While birding the San Juans with Tom Mansfield and MaryFrances Mathis this weekend (Oct. 12) we found 1 lone Clark's Nutcracker about 1/2 way down Mt. Constitution which is on Orcas Island. This is a tough bird for San Juan Co. It was at a sharp bend with an open-grassy south-facing slope eating grasshoppers.

Other good birds on Lopez and San Juan Islands were: 3 Short-eared Owls at dusk at American Camp, 25-30 Lapland Longspurs with scattered singles in the old Skylark fields, A Northern Shrike just south of American Camp, a Vesper Sparrow also in the Skylark fields, a Black-capped Chickadee a Hummel Lake, an Anna's Hummingbird at Roche Harbor in the gardens.

Birding on Lopez and San Juan Islands was normal with many species seen.

No Ancient Murrelets yet. They should be here in a couple of weeks.

A fun weekend without having to drive 100's of miles within a county.
Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/