Tag Archives: bird watching cruise

Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 27, 2013

We left the harbor on another wonderful summer day. We cruised to Chuckanut Bay to observe the nesting Pigeon

Guillemots and the Glaucous-winged gulls. The Glaucous-winged gulls have chicks that are a ball of fluffy
grey.  Glaucous-winged gulls are the only gulls that stay here year round and nest here. The other gulls
that we see are migratory.  We saw these species throughout the day. We also saw many California Gulls,
Heerman’s Gulls and a scattering of Ring-billed Gulls, Mew Gull and one Herring Gull.
When we arrived at the mud flats before entering Swinomish Channel, we saw hundreds of Great Blue
Herons , Caspian Terns and other gulls. There is a Great Blue Heron rookery nearby. There were also
Western Sandpipers present.  The Swinomish Channel is a narrow passage that goes past the Swinomish
Nation’s Reservation on the west side and the town of La Connor on the east side (if headed south).
After leaving the channel we went to a range marker in a small bay on the eastern side of Whidbey Island.
There are a pair of Osprey who have built a nest on top of the marker. We have been observing them
throughout the summer. They now have one chick that is visible and both parents are busy feeding it.
One parent flies in with a fish, while the other one rips it into small pieces and feeds the chick.
We saw many Alcids such as Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, and pairs of Marbled Murrelets.
We had an extra treat on the south end of Lopez Island. There was the much sought after Tufted Puffin!
It was our first sighting of this rare bird this season.
In all , we saw about 40 species of birds this trip. There were also numerous Harbor Seals with their
newborn pups and  Harbor Porpoise.
We only have three trips left this season.  We go out every Saturday until August 24th.

Here is a list of birds that we have seen so far this season:

Bird Species – 2013 May 4th – August 10th

1) Common Loon (A few on about half of the cruises, more in May)

2) Pacific Loon (3 cruises)

3) Red-throated Loon (May 11)

4) Red-necked Grebe (May 4 and August 3)

5) Western Grebe (May 4 and 25)

6) Brandt’s Cormorant (a few every cruise in May and June)

7) Pelagic Cormorant (large numbers every cruise)

8.) Double-crested Cormorant (moderate to large numbers every cruise)

9) Canada Goose (a few to a few dozen most cruises)

10) Brant (large flocks every cruise in May)

11) Mallard (small numbers most cruises)

12) American Wigeon (May)

13) Green-winged Teal (May 4)

14) Northern Pintail (May; also 4 on June 15)

15) Northern Shoveller (1 on May 18)

16) Gadwall (June 1 and 15)

17) Harlequin Duck (large numbers most cruises; 50+ most trips in June)

18) Surf Scoter (300+ early May; small groups since, not every cruise)

19) White-winged Scoter (a few in May)

20) Black Scoter (1 female on May 18)

21) Bufflehead (3 on May 4)

22) Barrow’s Goldeneye (4 on May 18 near the dock)

23) Long-tailed Duck (2 each on May 4, 11)

24) Common Merganser (4 cruises)

25)  Greater Scaup (May 4, 11, and 1 female on July 13)

26) Black Turnstone (May 4, then July 20, 27, and August 3 and 10)

27) Ruddy Turnstone (July 20, Bird Rocks)

28) Surfbird (May 4 and 11, then July 20, 27, August 3 and 10)

29) Dunlin (hundreds May 4, a few May 11 and 18)

30) Western Sandpiper (flock on July 13)

31) Spotted Sandpiper (1 to a few on most cruises, in the Swinomish Channel)

32) Black Oystercatcher (every cruise in numbers – 50+ on July 20)

33) Black-bellied Plover (1 on May 11)

24) Killdeer ( a few in the Swinomish Channel, most cruises)

25) Caspian Tern (every cruise – moderate numbers in May, large numbers rest of summer)

26) Glaucous-winged gull (omnipresent)

27) Western Gull (single birds on June 1, 15)

28) California Gull (every cruise but one; much larger numbers July & after)

29) Mew Gull (occasional single birds)

30) Ring-billed Gull (about a third of the cruises, small numbers, 45 on July 13)

31) Bonaparte’s Gull (thousands on May 4; occasional singles otherwise)

32) Heermann’s Gull (1 on June 29, 85+ on July 13, hundreds each cruise since then)

33) Parasitic Jaeger (single adults on May 11 and July 13, Bellingham Bay)

