Tweeters,



Sunday afternoon we went to the Dungeness River Center, attending the get
together to thank Bob Boekelheide for his 10 years as Director of the
center. Ellen and I were most impressed by the standing room only crowd that
assembled to celebrate Bob's impressive contributions to youth education,
conservation, and birding on the North Olympic Peninsula. We, as all
attending, were humbled by Bob's devotion and contribution to "The World of
Birds."



Later in the afternoon we spent time overlooking Dungeness NWR scoping
Dungeness Bay from an elevated perch on Marine View Drive (above the oyster
house). Ellen first spotted the two EMPEROR GEESE, reported over a week ago.
They were more than a mile away, against the spit, (about halfway out to
Graveyard Spit), among the numerous Brant. Though distant, lighting was
excellent and their gray bodies, white heads, and dark throats were clearly
visible. In addition to the Emperors, stars of the show, we noted thousands
of other water birds: Brant (600+), American Wigeon (thousands), bay and sea
ducks (Bufflehead, Common Goldeneyes, Surf and White-winged Scoters, and
Red-breasted Mergansers), scads of Double-crested Cormorants, lots "Olympic
Gulls" (hybrid Glaucous-winged X Western), and swarms of Dunlins. Bald
Eagles, called their shrill cries from the trees nearby. We especially
looked for Snowy Owl, too but could not find any. Perhaps, because of the
bright sun, the owls were hidden in the driftwood and beach grass.



Viewing this wildlife spectacle, it is easy to see why the Sequim Dungeness
CBC established an all-time record count for Washington a few weeks ago: 153
species!



Andy and Ellen Stepniewski

Wapato WA

steppie at nwinfo.net