Tweeters,

On Tuesday Nov. 24th, my mother and I went up to Fort Flagler and Fort
Worden's Point Wilson in the drizzle. On the Edmonds ferry, we saw a
RED-NECKED GREBE and a flyby of a COMMON GOLDENEYE. Upon reaching the
Kingston dock, we saw a PELAGIC CORMORANT flying off. Driving to Fort
Flagler, we stopped at Mystery Bay State Park, with a PACIFIC LOON out
beyond the pier, and a group of HOODED MERGANSERS close in.

Upon reaching Fort Flagler, we drove toward Marrowstone Point. On the left
side, there wasn't much to see, but after trudging through wet grasslands,
we were heavily rewarded with a close view of a YELLOW-BILLED LOON. There
were a few PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS working the current. The
second reward was a CASSIN'S AUKLET just beyond the rip.

When driving up from Marrowstone Point, in the field by the vacation housing
and flagpole, a BALD EAGLE was scaring up a very large flock of previously
unnoticed shorebirds, which then settled back in the field. Mixed in the
flock were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and DUNLIN. There could have been an
American or Pacific Golden Plover mixed in, but in that plumage, they are
difficult to discern. We estimate the flock was around 600 birds total.

After that, we went to the campground at Flagler, which also had Dunlin and
Black-bellied Plovers, but also a sizeable number of SANDERLINGS. Off the
beach, a BRANDT'S CORMORANT was mixed in with the other Cormorant species,
and we saw 2 HARLEQUIN DUCKS. Just as we were about to leave another birder
there pointed out a WESTERN MEADOWLARK, singing on a snag.

Then we headed to Point Wilson at Fort Worden. Off the lighthouse there were
all three SCOTER species scattered around the point and in the bay, along
with Harlequins, Buffleheads, Grebes, and Cormorants.

Other species seen included: Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Belted
Kingfisher, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Dark-eyed Juncos, Marsh Wren, Red Tailed
Hawk, Northern Harrier.

Mammals of note: Black-tailed Deer at the Navy Base on Marrowstone, a Coyote
on the edge of the tidal marsh across from Nordland's General Store on
Marrowstone, and 4 River Otters playing around in the sand and water just N
of the Port Townsend Marine Science Center.

Ira Zuckerman, Seattle