Hi Tweeters,



After a short day at work, I drove over to Port Townsend to get in a few hours of birding.? Here are the highlights:



Fort Flagler SP, campground and spit:? A lot of BRANT, I did not attempt to count, but well over 100 birds.? I could hear their babbling calls very clearly.? More than a dozen HARLEQUIN DUCKS, 2 each of DUNLIN, WESTERN SANDPIPER, and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,?lots of?HORNED GREBES in breeding plumage (looking horny), COMMON LOONS (one calling), BALD EAGLES, several dozen HARBOR SEALS, RIVER OTTER.



Point Wilson:? I met fellow birders David and Adam over by the light house.? We were treated to well over 1,000

RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, it was just amazing to watch so many of them at one time; the YELLOW-BILLED LOON showed up around 3:45 allowing for very good views; there were a few COMMON LOONS, one of which looked a lot like a Yellow-billed Loon, possessing a very light bill; Adam pointed out 2 pairs of MARBLED MURRELETS flying by; all 3 CORMORANT species, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, more HORNED GREBES, and 1 RED-NECKED GREBE.? There was also 1 River Otter and what I believe was a Minke Whale (I only saw it surface once).



Point Hudson (at the end of the marina): David had mentioned that a HEERMANN'S GULL had been spotted a few times recently flying passed Point Wilson.? I found 1 sitting on the derelict pier at the end of the marina.? Very striking in its breeding plumage.? There were still 100+ BLACK TURNSTONES on the same pier along with 1 SURFBIRD and 1 ROCK SANDPIPER.? There was a large flock of BONAPARTE'S GULLS offshore and another large raft of RHINOCEROS AUKLETS stretching off into the distance.? A few more HARLEQUIN DUCKS were here as well.



Ignore the rain and go birding,



Lonnie Somer

Olympia, WA

wheelermombi at comcast.net