Subject: [Tweeters] Great day off Pt Whitehorn, Blaine, interesting photos & behavior
Date: Mon May 18 21:08:53 PDT 2020
From: Eric Ellingson - abriteway at hotmail.com

Highlights:
2-3 Red-necked Phalarope. One in-flight not 100% ID. Two with great looks/photos.
200+ Pacific Loons, most in breeding plumage,
Parasitic Jeager
Common Murre courtship
Some decent photos were taken under mostly sunny conditions & flat water.

We were just about out of Birch Bay at the tip of Point Whitehorn by skiff when we say a large mass of birds on the water and in the air.
Upon closer inspection, there was a huge group of Pacific Loons, easily more than 200, mostly in breeding plumage actively diving/feeding. As we approached, a bird, maybe two left out into the strait. I had the suspicion it/they were Jaegers but did not confirm until later looking thru photos.
Also, I suspected Common Terns might be in the mix but it turned out only 5 Bonaparte's gulls, one adult, 4 immature. After maybe half an hour watching this amazing group we headed out further west. Not too much of interest toward Alden Bank or around it.
On the way back we ran across a pair of Common Muure doing some courtship displaying, bill touching. Then they both got up on a floating log which I've never seen them do before. Chest to chest they touched bills, spread their wings facing each other, and also leaning onto the chest of the other - see photo! They slightly resembled two penguins the way they stood and behaved.

Then to top off the evening two Red-necked Phalaropes preening on some floating vegetation.

Some decent photos of the day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson

Eric Ellingson
Cheers. Stay sane.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20200519/abf2f939/attachment.html>