Howdy all
Birders from as far away as Florida and Massachusetts saw the THICK-BILLED MURRE at Point No Point Sunday, Jan. 14. Viewing conditions were close to ideal. The bird was seen before 11 a.m., and from about 3 - 4 p.m. -- I didn't hear of any midday sightings. What struck me at first was the extensive black on head, and I first thought breeding Common, but the white on the chin and throat was striking, and definitely un-Common. (Some alcids are in breeding plumage now, if you haven't been out lately.) The profiles of the bill and the bird also said "something different." Some very fine scopes were present, but I did not hear anyone remark the white pinstripe on the upper mandible (which the some field guides describe as variable). The bird was a good ways out to the north and northeast in the afternoon, don't know about the a.m.. It was doing mostly 2-3-minute dives, and on the surface usually less than a minute. It did not seem to keep company with other birds out there.
My experience with the murre matched Lonnie Somers' report from Blaine, and I would tend to tend to think that was likely another thick-billed. Esp. as there were Commons handy for comparison.
No one mentioned the fabled LONG-BILLED MURRELET, though there were many, many marbleds, and a sprinkling of ancients. No sign of siskins or a REDPOLL at the little county park east of the Hood Canal bridge.
Richard Schneider
Port Angeles
rschndr at juno.com