34) Pigeon Guillemot (large numbers every cruise)

35) Rhinocerous Auklet (large numbers every cruise)

36) Common Murre (1 to a few on about half the cruises)

37) Marbled Murrelet (a few to a dozen or two on every cruise; 40+ on May 18)

38) Tufted Puffin (single birds on July 27 and August 3; south Lopez)

39) Great Blue Heron (large numbers every cruise)

40) Green Heron (hanging around dock area; first noted June 8th)

41) Turkey Vulture (a few on most cruises)

42) Bald Eagle (every cruise; high count was 51 on June 8 – three active nests visited throughout season)

43) Osprey (first noted May 11; nest visited from June 1 on)

44) Red-tailed Hawk (1 to a few on most cruises)

45) Cooper’s Hawk (June 22)

46) Northern Harrier (2 on July 27; Swinomish Channel)

47) Peregrine Falcon (imm. on July 20, harassing an Osprey; also August 3)

48) Rock Pigeon (a few every cruise)

49) Mourning Dove (3 cruises, Channel)

50) Eurasian Collared-Dove (a few cruise , Channel)

51) Belted Kingfisher (4-20 every cruise)

52) Rufous Hummingbird (every cruise in May and June at feeders; Swinomish Channel)

53) Anna’s Hummingbird (noted at feeders June 1 and 8, Swinomish Channel)

54) Purple Martin (1 on August 10, Swinomish Channel)

55) Barn Swallow (every cruise)

56) Violet-green Swallow (every cruise)

57) Cliff Swallow (most cruise near highway 20 bridge)

58) N. Rough-winged Swallow (small numbers on most cruises in May and June)

59) Tree Swallow (10 on June 1)

60) Northern Flicker (1 or 2 on some cruises)

61) Pileated Woodpecker (1 flew over channel on June 22)

62) Olive-sided Flycatcher (May 25 and 4 out of 5 cruises in June)

63) Pacific-slope Flycatcher (June 1, 22)

64) Willow Flycatcher (heard on July 27, Swinomish Channel)

65) Crow Spp. (every cruise)

66) Common Raven (noted on a few cruises)

67) Chestnut-backed Chickadee (occasionally noted)

68) Red-breasted Nuthatch (June 29)

69) House Wren (singing Chuckanut Bay June 29)

70) Marsh Wren (occasionally heard in Swinomish Channel area)

71) Pacific Wren (sometimes heard)

72) Bewicks Wren (June 22)

73) American Robin (a few seen on most cruises)

74) Swainson’s Thrush (heard on June 15, 29)

75) Orange-crowned Warbler (frequently heard, May – mid-July)

76) Yellow Warbler (heard in Swinomish Channel area every trip from May 25 through June 29)

77) Common Yellowthroat (heard in Swinomish Channel on June cruises)

78) Western Tanager (June 1)

79) Black-headed Grosbeak (4 out of 5 cruises in June)

80) Red-winged Blackbird (small numbers most cruises)

81) Brewer’s Blackbird (1 or 2 sometimes in Swinomish Channel area)

82) Brown-headed Cowbird (1 to several most cruises in June)

83) Spotted Towhee (sometimes heard)

84) Oregon (DE) Junco (occasionally heard)

85) Song Sparrow (many heard in May and June, less afterwards)

86) White-crowned Sparrow (many heard in May and June; rarely noted after singing ceased)

87) Savannah Sparrow (usually heard in Swinomish Channel area in May and June, last on July 6)

88) House Finch (a few noted most cruises)

89) Pine Siskin (1 or 2, or small flocks, about half of cruises)

90) American Goldfinch (a few on about half of cruises)

91) House Sparrow (every cruise)

92) Starling aka Air Rat (every cruise)

Also multitudes of Harbor Seals, plenty of Harbor Porpoise, and occasional encounters with California Sea Lion, River Otter, (Transient) Orca, and Minke Whale.

Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 13, 2013

Common Murre

One of the most interesting sightings of this cruise was this Common Murre spotted near Colville Island, just south of Lopez Island.  Unlike most Common Murres that we encounter, this one was adorned with a lengthy antenna – if it hadn’t been swimming and moving about, one could easily mistake it for a remote-controlled toy!  Clearly this bird is involved in somebody’s study and is wired up for tracking.  We’d love to hear more about this bird or who might be studying it – let us know, if you know!   We are still only seeing a very few Common Murres on our trips so far – most have been attending their nests in breeding colonies far from our route.  Post-breeding, they will become much more numerous in the deeper channels around the San Juan Islands.  As always, we do see hundreds of their cousins – Rhinocerous Auklets and Pigeon Guillemots, as well as several Marbled Murrelets on most trips.

