Hi Tweets,

The Seattle Audubon Volunteer Coordinator, Jen Mullen, was riding her
Vespa to work yesterday and noticed a small dark bird in the middle of
the road near the corner of 24th Ave NW and NE 80th St in the north
Ballard (Crown Hill) neighborhood. It was getting tossed and turned
with each passing car but appeared to still be alive.

She rescued it from the middle of the street, risking life and limb, and
brought it into the office. I wasn't in the office yesterday (what a
day to be out!) so after consulting some bird books, they called to tell
me that they think they had a Cassin's Auklet. I was incredulous even
though they listed off all the key ID marks: nearly entirely gray body,
blueish-webbed feet and a white crescent above the eye. They quickly
took it to PAWS.

After seeing pictures of it today, I am believer. It is certainly a
Cassin's Auklet and it appears to be doing very well in PAWS care.

The kicker is that Jen just started working here several months ago and
is just getting into birding. What a way to start a King County list!
:)

Thought you might enjoy that story.

Adam Sedgley

Science Associate
Seattle Audubon
206-985-6993
adams at seattleaudubon.org

www.birdweb.org <http://www.birdweb.org/>