The Emperor Goose was on the south part of the Ocean Shores Golf
Course today (1-7-12), near the clubhouse. We went south on Point
Brown Avenue, turned left on Ocean Lake Way, crossed the bridge over
the canal and immediately turned left (heading north) on Canal Drive.
We could see Canada Geese on the golf course by looking between
houses. So we accessed it by walking out through a vacant lot. The
main flock of 50+ Canadas was several hundred yards north of a smaller
flock of oddballs: 1 neck-banded Canada (Dusky), 2 Greater White-
fronted Geese, a Cackling Goose, and the Emperor. No golfers were
present so we were able to walk along the side of the course to get
good views of the Emperor.

On the mid-day high tide we had good and reasonably close views of
Surfbirds, Rock Sandpipers, and Black Turnstones on the Point Brown
jetty. It was a good opportunity to study the contrasting features of
the Surfbirds and Rock Sandpipers--bill shape and color, overall size,
scaled feathers on the sandpipers versus the uniformly brown tones of
the backs and wings of the Surfbirds.

We were unable to locate the Queen Eider this afternoon but had Red-
Throated, Common, and Pacific Loons in the area that we searched.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds