I've seen many PIGU in nearly full breeding plumage for the last few weeks,
though the majority are still more white than black.
This morning there was a significant movement of Rhino Auklets around Pt
Wilson, the first in months. At least one had full breeding plumes. A
repeat of last year's surge of Marbled Murrelets looks to be underway. They
were southbound at a constant rate of about 7/minute this morning for the
30 minutes I was there (so 210 birds, and probably many more before and
after). The MAMU were all in basic plumage. Full list here:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S127675954
good birding,
On Sun, Feb 5, 2023 at 10:44 AM Dennis Paulson <
dennispaulson at comcast.net>
wrote:
>
Thanks, Shelley. Not as extensive a molt as in the alcids, but indeed all
>
three of the cormorants start putting on breeding plumes surprisingly early
>
in the year, well before their breeding seasons. Someone should be taking
>
blood samples to see if their hormone levels are rising already.
>
>
Dennis Paulson
>
Seattle
>
>
On Feb 5, 2023, at 8:35 AM, Shelley Evans <shelley.a.evans at gmail.com>
>
wrote:
>
>
During the PSSS Survey yesterday, we saw a pigeon guillemot in breeding
>
plumage from Point Robinson on Vashon Is.
>
>
The cormorants (both Pelagic and Brandt's) at the Vashon Ferry Terminal
>
were showing some breeding plumage. I saw the white flank patches on
>
Pelagic Cormorant, and you could see some of the white, whisker-like plumes
>
in the faces of the Brandt's Cormorants. I don't know whether this is
>
typical for this time of year.
>
>
In both cases, it seems like signs of spring and the breeding season to
>
come.
>
>
Shelley Evans
>
Seattle
>
>
On Sun, Feb 5, 2023 at 8:05 AM Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net>
>
wrote:
>
>>
Alcids are the only group among our birds that may molt into breeding
>>
plumage very early in spring, i.e., mid- to late winter. I have seen this
>>
in Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemots, and Rhinoceros Auklets in this area,
>>
always a surprise.
>>
>>
I wish I knew why they were the exception, as I don't think they are
>>
ready for breeding yet. They are not appearing at breeding sites. Usually
>>
the molt into breeding plumage is moderated by day length and hormones, but
>>
something else seems to be going on here.
>>
>>
Dennis Paulson
>>
Seattle
>>
>>
On Feb 4, 2023, at 7:40 PM, Stephen Elston <stephen.elston at gmail.com>
>>
wrote:
>>
>>
I was at several saltwater sites along the Eastern shore of Puget Sound
>>
today and saw quite a few PIGus in breeding plumage and a number of others
>>
that were still molding into breeding plumage. Given my experience, I
>>
would not be surprised to see a few at Brown's Point.
>>
>>
On Sat, Feb 4, 2023 at 7:30 PM Tom Benedict <benedict.t at comcast.net>
>>
wrote:
>>
>>>
Shortly after posting I found this report
>>>
<https://racerocks.ca/return-of-the-pigeon-guillemots/> from last
>>>
Thursday, Feb 2, 2023 at Race Rocks, off of Victoria, BC. It includes a
>>>
photo of 8 PIGU titled "Shifting from winter plumage to summer plumage".
>>>
Most are still "variable" and "smudgy", but a couple are quite "black and
>>>
white".
>>>
>>>
So I guess it's not too early for our "resident" PIGU in the southern
>>>
Puget Sound to be putting on their new suits.
>>>
>>>
Tom Benedict
>>>
Seahurst, WA
>>>
>>>
On Feb 4, 2023, at 19:19, Tom Benedict <benedict.t at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
Today, Feb 4th, 2023, at Brown's Point Lighthouse I spotted, about 300
>>>
meters offshore, two black seabirds with white wing patches. They had the
>>>
shape, bill and general disposition of a Pigeon Guillemot, so that's what I
>>>
called them. I'm quite sure these were not White-Winged Scoters. The head
>>>
and bill were not the right shape, and there were no other scoters around.
>>>
>>>
However, now that I'm home and reviewing my observations, I'm wondering
>>>
if it's reasonable to have a Pigeon Guillemot in what looked to me like
>>>
breeding plumage in early February? The were definitely not the "variable"
>>>
or "smudgy" plumage of a winter PIGU.
>>>
>>>
Anyone else seeing Pigeon Guillemots these days? Are they "black and
>>>
white" or "smudgy"?
>>>
>>>
Tom Benedict
>>>
Seahurst, WA
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>>
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>>>
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>>>
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>
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--
Steve Hampton
Port Townsend, WA (qatáy)