First, let me apologize for the barrage of emails: technical difficulties in
the field resulted in two posts from my phone (once I rebooted it) and one
from Brendan.

MAP: http://bit.ly/aBTwtc

I observed the HORNED PUFFIN from 2:30-2:45. I lost the bird after making
some phone calls. Michael Willison showed up just after 4pm and neither one
of us could relocate it (I left at 4:45 and he stayed till dusk).

The puffin was tightly associating with a single RHINOCEROS AUKLET, which
was loosely associating with another flock of five auklets. If 12'o'clock
was straight out from shore, the puffin was located at 11 about 50m beyond a
cluster of kelp (behind the boulder). The white breast contrasting against a
dark black collar were immediately obvious and closer studies showed broad
dirty-white cheek patches and tall, spade-shaped, dusky-colored bill. The
rest of the body was black, except for a white vent and (sometimes visible)
white sides. A scope was necessary to view it.

After I lost the bird at 2:45, my frequent scans of the water yielded
scattered RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, several groups of PIGEON GUILLEMOTS (winter
plumage), a distant flock of COMMON MURRES (winter plumage), a fly-by flock
of four ANCIENT MURRELETS and several pairs of MARBLED MURRELETS (including
a tight flock of four which was unusual for me to see). Six species of
alcids at one location is a personal best for me, especially considering
that all were viewed on calm water (as opposed to flying by a point). No
matter how hard I squinted, I couldn't give any of the murrelets long bills
or any of the murres thick bills. :)

Other highlights for this location included: flock of 75+ breeding plumage
PACIFIC LOONS and a couple pairs of breeding plumage RED-THROATED LOONS (and
some scattered COMMONS), HEERMANN'S GULLS, RED-NECKED, WESTERN, HORNED and
EARED GREBES, a single SURFBIRD sharing a rock with a single BLACK
TURNSTONE, a flyby of about ten SANDERLING, and close studies of SURF
SCOTERS and HARLEQUIN DUCKS. There were also RED CROSSBILLS in the area and
a singing FOX SPARROW.

A great location. There are a couple parking spots and ample space to pull
off on the gravel shoulder of this large roundabout. The lookout is a
(light) stone's throw from the road.

--
Adam Sedgley
S e a t t l e, WA
sedge.thrasher [at] gmail [dot] com
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