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