Bird List for July 13, 2013. 38 Species.

Common Loon: 2

Pelagic Cormorant: 100+

Double-crested Cormorant: 75

Harlequin Duck: 22

Surf Scoter: 30

Greater Scaup: 1 female

Surfbird: 4

Western Sandpiper: 80

Black Oystercatcher: 35

Caspian Tern: 145

Glaucous-winged Gull: omnipresent

California Gull: 160

Heermann’s Gull: 85

Parasitic Jaeger: 1 adult

Marbled Murrelet: 12

Rhinocerous Auklet: 100’s

Pigeon Guillemot: 100’s

Common Murre: 1, w/ antenna

Great Blue Heron: 200+

Green Heron; 1

Turkey Vulture: 2

Bald Eagle: 21

Osprey: 2 active nests

Red-tailed Hawk: 3

Rock Pigeon: 17

Mourning Dove: 2

Belted Kingfisher: 4

Barn Swallow: 40

Cliff Swallow: 50 near colony

Violet-green Swallow: 60

Crow Spp. 30

American Robin: 3

Orange-crowned Warbler: 1

Spotted Towhee: 1

White-crowned Sparrow: 3

Song Sparrow: 2

House Sparrow: 25

Starling: 100’s

Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 29, 2013

Violet Green Swallow

As one would expect of a birding cruise, our primary focus is on waterbirds, and the trip is, of course, full of Auklets and Guillemots and Murrelets and Oystercatchers and Gulls and Terns and Cormorants and Harlequin Ducks and others.  This past saturday we also spotted a few Common Murres, just beginning to wander back into the Salish Sea from their breeding colonies along the outer coast – and also a rather early Heermann’s Gull.  However, our (very beautiful and scenic) route meanders through islands and near shorelines, and consequently we do encounter quite a few land-based birds as well, and I thought they deserved a mention in the blog.

Raptors we’ve already discussed a bit – especially the Ospreys and the Bald Eagles.  The Ospreys were observed again at one of the three nest sites we check – they put on a bit of a show for us, gathering sticks to enhance their nest by plucking them from the surface of the bay.  And at one of the Eagle nests we were excited to see a scruffy juvenile Eagle at last, staring defiantly down at the boat as we floated below.  Red-tailed Hawks are also fairly common, especially soaring as we putt through the Swinomish Channel, and we’ve seen the odd Northern Harrier or Cooper’s Hawk now and again.  A Merlin or Peregrine Falcon would be a lucky encounter.

The Swinomish Channel is a very narrow stip of water separating Fidalgo Island from the mainland, and we tend to pass slowly through this interesting and picturesque area, leaving the alcids temporarily behind in favor of birds of field and forest.  Of course, it helps to have good birding ears, because many species are detected by voice more than they are seen.  White-crowned Sparrows and Song Sparrows are singing everywhere, as well as Savannah Sparrows in open country.  Marsh Wrens, Common Yellowthroats, and Yellow Warblers sing here and there, while birds seen passing over the channel or flying nearby sometimes include Morning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, or Spotted Towhee.  It’s nice to sit back and relax in the sun and just watch and listen as we travel.  Many of the shoreline houses in the LaConner area have bird feeders, and we usually see a few House Finches, American Goldfinches, Oregon Juncos, or Pine Siskins. We’ve spotted both Rufous and Anna’s Hummingbirds as well, although the former is more frequent.

Swallows are a fascinating and sometimes under-appreciated group of birds – on some trips, five species of swallow can be identified, especially in the Swinomish Channel.  Barn Swallows and Violet-green Swallows are very numerous.  The Violet-green in particular is seen at many of the sites we visit, although to appreciate its colors properly, one must be lucky enough to see it perched in good sunlight and from the right angle.  In flight they are best identified by the pattern of the white flank patches.  The colonially-nesting Cliff Swallow is found under the rte. 20 bridge at the northern end of the channel, where the swirling mass of birds is noted as we pass below. The very non-colonial, mud-bank nesting Northern Rough-winged Swallow occurs in much smaller numbers, and Tree Swallows are occasionally seen.  Purple Martins also nest very locally in small numbers at sites near our route, and should be  kept in mind.

