I birded at the China creek outfall s of Bandon this morning. saw two
black-vented just beyond the surf line, good looks, both southbound. Amazing
alcids for bandon area, at least nine marbled on the water, plus a rhino, and
about a hundred murres flying around. flyby birds included two Ancient, one
guillemot (different than the one yesterday, darker), four things that looked
like Craveri's and maybe 15 black and white flyby small alcids that were too
far out. I have never seen any of the warm water alcids before and am happy to
hear from those who have. I have seen most of the Alaskan ones.
Diane Pettey arrived after a minor delay when her broomstick fouled the lift
cables at the Umpqua drawbridge at Reedsport. We went to Cape Blanco to see
what was sheltering in the north cove as the south wind had passed 25 out
there. The answer? 30 gulls, a few corms, a loon or two, a dozen ww scoters, a
POMarine jaeger first seen by Diane picking stuff off the water in little
hover-dives and 16,000 Surf Scoters. OK, it's a rough count but I did count
them by blocks. Relatively few were adult males.
After that I spent two hours at the warm and sheltered Arizona Beach park.
bird numbers were low but included a Black-throated Gray and a small flock of
Band tailed Pigeons.
Bad weather started in by the time I reached Gold Beach, but I did see a
kittiwake on the gravel bar and there were about 110 Elegant Terns. Visibility
stopped just past the jetties and Brookings is socked in by heavy blowing mist
mixed with light blowing rain. Yeah, that stuff.
Tomorrow morning should have a few decent hours and I will check Brookings area
action before heading back to Bandon.
Alan Contreras
Eugene, Oregon
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
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