Four of us (Jeff Jendro, Russ Koppendrayer, Anne Kahle, and myself birded Lopez Island Sat. and then onto San Juan Island Sat. afternoon and Sunday monring. Places visited on Lopez Is. are Port Standley Pond, Fisherman Bay, and Shark Reef. Birds seen were: tons of Buffleheads everywhere, both Marbled and Ancient Murrelets, Least Sandpipers, Dunlin, Greater Yellowlegs and 2 Black Oystercatchers looking over the rocks at the end of the half-mile trail at Shark Reef.

San Juan Island produced Trumpeter Swans on the way to Roche Harbor where a male Anna's Hummingbird still is hanging out on top of the climbing roses. A briefly heard Lapland Longspur which we could never locate at American Camp and also at the north end of American Camp was Short-eared Owls and a Northern Shrike at sundown. At the end of the day we had seen or heard 78 species of birds. The San Juans are full of birds as always.

The next morning we saw many Pacific Loons and Common Mergansers feeding together on salt water with swirling kelp and rip tides off the west side of San Juan Is. Seemed strange to see Common Mergansers on salt water. Must have been wanting a salty fish for breakfast. Above us at this spot was our first of two Merlins. Waiting for the ferry we located Black Turnstones and Greater Yellowlegs at the lagoon off Argyle on the northeastern part of San Juan Is.

Had a great trip and the cost was reduced by 4 of us paying for the ferry and gas.

2 foxes were seen at Am. Camp. A buffy one and a black one and no rabbits only fresh rabbit fur.


Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/