Orange-crowned Warblers have been singing loudly since April and are often heard, even from the scrubby growth on some of the smaller islets.  But other neotropical migrants have been in full song for several weeks now too, and the voices of forest birds frequently drift out to the boat.  The Olive-sided Flycatcher’s loud whistle carries well out over water, and sometimes we also hear its smaller cousin, the Pacific-slope Flycatcher.  Bewick’s Wren, Pacific Wren, and the migrant House Wren have all sung for us.  But the prettiest song of all is that of the Swainson’s Thrush, the “salmonberry bird” whose lovely tones are the most characteristic sound of the wet Pacific forest in June.

Bird List for June 29 Cruise.  49 Species.

Brandt’s Cormorant: 6

Pelagic Cormorant: 100+

Double-crested Cormorant: 85

Great-blue Heron: 100+

Canada Goose: 12

Mallard: 4

Harlequin Duck: 50+

Surf Scoter: 45

Black Oystercatcher: 18

Caspian Tern: 300+

Glaucous-winged Gull: Omnipresent

California Gull: 60

Ring-billed Gull: 3

Heerman’s Gull: 1

Marbled Murrelet: 9

Rhinocerous Auklet: 100’s

Pigeon Guillemot: 100’s

Turkey Vulture: 4

Bald Eagle: 11 (incl. 3 nests)

Osprey: 3 active nests

Northern Harrier: 1

Rock Pigeon: 25

Belted Kingfisher: 6

Rufous Hummingbird: 1

Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1

Barn Swallow: 75

Cliff Swallow: 40

N. Rough-winged Swallow: 2

Violet-green Swallow: 60

Northern Flicker: 2

Crow Spp.: 25

Red-breasted Nuthatch: 1

American Robin: 4

House Wren: 1

Orange-crowned Warbler: 3

Yellow Warbler: 1

Common Yellowthroat: 1

Red-winged Blackbird: 2

Brewer’s Blackbird: 1

Brown-headed Cowbird: 1

Black-headed Grosbeak: 1

Spotted Towhee: 1

White-crowned Sparrow: Many singing

Song Sparrow: Many singing

Savannah Sparrow: 3

House Finch: 6

American Goldfinch: 2

House Sparrow: 10

Starling: 300+

Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 22, 2013

Marbled Murrelets

Our June 22 bird cruise was blessed again with pleasant weather, interesting folks, breathtaking scenery, and repeated encounters with the typical summer avifauna of the salish sea.  Eagles and Ospreys are still incubating their eggs; we check three active Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests during our cruise, and are eagerly anticipating the sight of young birds any week now.  The Black Oystercatchers are a bit further along in their schedule, and we spent some time observing babies at two nests.  We visited with the young birds found the previous week and were pleased to find them robust and healthy, and more than half the size of the watchful adults already.  Interestingly, there are several Glaucous-winged Gull nests within a few feet of the Oystercatcher’s nest, but the young Oystercatchers seem to have eluded their ravenous bills.  At a second Black Oystercatcher nest, we spotted two tiny fuzzy chicks that could not have been more than a day or two out of the egg!

