Hi Tweets

Ten birders from Eastside Audubon took a trip today to the Kitsap Peninsula and Marrowstone Island. We had wonderful weather and lots of great birds. We started out on the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston. We saw lots of SURF SCOTERs, some HORNED GREBEs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANTS, and GLAUCOUS-WINGED, HEERMANN'S and CALIFORNIA GULLs. On the way over we picked up RED-NECKED GREBE, PACIFIC LOON, and RHINOCEROS AUKLET. Near the Kingston terminal there was a BRANDT'S CORMORANT.

Our first stop was at Point-No-Point. On the way to the "Point" a field had many CANADA GEESE. As we arrived several EURASIAN COLLARD-DOVEs flew over. Things looked favorable with lots of BONAPARTE'S GULLs. The HEERMANN'S GULLs were present in good numbers. Out of the surface there was a resting Jaeger, it took off and made lots of passes at the Bonaparte's and we got a good look - a PARASITIC JAEGER (looked like a non-breeding plumage bird). Also lots of PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, RHINOCEROS AUKLETs, some COMMON MURREs, HORNED GREBEs, RED-NECKED GREBEs, and COMMON LOONs. Then a large all brown bird came in and harrassed the Bonaparte's. Big chesty bird, white wing flashes. It set down on the water near the Parasitic and we could see the large light bill with a dark tip. The POMARINE JEAGER was still around. We also had a RED-THROATED LOON. BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEEs flew through and a SONG SPARROW jumped out. A RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD was "singing" out in the marsh.

On to Port Gambel. Things were pretty quiet there, with more HORNED GREBEs, COMMON LOONs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs and WESTERN GREBEs. A pair of adult BALD EAGLEs were perched on the old headframe. A BELTED KINGFISHER flew past. At Salsbury County Park there was a GREATER SCAUP.

We moved on to Oak Bay County Park in Jefferson County, where it was very quiet with only GLAUCOUS-WINGED, CALIFORNIA GULLs. We moved over to Indian Island and the county park. We immediately saw HARLEQUIN DUCKs, and BLACK TURNSTONEs on the jetty. There were also three BLACK OYSTERCATCHERs. A couple of birds just didn't look right for the Turnstones, but they were sleeping. Finally they looked up and we had three RUDDY TURNSTONEs. Two COMMON LOONs were fairly close, one was still in beautiful breeding plumage. A BALD EAGLE flew over carrying a long stick. We then had a PEREGRINE FALCON and a MERLIN (they had apparently just had an altercation). The MERLIN perched in the top of a tree giving us great views. Down just where you transition to Marrowstone Island there were several MALLARDs.

On to Mystery Bay S.P. - as we drove up four GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE grazed on the grass - paying no attention to us. Just after that the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD flew in and posed - it proceeded to hang around during lunch and after, not hard to find at all. GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWs worked the blackberries and roses over along with SPOTTED TOWHEEs. We had a very brief look at a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. A couple of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew over and a NORTHERN FLICKER. In the lagoon there were several HOODED MERGANSERs and two GREATER YELLOWLEGs. A COOPER'S HAWK circled overhead.

Out at Fort Flagler S.P. - by the campground and spit, there were lots of birds on the water. This included COMMON LOONs, PACIFIC LOONs, COMMON MURREs, RHINOCEROS AUKLETs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBEs, DOUBLE-CRESTED, BRANDT'S and PELAGIC CORMORANTS, HARLEQUIN DUCKs. A ways out was a different looking loon - after much study we got good enough views to identify it as a YELLOW-BILLED LOON. Across the water on Indian Island there were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs and DUNLIN.

We went around to the Marrowstone Light and on the pond we saw NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. On the way out we stopped at Indian Island Park (just by the bridge) and had at least 8 FOX SPARROWs, GOLDEN-CROWNED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs, DARK-EYED JUNCOs and SONG SPARROWs. A PACIFIC WREN scolded us.

At various places during the day we saw RED-TAILED HAWKs, KILLDEER, MEW GULL, WESTERN GULL, ROCK PIGEON, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, STELLER'S JAY, AMERICAN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BEWICK'S WREN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, SAVANNAH SPARROW, HOUSE FINCH and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

It was a great day with good weather, good friend and great birds. We wound up the day seeing 73 species with some special ones for a bonus.

Good Birding,

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at iso media dot com