We had a beautiful sunny day for special bird trip to go see the elusive Tufted Puffins of the San Juan Islands.There is only one nesting colony left in the San Juan Archipelago, although there use to be several.   Remote Smith Island, several miles south of San Juan Island has an ever increasing population of tufted puffins. Tufted Puffins are long lived birds: up to 25 years, and they return to the same spot to nest year after year. The monogamous pair raise one chick together. Once that chick has fledged, their job is done. They might linger for awhile while the food supply lasts. They eat small fish. Then they take flight and head out to the open ocean, sometimes 100s of miles offshore.

We had lunch at Smith Island (on the boat) and observed 30+ Tufted Puffins. We also spotted a Long Tail Jaeger, which was a first for many people, and an Ancient Murrelet.  Ancient Murrelets are here in the late fall and winter, but not widespread.

Stopping at Bird Rocks, a National Wildlife Refuge, we saw many Brandt Cormorants, black turnstones and surfbirds.  A last stop at Chuckanut Rocks revealed a flock of Harlequin Ducks, and Surf Scoters.

Birds Seen:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Brandt’s Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic

Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Green Heron

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Bald Eagle

Red Tail Hawk

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Surfbird

Red-Necked Phalarope

Parasitic Jaeger

Long Tailed  Jaeger

Bonaparte’s Gull

Heerman’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous Winged Gull

Common Murre

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Ancient Murrelet

Rhinoceros  auklet

Tufted Puffin 30+

Rock Pigeon

Belted Kingfisher

American/Northwest Crow

Violet’green Swallow