Alcids continue to be a main focus of our bird cruises, with two species seen by the hundreds (Rhinocerous Auklet and Pigeon Guillemot) and usually 6-20 Marbled Murrelets as well.  This week we had some better-than-usual looks at the Marbled Murrelets fairly close to the boat in calmer seas, which was a treat.  Marbled Murrelets are rather charming tiny stocky diving birds, most often seen in pairs or small groups feeding in the deeper channels.  Marbled Murrelets have, sadly, been declining in our region for many years.  In our area, Marbled Murrelets require old-growth forest for their nest sites, which can be many miles from the coast.
Pigeon Guillemots are present at almost every site we visit on the cruise, and we all got to learn alot more about them thanks to Govinda Rosling of the Guillemot Research Group from Whidbey Island, who joined us this past week (thank you!).  These handsome “Puget Penguins” nest in loose colonies on many of the smaller islands and rocks, as well as select sites (usually cliffs) along the shores of some of the larger islands.  The Guillemot nests are placed in burrows, holes, and crevices, so we cannot see them directly, but soon we ought to see adults bringing food to begging hatchlings inside.  The Guillemots are very noisy and active right now and we see them to advantage; swimming, diving, flying, perched on rocks, and flashing their bubblegum feet.
Bird List for June 22 Cruise: 45 Species
Brandt’s Cormorant: 9
Pelagic Cormorant: 100+
Double-crested Cormorant: 75
Great-blue Heron: 100+
Canada Goose: 4
Mallard: 25
Harlequin Duck: 50+
Black Oystercatcher: 20,
including 4 chicks at 2 nests
Caspian Tern: 135
Glaucous-winged Gull: Omnipresent
Western Gull: 1
California Gull: 75
Marbled Murrelet: 12
Rhinocerous Auklet: 100’s
Pigeon Guillemot: 100’s
Turkey Vulture: 6
Bald Eagle: 17, incl. 3 nests
Osprey: 3 active nests
Cooper’s Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 2
Rock Pigeon: 18
Eurasian Collared Dove: 1
Belted Kingfisher: 8
Rufous Hummingbird: 2
Olive-sided Flycatcher: 3
Pacific-slope Flycatcher: 1
Barn Swallow: 25
Cliff Swallow: 40
N. Rough-winged Swallow: 4
Violet-green Swallow: 45
Pileated Woodpecker: 1
Crow Spp.: 15
American Robin: 4
Bewick’s Wren: 1
Orange-crowned Warbler: 4
Yellow Warbler: 1
Red-winged Blackbird: 3
Brewer’s Blackbird: 1
Brown-headed Cowbird: 1
White-crowned Sparrow: Many singing
Song Sparrow: Many singing
Savannah Sparrow: 2
House Finch: 2
American Goldfinch: 2
House Sparrow: 12
Starling: 15

Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 15, 2013

Black Oystercatcher With Chick

Our June 15 bird cruise was blessed both with beautiful weather and many interesting encounters.  Four different active Bald Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests along our route hold the promise of wobbly-legged fuzzy young soon to come; for now, it is a treat just to see the impressive adult raptors incubating their eggs and standing guard nearby.  One Osprey flew up to its nest atop a channel marker with a fat sculpin clutched in its talons, which it quickly gulped down.

Some of the Black Oystercatchers’ eggs have already hatched, however, and we were treated to the “awww”-inspiring spectacle of two youngsters at one nest site.  Still too young to wander more than a few feet from the nest, the somewhat awkward babies were fiercely hovered-over by a nervous parent, wary of the intentions of a nearby gull.

Of course, for many on board, the highlight of the trip was the Orcas.  Even though our primary focus for this cruise is birds, we will never pass up a good marine mammal sighting when available.  After receiving reports of a group of Orcas off the west side of Cypress Island, we deviated slightly for our usual route and headed there. There were eight Bigg’s Killer Whales (transients) travelling down Rosario Strait.

Bigg’s Killer Whales are the community of orcas that eat marine mammals, rather than fish like our resident orcas. We came across a group known as the T65As and some of their friends. Up in the lead with its mom was T65A4, a little calf first spotted in April of 2013. We were able to spend some time with them and were afforded some excellent views. What a great bonus!

