This morning I encountered a dead Rhinoceros Auklet along the fog line on
Martin Way, in Lacey (hate to admit to even being in Lacey). It reminded me
of a Western Grebe I encountered, last September 10th, along US 12 in
Packwood. It was alive and seemed quite healthy. I took it to Rimrock Lake
and released it.

Both of these oddities occurred after some fairly nasty, rainy weather. I've
heard of birds landing on wet asphalt, at night, likely because they mistake
it for an open body of water.

I remember being told, long ago, that Olympia street sweepers, working in
the wee hours of the pre-dawn, frequently encountered seabirds on the
pavement of 4th Avenue, near the bridge over the south end of Budd Inlet. I
don't know that the story is true. You'd be hard pressed to find an alcid in
lower Budd Inlet at any time of year anymore. I remember large numbers of
Rhinoceros Auklets at Percival Landing one winter when herring were amassed
there. Many ended up dead one day. The state Fisheries agency explained that
the birds dove and came up under ice, causing them to drown. Their deaths
were in no way related to the busy seiners who had moved in at
coincidentally the same time to exploit the herring congregation. I'd like
to find that Olympian article...

My apologies to those who tune in to Tweeters for rarities. I don't usually
see them... because they're rare.

Kelly McAllister
Olympia, WA