Scrub Jays were observed along Hwy.16,as we drove over the Narrows Bridge last this afternoon perched atop trees immediately east of Jackson Ave. in Pierce Co.


Good birding,

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