Pacific Loon: 2

Brand’ts Cormorant: 6

Pelagic Cormorant: 110

Double-crested Cormorant: 45

Canada Goose: 50

Brant: 6

Mallard: 75

Northern Pintail: 4

Gadwall: 2

Harlequin Duck: 6

Surf Scoter: 12

Spotted Sandpiper: 1

Black Oystercatcher: 14 including 2 chicks

Caspian Tern: 130

Glaucous-winged Gull: omnipresent

California Gull: 40

Ring-billed Gull: 3

Turkey Vulture: 4

Marbled Murrelet: 8

Rhinocerous Auklet: hundreds

Pigeon Guillemot: hundreds

Great Blue Heron: 100+

Green Heron: 1

Bald Eagle: 21 incl. 3 nests

Osprey: 3 active nests

Red-tailed Hawk: 3

Rock Pigeon: 30

Mourning Dove: 1

Belted Kingfisher: 5

Rufous Hummingbird: 2

Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1

Barn Swallow: 60

Cliff Swallow: 20

N. Rough-winged Swallow: 2

Violet-green Swallow: 85

Crow Spp.: 20

Marsh Wren: 1

American Robin: 10

Swainson’s Thrush: 1

Common Yellowthroat: 1

Orange-crowned Warbler: 3

Yellow Warbler: 1

Black-headed Grosbeak: 1

Red-winged Blackbird: 3

Brown-headed Cowbird: 5

Oregon Junco: 1

White-crowned Sparrow: many singing

Song Sparrow: many singing

Savvanah Sparrow: 6

House Finch: 3

Pine Siskin: 2

American Goldfinch: 4

House Sparrow: 15

Starling: 25

Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 8, 2013

Osprey Pair

It is now late spring, and the resident birds of the Salish Sea are primarily focused on one activity now: nesting.  Glaucous-winged Gulls have decorated many of the smaller islands and rocks with their twiggy cups.  Pelagic Cormorants cram their nests into the narrowest of crannies and crevices on steep and inaccessible (to those lacking wings) cliffsides.  Pigeon Guillemots most frequently nest in burrows, with both parents taking turns incubating the eggs.  Their shrill cries are heard around many of the spots we visit on our bird cruise.  Rhinocerous Auklets, one of the most numerous species we encounter, nests in large numbers at just a few locations in Washington State, such as Protection Island.  These birds visit their nests at night, and spend the daytime feeding in the deeper channels throughout the San Juan Islands.  Marbled Murrelets, of which we usually see a few, also return to their nests at dusk, although in their case, their nests are placed high up in old growth timber, often many miles from the coast.

Black Oystercatcher is another nesting resident at this time of year, and we visit several islands with ongoing nesting activity for this charismatic bird.  Harbor Seals don’t build nests, but many have now given birth, and we’ve been finding many dewey-eyed pups at the seals’ favorite hangouts.  But it’s the giant nests of the Bald Eagles that are the most impressive nests seen on the cruise.  We’ve been visiting two active Bald Eagle nests on our cruises – one of which is quite enormous.  Bald Eagles mate for life (which can be several decades long), and add to their nests year after year.  Nests as heavy as two tons have been recorded.  We have also found, on the most recent two cruises, three active Osprey nests.  The Osprey is the fish specialist among raptors, even more so than its larger cousin, the Bald Eagle.  In the Salish Sea area, Ospreys are not as numerous as one might expect, given the abundance of favorable habitat, and this is probably due to the robust presence of our Eagles.

Soon, within not too many weeks, all of this nesting activity will produce its fine crop of juveniles, and we will enjoy watching the antics of the young who will swell the bird populations quite noticeably.  We can look forward to fuzzy Oystercatchers awkwardly taking their first steps away from the nest on wobbly legs, and to Eagles and Ospreys delivering dripping fresh fish to their begging offspring, just in time for the warmer days of summer.

Bird Watching Cruise Report – May 25, 2013

Harlequin Ducks were certainly one of the star birds this week, with no fewer than thirty-six spotted at three different sites, far more than we have typically been encountering on our bird cruises, although we have seen at least a few on every trip so far.  The largest concentration was in the vicinity of Chuckanut Rocks, where we “oohed and ahhed” at the several resplendent males, who showed to advantage both in the water and sitting on the rocks, in the company of Pigeon Guillemots, Pelagic Cormorants (now on nests), Surf Scoters, and Black Oystercatchers.  The Salish Sea is one of the best places to observe this uniquely patterned duck with unusual habits.  Harlequin Ducks nest in alpine habitats, preferring fast-flowing mountain rivers and streams, particularly throughout British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska – but also high in our own Cascade Mountains.  The rest of the time, they spend feeding close to relatively quiet rocky and gravelly saltwater shores – habitats which abound in our area.  Not all Harlequin Ducks depart for their mountain breeding grounds; a very few do tend to linger around the island throughout the summer, and with luck, we will keep finding them. They are certainly one of the most attractive birds seen on the cruise!

Pelagic Cormorants are nesting on the east side of Guemes Island. This rookery can only be seen from the water. The cormorants nest on rocky bluffs that are inaccessible to predators such as raccoons and other land mammals. However, Bald Eagles can predate on these nests, and when they appear, the cormorants will scatter, leaving the nests unattended and vulnerable.

