eBird Northwest Checklist S194506079
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Totals
Observations
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Number observed: 3
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 3
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Number observed: 1
Media
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Number observed: 8
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Number observed: 70
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Number observed: 1
Details
First spotted by Eric H. Flew westbound near Vashon (where it was in King Co.) into The Narrows/Colvos (Pierce Co.). Mostly black, larger and chunkier than Rhinoceros Auklet. There was atmospheric distortion, so the ID wasn't as straightforward as it would have been otherwise. Overall black plumage with some white and orange on the head narrowed possibilities to Tufted Puffin and Surf Scoter. The greatest amount of white appeared to be near the front of the head with a narrow strip continuing posteriorly along the upper side of the neck (upper side as seen in flight). I'm interpreting the narrow strip to be the plumes of a breeding-plumaged puffin with the color washed out by bright sunlight and distortion. This light area was not broken by black. Orange was in the bill area and shape probably favored puffin over scoter, but I can't say with certainty since I focused more on the pattern of white on the face when the bird was closest and the amount of distortion. Likewise, my impression was of a broad neck and head in profile but distortion reduces my certainty about that. ID based primarily on pattern of white/light on head since Surf Scoter would be expected to have the white areas interrupted by black.
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Number observed: 1
Details
Adult. Full gray hood, outer wing black from primary tips to wrist on top, back and upperwing secondary coverts medium gray, rest of flight feathers white.
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 5
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Western/Glaucous-winged Gull
Number observed: 50 -
Number observed: 3
Details
Small terns with dark wedge in primaries in some individuals. All birds with length of head relative to rest of body longer than it would be for Arctic Tern.
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Number observed: 5
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 2
Details
First spotted by Eric H, flying east between Dune and Vashon. It then went into Commencement Bay. Except for flight feathers on wing, the upperparts were grayer and lighter unlike the darker and warmer color of Parasitic Jaeger or the corduroy pants your mother sent you to school in in third grade. The flight feathers contrasted with rest of upperparts more strongly than in Parasitic. The underparts from throat to belly were light with no dark breast band. Lower belly brown. Central tail feathers were proportionally long, making the wing span look shorter than on Parasitic Jaeger. Limited amount of white on upper primaries. Later, presumably the same bird was seen flying away from us far to the ENE. I couldn't make out plumage details, but it was clearly a jaeger and at least 3 times, it would suddenly bank and drop to the water surface, presumably picking at something (it never landed) like a Sabine's Gull does. When banking, the tail overall looked proportionally long (central rectrices not visible at this time) and the wings looked narrower than on Parasitic Jaeger. Behavior was unlike Parasitic as well.