I spent an hour this morning at Cattle Point at the south end of San
Juan Island, hoping to spot some of the fork-tailed storm-petrels that
have been seen there over the weekend. I didn't have any luck finding
the storm-petrels (though there was a large bait ball several miles
offshore), but it was still great birding.

The highlight was a WESTERN KINGBIRD in the field near the Cattle Point
lighthouse, a new county species for me. There were also six BALD
EAGLES, five of them chasing the one that had caught a fish.

There were still about 100 SURF SCOTERS offshore, as well as five
PACIFIC LOONS, PELAGIC and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, and a few PIGEON
GUILLEMOTS. Between Cattle Point and Goose Island were a dozen HARLEQUIN
DUCKS, and a pair of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS flew by.

In the fir trees along the nearby residential area a PILEATED WOODPECKER
was calling. There were about four EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVES and I was
pleased to find a pair of MOURNING DOVES in with them.

Overall I noted 28 species in the hour I was there. Best of all, there
was a break in the rain which made the birding far more enjoyable!

Monika Wieland
Friday Harbor, WA
mailto:monika.wieland at gmail.com