Good morning Tweeters,

?

Yesterday I made the long and endless drive out to Cape Flattery on the Makah Reservation.? As I was with my son and daughter, both of whom are evil non-birders, it was more to get?out to a beautiful location than for the birds, so I didn't attempt to keep track of numbers or try to ID distant bird specks on the horizon.? A couple of miles before the trail head, I had to stop the car for a SOOTY GROUSE hen with 4 or 5 chicks, who decided to play a game of chicken (yuk yuk) by standing in the middle of the road for a bit.? Walking down the trail, I heard several PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WILSON'S WARBLER (I think; still a bit warbler vocalization challenged); SWAINSON'S THRUSH, and more of the usual suspects.? Hanging out for a bit at the first viewing area to the left, we immediately spotted a PEREGRINE FALCON soaring near the cliffs.? Apparently a pair of them have a nest over there.? When we arrived at the observation platform at the end of the trail, we immediately spotted 2 TUFTED PUFFINS; 1 was in the water to the left and very close, the other was much farther out, to the right of Tatoosh.? In all, we saw somewhere between 4-7 of them in the 2 hours or so that we hung out.? With the sun out, the white of their heads really glowed, making them stand out from the other species of alcids.? There were hundreds of COMMON MURRES, swirling about like swallows and forming huge rafts, mostly to the left (west) of Tatoosh Island.? There were also dozens hanging out on the island, looking like so many penguins with their upright postures.? I wouldn't even try to estimate their numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if they numbered at least 2,000 individuals.? Anyway, there were a lot of them.? Other species seen include:? PIGEON GUILLEMOT, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, PELAGIC CORMORANT,?and BALD EAGLE.? There were several Stellar's Sea lions hauled out on the islet to the right of Tatoosh Island.?

?

Now get out there and bird,

?

Lonnie Somer

Olympia

wheelermombi at comcast.net