Hi Tweeters,

After reading Bob Whitney's post a couple of days ago concerning the hundreds of Ancient Murrelet that he saw off of Point Wilson, Fort Worden SP in Port Townsend, I decided to try my luck today. I arrived around 10:00 to find a stiff breeze, but, mercifully, no rain. Bob was already there and he gave me some very helpful advise as to how to differentiate a flying Ancient Murrelet from Marbled Murrelet. Some of the species that I saw in the 1.5 hours that I was there included:

-Ancient Murrelet (30+, always flying by in groups of 4 to 8). Occasionally they would land with very impressive bellyflops.

-Marbled Murrelet (at least 2 and perhaps a second group of 2)

-Numerous Pigeon Guillemot

-Several Red-throated and Pacific Loon and 1 Common Loon

-Horned & Western Grebe

-Lots of Surf and a couple of White-winged Scoter

-Common Merganser

-Brant (2)

-Harlequin Duck

-A male N. Harrier that caught and consumed a Killdeer a couple of hundred feet from where we stood.

Thanks again Bob!

After Pt. Wilson, I headed over to Fort Flagler SP. Some of the species seen there included:

- Merlin (1) just passed the park entrance

-100+ Black-bellied Plover hanging out on the grass if one goes straight through the intersection in the park instead of turning left (I'm not certain that I was supposed to be there, so don't tell anyone)

In the park where I was supposed to be (if you make a left at the intersection):

-Brant (150+)

-Long-tailed Duck (one flock of 7 and another pair on their own)

-Harlequin Duck

-Western and Horned Grebe

-Dunlin and Sanderling

-Lots of Common Goldeneye

Plus many of the more common winter water fowl.

Also seen on the drive: 8 Bald Eagles and 1 other Merlin

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net