Gary,

I've developed a small obsession for myself, finding a good place, near Olympia, to photograph Brandt's Cormorants. Your post to Tweeters got me out to the Central Meadow at Chamber's Bay, a pretty nice place to jog, walk a dog, or fly a kite. Unfortunately, getting to a good spot to photograph all of those Brandt's Cormorants perches on the old pier is something they've worked hard to prevent, presumably because of the Burlington Northern tracks and the frequent train traffic. So, I looked longingly through the cyclone fence at all of the Brandt's and Double-crested Cormorants, quite a ways away. There were several on a large offshore buoy as well. I'm scheming to kayak from Chamber's Bay out to this old pier. However, I don't currently have a kayak... or a roof rack for the Prius. Rats. Any other good spots, near Olympia, to find loafing Brandt's Cormorants?

Kelly McAllister
Olympia, Washington
----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Sogard
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 8:23 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] A few south sound sightings



Hi,

I, too, enjoyed a nice Saturday walk at Nisqually. Missed the Pine Grosbeaks, but saw 4 swallows (almost sure they were tree swallows), my first of the year. Also, the adult Northern Shrike was present around noon along the trail to McAlister Creek, about half way between the new dike and the creek.

On Sunday, at the central meadow by the new Chambers Bay Golf Course in University place there were 3 singing meadowlarks, and the old gravel pit dock along the sound held all three species of cormorants.

Gary Sogard
University Place



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