Hi Tweets

A group from Eastside Audubon took a trip today to the Sequim and Port Townsend areas. We started off under cloudy, but dry skies. At the Edmonds ferry terminal we got nice looks at a breeding plumage PIGEON GUILLEMOT, SURF SCOTER, HORNED GREBE, PELAGIC CORMORANT, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, GLAUCOUS-WINGED and CALIFORNIA GULLs. On the ferry ride we saw PACIFIC LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, MEW GULL, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, and BRANDT'S CORMORANT. There was a good mixture of non-breeding and breeding Pigeon Guillemots at most places.

Our first stop was at Port Gamble, with a nice adult BALD EAGLE on the old headframe, COMMON LOONs, HORNED GREBEs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, GREATER SCAUP, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, SURF SCOTERs, BELTED KINGFISHER, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, SPOTTED TOWHEE, PACIFIC WREN, and GREAT BLUE HERON. At Salsbury Point County Park we had incredible looks at male COMMON and BARROW'S GOLDENEYEs at a distance of about 35 feet. Also present were AMERICAN WIGEON, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, SURF SCOTER, COMMON LOON and in a tree a perched BALD EAGLE.

We next made our run out to Sequim. On the way we ran into some light misty rain showers, but soon ran out of them. It was dry for the rest of the day. A COMMON RAVEN flew overhead. A RED-TAILED HAWK was perched coming into Sequim, and lots of ROCK PIGEONS were on the light standards. We stopped at the ponds along Kitchen Dick Rd. and saw MALLARDs (lots), NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER SCAUP, CANADA GOOSE, BUFFLEHEAD, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN COOT, HOUSE FINCH, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, CHESTNUT-BACKED and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. Along the way we saw MOURNING DOVE.

We stopped at the first viewing point in Dungeness NWR and saw hordes of GLAUCOUS-WINGED and GLAUCOUS-WINGED/WESTERN hybrid gulls. On the water there was a single WESTERN GREBE, SURF SCOTERs, PACIFIC and COMMON LOONs, HORNED GREBEs, a RED-NECKED GREBE, PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, LONG-TAILED DUCKs and BLACK SCOTER. On the way out we got very close looks at a female NORTHERN HARRIER. On the way around to Dungeness Spit there were several BALD EAGLEs. At Dungeness Landing an extensive mudlump/bar had many GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs, a nice WESTERN GULL, as well as DUNLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BLACK TURNSTONEs and SANDERLING. Out in the water behind the spit were many DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, a group of BRANT and at least 9 BALD EAGLEs. In the tree behind the parking lot were STELLER'S JAY, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, SONG SPARROW, NORTHERN FLICKER (Red-shafted/Yellow-shafted form) and AMERICAN ROBIN.

As we progressed out to go to Three Crabs we saw a group of swans. We double-backed and turned on Lotzgesell Rd. A close look showed that they were TRUMPETER SWANs. Several CALIFORNIA QUAIL popped out briefly along the road. At a feeder there were several DARK-EYED JUNCOs. Running out to Three Crabs we scanned the bay and picked up NORTHERN PINTAIL, MALLARD, a single AMERICAN WIGEON (the normal huge crowds of wigeon were not there today). More DUNLIN and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER were there. Mixed in with the motley crew of "Olympic Gulls" was at least one THAYER'S GULL. At the ponds by the Horse Farm were MALLARDs, NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN WIGEON, and GADWALL. A ways down the road we picked up KILLDEER. On the way out we spied three EURASIAN COLLARD-DOVEs.

We went along Woodcock Rd, past Graysmarsh and to Schmuck Rd and its intersection with Washington Harbor Rd. We parked and walked up the road to scan the gull flocks at the Nelson Dairy. Lots of Glaucous-winged and "Olympic" Gulls, but no Glaucous Gull (Matt Bartells had told us earlier that he had seen it today). Mixed in with the BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs was a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD. We next walked back toward the cars and scanned out over the inlet of Dungeness Bay where there were many gulls. Out in the middle of the flocks was our target. A nice 1st year GLAUCOUS GULL, all white with a bicolored bill - this was a life bird for may people.

On we went to John Wayne Marina - were we had good looks at BELTED KINGFISHER, AMERICAN WIGEON, COMMON GOLDENEYE, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, HORNED GREBE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, a male HOODED MERGANSER, LONG-TAILED DUCKs. At the south end of the marina two COMMON MERGANSERs flew in. A BEWICK'S WREN was in the trees.

On to Port Townsend and Point Wilson. From the lighthouse we saw HARLEQUIN DUCK, HORNED GREBE, DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANTs, COMMON, PACIFIC and RED-THROATED LOONs. There were flybys of many COMMON MURRE, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, MARBLED MURRELET, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER. On the water were SURF SCOTER, and BONAPARTE'S GULLs. On the way back south we had a flyover of a flock of PINE SISKINs.

AMERICAN CROWs were present many places, and we had at least two AMERICAN KESTRELs.

It was a great day with no rain, decent temperatures, and lots of great birds. We wound up with 81 species.

Good Birding!

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