Photo: Heermann’s Gull by Philip Dickinson
October 17, 2023
The north shores of Kitsap County always offer great birding. At the Point No Point boat launch and lighthouse, water birds included Ancient and Marbled Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet, Common Murre, Common and Pacific Loon, Red-necked and Horned Grebe, Bonaparte’s and Heermann’s Gull, Harlequin Duck, and Parasitic Jaeger. On land, we saw California Scrub Jay, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a friendly Hutton’s Vireo. Over at the Foulweather Bluff Conservancy, our scopes trained on Surf, White-winged and Black Scoter, plus Western Grebe. Meanwhile marsh ducks included American and Eurasian Wigeon. The day’s raptors were Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk.
68 Species (Approx. Qty)
Attendees: Phil, Dianne, Lisa, Jane, Val, Judy Lo, Merilee, Graham, Karen, John H., Judy La., Ken, Frank, Bruce, Robin, Teri, Tari, Terry, Rex, Pat, Ray, Jeff, Marty, Clyde
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Snow Goose (80), Cackling Goose (1), Eurasian Wigeon (1), American Wigeon (220), Mallard (3), Pintail (30), Green-winged Teal (1), Harlequin Duck (3), Surf Scoter (190), White-winged Scoter (4), Black Scoter (2)
LOONS, GREBES: Pacific Loon (7), Common Loon (4), Horned Grebe (15), Red-necked Grebe (13), Western Grebe (4)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Double-crested Cormorant (90), Pelagic Cormorant (32), Great Blue Heron (4)
RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (4), Northern Harrier (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk (1), Cooper’s Hawk (1), Red-tailed Hawk (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Killdeer (10), Greater Yellowlegs (1), Least Sandpiper (7)
GULLS: Bonaparte’s Gull (20), Heermann’s Gull (10), Short-billed Gull (25), California Gull (7), Glaucous-winged Gull (45)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (3), Eurasian Collared-Dove (1), Mourning Dove (1)
OWLS: Barred Owl (1)
HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna's Hummingbird (4)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (4)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (2), Pileated Woodpecker (1)
SHRIKES, VIREOS: Hutton’s Vireo (1)
CORVIDS: Steller's Jay (2), California Scrub-Jay (7), American Crow (15), Common Raven (2)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (1)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Brown Creeper (3)
WRENS: Bewick's Wren (1), Pacific Wren (2), Marsh Wren (5)
THRUSHES: American Robin (22), Varied Thrush (1)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (90)
WARBLERS, CHAT: Yellow-rumped Warbler (6)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (5), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (4), White-crowned Sparrow (4), Golden-crowned Sparrow (6), Dark-eyed Junco (7)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (22)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (1), Red-crossbill (1), Pine Siskin (1)