A sunny afternoon & smooth waters revealed some great birds from a boat ride out of Birch Bay, along Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve, out to Alden Bank and then to Point Roberts and back. About 5 hours & 50 miles were covered.
Phil & Levi provided some extra eyes and expertise spotting birds.
The highlight for the day was a rare summer sighting of two Ancient Murrelets. They were in the mix of hundreds of Common Murre, Gulls & a single Rhino. The water was often teeming with forage fish at the surface. The area is where water comes up from about 500 feet to a much shallower area that can bring with it the richness (food) from the ocean depths.
The Franklin's Gull was our last great find, right at the entrance to Birch Bay Village Marina with a dozen Bonaparte's and other gulls. It and the other gulls did not seem to mind too much all the evening returning boat traffic near them. I spotted a bird that looked 'different' then Levi got the large eye ring in sight.
We saw Common Tern a few times. At one time there was this bait ball of forage fish at the surface a couple of feet in diameter almost thick enough the birds could stand on them. The terns and other birds were eagerly feeding on them. Anther single Common Tern was seen in a typical spot, resting on a floating log.
Red-necked Phalarope, 5 or so a few different places on or near floating masses of seaweed. We'd find these areas and follow the long trails of seaweed and often find them. A few were also sighted flying by. A couple of other times there were some unidentified shorebirds in small numbers flying by as well.
Lacking, in my observations, this year have been Rhinoceros Auklets in this general area, at least compared to my limited viewings of them over the last few years around this time. I have seen good numbers south toward Anacortes and west of there this year.
The Common Murre lived up to their name of being common. I saw more on this trip than at any other time I've been out. Many groups of 20 or so and hundreds just south of Point Roberts where the ANMU was found.
Photos of Franklin's, Ancient, and tern (feeding)<
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/>
Eric Ellingson
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