Tweeters:

Spent the first couple hours at Green Pt., near the Anacortes ferry landing,
yesterday morning. There weren't huge numbers of marine birds, but
the surprise was three CASSIN'S AUKLETS that flew northbound up the
Rosario Strait--two birds together about 8:30 a.m., then a third about
9:15. Mark Lewis had mentioned that a few have been in the open waters
near Cattle Pt., San Juan Island lately, but I hardly expected birds this far
east. There are very few Skagit County reports, and I have only one other,
from Rosario Head, many years ago. The total alcid tally was as follows:

Com. Murre 14
Pigeon Guillimot 6
Rhinocerous Auklet 9
CASSIN'S AUKLET 3
Marbled Murrelet 9
medium alcid, sp. 4

In addition, while seeking Gary's Com. Terns at March Pt., I encountered
a VESPER SPARROW in a small flock of Savannahs just south and west of
the point. On the east side of the March Pt. road, in an aspen-willow-
alder grove, I had a nice flock of 5 warbler sp, including a gray-headed
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER of the northern race. FOS inbound
winterers included several SURF and one WHITE-WINGED SCOTER at
Green Point, and both HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBES (mostly at
Green Point, four RN at March Point also). No sign of Gary's terns,
however.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com