The Common Tern migration over the last few years past Vashon has also been
spotty. I'm working on updating and printing a second edition of my Birds
of Vashon Island and as I was reviewing the Common Tern data since the 2005
printing, I found only one Common Tern report. Prior to 2005 there were
generally multiple records, usually of flocks of at least half a dozen or
dozen or more birds. This year there were only three sightings all of only
one or two birds. Gary Shugart saw them twice off the Pt.
Defiance/Tahlequah ferry and Richard Rogers saw two in Colvos Passage on the
west side of Vashon Island.

Ed Swan
Vashon Island

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad Waggoner" <wagtail at sounddsl.com>
To: "tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 6:59 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] RE: Uppers and Downers


> David, Gary, and all,
>
> Spotty and local might be good terms to describe southbound Common Tern
> migration through Puget Sound every year. At least that has been my
> experience over the past few years. This season, from roughly the first of
> August through the middle of September, was actually quite good for Common
> Terns along the east side of Bainbridge Island. I had multiple counts of
> 40 + on various days at different spots. In some previous years I can
> recall only finding a few and then they just may have been roosting on
> floating logs. Boat outings during this time of year has convinced me that
> they can be quite abundant in spots where there is obvious bait activity
> and absent or just transient in other areas. One thing that has held true
> is that when I find Common Terns in decent numbers feeding, Parasitic
> Jaegers are amongst them giving chase. Incidentally, Common Tern numbers
> were down this year at Point no Point too according to Vic Nelson.
>
> My recent experience with juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls also seems to differ
> from what was observed recently in Tacoma. Fair numbers of bonies have
> been in the Kingston and Point no Point areas and I'm finding about 10%
> juveniles in the mix. Not sure, but that seems to be consistent with what
> I normally find at this time of year. I have seen some imm. Mew Gulls
> recently but I have not paid close attention to numbers.
>
> I'm curious to see what new rarity gets found down in Hoquiam! Way to get
> the ball rolling, Doug and Bob!
>
> Cheers and good birding,
>
> Brad Waggoner
> Bainbridge Island
> mailto:wagtail at sounddsl.com
>
>
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