The Great Blue Herons are seen by the hundreds in the mudflats north of the Swinomish Channel. There is a rookery nearby. These herons nest in large noisy colonies in trees. This colonial lifestyle protects the nests from predators. When not nesting, they are solitary birds. Their life span can be up to twenty years. They feed in the mudflats and marshlands that are abundant with crustaceans and other aquatic animals. (blog by on-board naturalist Victoria)

Great Blue Heron

Bird Watching Cruise Report – May 18, 2013

The early morning weather seemed a little ominous, but luck was on our side and the rain stopped shortly before our departure, and (mostly) stayed away for the duration of the cruise.  Birds were plentiful as usual, with all the “core” breeding and resident species of the Salish Sea observed in plentiful numbers.  Pigeon Guillemots (“Puget Penguins”) are squeaking and chirruping in groups near their nesting sites; they can be observed perched on cliffsides now, as well as diving for fish nearby.  Rhinoceros Auklets are seen repeatedly throughout the day, often actively fishing where small baitfish have congregated.  And we also saw at least 40 Marbled Murrelets, more than on previous trips, and this time some of them gave us good, prolonged looks at the tiny Alcids.

Slightly comical Black Oystercatchers were found in some of their favorite haunts, including one active nest, but others were absent from expected sites due to the presence of hungry Bald Eagles.  While Bald Eagles do favor fish as prey, experienced Eagles are opportunists and clever hunters, and do take everything from Oystercatchers to Ducks and Guillemots when they can.  We saw as many as twenty five Eagles throughout the cruise, which is fairly typical.  We also watched a pair of lazily soaring Ospreys near the south entrance of the Swinomish Channel.  Not far away, we passed a sandbar with a surprising mix of “puddle ducks” including dozens of Northern Pintail and American Wigeon, along with Mallards, a lone Northern Shoveller, and a pair of Gadwall.  I suspect that these birds could have been late migrants, on their way north.

The flocks of Brant (see last week’s post) were, surprisingly to me, still present and very visible as we passed out of the channel into the Padilla Bay area to the north, streaming by the boat by the dozens and by the hundreds.  Any day now they will pick up and head north, en masse, to their Alaskan breeding grounds.  Also seen at the north end of the channel were many Caspian Terns (later we would watch

California Sea Lion Resting On A Buoy

them dive, plunging like arrows after fish, in Bellingham Bay), and well over a hundred Great-blue Herons stalking the sandbars and mudflats exposed by the ebbing tide. Not far beyond the Heron convention was a somewhat amusing sight: a California Sea Lion hauled out on a buoy, looking to me just like a giant russet potato.  So if we call the Harbor Seals “Rock Sausages” when they are basking on the rocks, should we call Sea Lions “Buoy Potatoes?”

We also sighted many Harbor Porpoise and Harbor Seals throughout the day. These marine mammals are numerous and can be seen year round.

These are, of course, only a few of the many interesting birds and creatures we encounter on our Bird Cruise, as the boat slowly weaves its way through incomparable island scenery.  What a great way to spend a Saturday!

50 species today!

Common Loon: 8

Brandt’s Cormorant: 6

Pelagic Cormorant: 150-200

Double-crested Cormorant: 20

Canada Goose: 10

Brant: Large flocks still present!

Mallard: 15

American Wigeon: 80

Northern Pintail: 120

Northern Shoveller: 1

Gadwall: 2

Harlequin Duck: 6

Surf Scoter: 350

White-winged Scoter: 1

Black Scoter: 1 Female

Barrow’s Goldeneye: 4 (after docking)

