Subject: [Tweeters] Port Townsend, Yellow-billed Loon - yes
Date: Feb 8 08:39:35 2009
From: B&PBell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi Tweets

Yesterday I led a group from Eastside Audubon on a trip to Port Townsend and Marrowstone Island. The day started out overcast and cool, but became sunny in the afternoon. Things were fairly quiet at the Edmonds ferry terminal, but did see BRANDT'S, PELAGIC and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, SURF SCOTER, HORNED GREBE and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. A single CALIFORNIAN GULL flew over on the crossing. WESTERN GREBEs were near the Kingston ferry landing.

We made a stop at Point No Point and saw two HORNED GREBEs and a bunch of birds in the distance. Some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWs and a SPOTTED TOWHEE were in the parking lot. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs were calling all around. At the Hansville Store we had all three cormorants, more horned grebes, and added RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, COMMON LOON, PACIFIC LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, SURF SCOTER, and a group of MEW GULLS with two BONAPARTE'S GULLs in with them.

At Port Gamble there were many of the previously sighted birds plus WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, GREATER SCAUP, BELTED KINGFISHER, SONG SPARROW, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN CROW, and MERLIN.

It was pretty quiet a Salsbury Point park, but there were AMERICAN WIGEON, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and lots of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs. A few WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs were on the lawn.

On the way up SR19 (Chimacum Beaver Valley Rd) we stopped and scoped three TRUMPETER SWANs, a first in this area for many. On the way into Port Townsend we had an nicely perched COOPER'S HAWK. At Kah Tai Lagoon park in Port Townsend there was a large gaggle of MALLARDs, several RUDDY DUCKs, an AMERICAN COOT, GREAT BLUE HERON, HOUSE SPARROW, HOUSE FINCH, another COOPER'S HAWK, a nice look at a male PURPLE FINCH, and a very accomodating LINCOLN'S SPARROW.

We next made our lunch stop out at Point Wilson by the lighthouse. We constantly scanned Admiralty Inlet, and had a fairly constant flow of birds. We saw PIGEON GUILLEMOT, HORNED GREBE, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, RED-NECKED GREBE, SURF SCOTER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, COMMON LOON, PACIFIC LOON (small groups of two or three flying by), COMMON MURRE, MARBLED MURRELET, and ANCIENT MURRELET. Finally, at one point I spotted a different appearing loon - by following it we were able to pick out the YELLOW-BILLED LOON that has previously been reported from this spot. The sun obligingly came out and gave us good light, and all members were able to see the bird. These were distant scope views, and patience was required. In addition to nice looks at the yellow bill, the head shape and color were apparent.

We stopped at Point Hudson and picked up more HARLEQUIN DUCKs, and added BRANT. Our next stop was at Oak Bay County Park where we had NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD (we had been seeing these at many places before). Across the bridge onto Indian Island and a stop at the county park and looking into the sun, there were lots of MEW GULLs, a couple of CALIFORNIA GULLs, and a BALD EAGLE. The eagle lifted off over a hundred BRANT that had been feeding further down the beach. At Nordland, a single GREATER YELLOWLEGS was present.

Out at the west beach in Fort Flagler State Park we were able to add (very distant views) BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BLACK TURNSTONE, more grebes, mergansers, scoters, LONG-TAILED DUCK, NORTHERN FLICKER, SANDERLING, THAYER'S GULL and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. On the pond at Marrowstone Point we were able to add NORTHERN SHOVELER and GADWALL. At a pond on the way back south there was a single RING-NECKED DUCK. At Mystery Bay there were a couple of HOUSE FINCH, and good looks at a VARIED THRUSH.

Elsewhere during the trip we saw CANADA GOOSE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-TAILED HAWK, KILLDEER, ROCK PIGEON, STELLER'S JAY, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, BEWICK'S and MARSH WRENs, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and BREWER'S BLACKBIRD.

It was a great day, we all enjoyed the sun and wound up seeing 76 species for the day.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at isomedia dot com