Common Merganser: 8

Dunlin: 2

Black Oystercatcher: 10

Killdeer: 1

Caspian Tern: 70

Glaucous-winged Gull: Lots

California Gull: 25

Mew Gull: 2

Marbled Murrelet: 40

Rhinocerous Auklet: Hundreds

Pigeon Guillemot: Hundreds

Common Murre: 1

Great Blue Heron: 110

Bald Eagle: 25

Osprey: 2

Red-tailed Hawk: 1

Rock Pigeon: 20

Belted Kingfisher: 6

Rufous Hummingbird: 1

Barn Swallow: 50

Cliff Swallow: 3

VG Swallow: 70

Crow: 20

American Robin: 6

Orange-crowned Warbler: 5

Red-winged Blackbird: 4

Brown-headed Cowbird: 1

Starling: 10

White-crowned Sparrow: Many singing

Song Sparrow: A few singing

Savannah Sparrow: 4-5 heard singing

House Finch: 8

Pine Siskin: 2

House Sparrow: 10

Bird Watching Cruise Report – May 11, 2013

Another beautiful Saturday cruising through the scenic San Juan Islands, looking for birds, rewarded us with a number of interesting avian encounters.  While most of the wintering waterfowl have now moved north to their breeding grounds, thousands of Brant were still present in Padilla Bay; an important wintering area for them, where the sheltered, shallow waters provide them with productive eelgrass grazing.  Other birds present now in large numbers included hundreds each of our two common breeding Alcids: the Pigeon Guillemot and the Rhinocerous Auklets, along with half a dozen pairs of their tiny cousin, the Marlbed Murrelet.  These birds are now all wearing summer plumage.  The Guillemots are tuxedoed in crisp black and white, and flash vivid pink feet and legs.  The Auklets are sporting white “whiskers,” and we got many good looks at the rubbery protrusion atop their bills for which they are named.  The Murrelets have traded their black-and-white winter attire for a subtley-patterned brown.   We also saw one single Common Murre (most are now nesting on sea stacks off the outer coast), foreshadowing their expected infiltration of our area as summer progresses – eventually becoming one of the most numerous birds out in the deeper channels.

Another bird with striking breeding plumage is the Brandt’s Cormorant; we were treated to close looks at a perched individual who must have wandered in from the outer coast, where most Brandt’s Cormorants are nesting on sea stacks at this time.  Pelagic Cormorants, on the other hand, breed locally throughout the Salish Sea, and we enjoyed an up-close look at a nesting colony on a jagged and inacessible cliff.  The Pelagic Cormorant also looks its best at this time of year, with bright red faces, large white flank patches, and glossy, dark iridescent greet plumage.  They build their nests on extraordinarily narrow ledges on the cliff face.

Shorebirds have also mostly gone north, but a surprise find was a Black-bellied Plover in full breeding plumage on Viti Rocks.  It’s speckled back blended in perfectly with the barnacle-covered rocks.  A few remnant Dunlin flew by the boat at one point, and a Spotted Sandpiper put in a brief appearance as we passed through the Swinomish Channel.  Three Surbirds were near Chuckanut Rocks, where more than forty were sighted the previous week.  But Black Oystercatchers remain, as they nest locally throughout the islands, mostly on small, predator free islands and offshore rocks (predator free – except from the Eagles).  We found at least two active nest sites, attended by pairs of these noisy, eye-catching birds with tons of personality.

At least twenty Bald Eagles put in appearances for us, including on and around three active nests, one of which has been added to year after year and has become quite a behemoth.  An Osprey spotted near the Swinomish Channel was a nice find, as Ospreys are much less numerous around the Salish Sea than one might expect for a cosmopolitan fish-hawk.  The Bald Eagle definitely dominates in our area.  Another predatory bird we encountered was a nice adult Parasitic Jaeger, a gull relative who makes a living by stealing the fish caught by hardworking Gulls and Terns.  We all “oohed and ahhed” as it mercilessly harassed a young Glaucous-winged Gull.  Jaegers pass through our area much less commonly in the spring than the fall, so it was a nice bit of a bonus!  Every outing is a little different, with the exact mix of species changing as the season progresses, but there are always be something memorable to see.

(pictures and blog by Victor Burgett)

Parasitic Jaeger Harassing A Glaucous Wing Gull
Pigeon Guillemotts
Brandt’s Cormorant
Harbor Seals
Rhinocerous Auklet
Harbor Seals

Common Loon: 8

Red-throated Loon: 1

Brandt’s Cormorant: 3

Pelagic Cormorant: 200

Double-crested Cormorant: 15

Brant: 2000+

Canada Goose: 15

Mallard: 1

Northern Pintail: 30

Harlequin Duck: 6

Surf Scoter: 800+

Long-tailed Duck: 2

Common Merganser: 1

Greater Scaup: 4

Surfbird: 3

Dunlin: 30

Spotted Sandpiper: 1

Black Oystercatcher: 8

Black-bellied Plover: 1

Killdeer: 1

Caspian Tern: 15

Glacuous-winged Gull: Many

California Gull: 6

Parasitic Jaeger: 1

Marbled Murrelet: 15

Rhinocerous Auklet: 300+

Pigeon Guillemot: 400+

Great Blue Heron: 50

Bald Eagle: 20

Osprey: 1

Rock Pigeon: 20

Belted Kingfisher: 4

Barn Swallow: 5

Cliff Swallow: Many around colony

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 12

Violet-green Swallow: 50

Northern Flicker: 1

Crow Spp. : 20-30

American Robin: 1

Orange-crowned Warbler: 1

Starling: 30

White-crowned Sparrow: Several Heard

Song Sparrow: Many Heard

House Finch: 3

House Sparrow: 2