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Yesterday, Mary Klein, George Gerdts, Dan Waggoner and I enjoyed a terrific day of birding here on Bainbridge Island. The weather was quite cooperative for late October. We spent the first three hours of the morning walking Restoration Point followed by some midday visits to a few of the Island's birding "hotspots". I had great plans to include afternoon stops at locations in the north-end of Kitsap County. However, as usual, it is quite difficult to run-away from Restoration Point as it is such a wonderful spot with great viewing of the waters of Central Puget Sound. At the end of the day, George and I did actually head-out to the tip of the Kitsap Peninsula to Foulweather Bluff. Doug and Pipper Watkins found a Short-eared Owl in the morning and we successfully re-located it. A great way to end the day as this is a code 5 bird for Kitsap County ( that sounds like something Ken Knittle would say). Great find Doug and Pipper and thanks for the heads-up.

Not including a few additional species that George and I had at the end of the day, we tallied 72 species during our birding time on Bainbridge Island. We had great looks at some neat birds and a few highlights that included a new addition to the Bainbridge Island checklist. Here are a few of the key birds:

• Eared Grebe - one located at their reliable winter hang-out at Manzanita Bay.

• Clark's Grebe - one present in a Western Grebe flock in Blakely Harbor.

• Wood Duck - a dozen or so enjoyed at a location in the center of the Island.

• Harlequin Duck - several at Restoration Point. Wood Duck and Harlequin Duck in the same day -tough call on which one is more beautiful.

• Black Scoter - another Restoration Point specialty. They hang-out just off the shoreline and it is great to listen to them vocalize.

• Cackling Goose (minima) - Two amongst the flock of Canada Geese at Restoration Point.

• ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - the new addition to the Island checklist. A light-morphed individual observed well for a minute or so circling overhead at Lynnwood Center (the Stilt Sandpiper location). Migration is such a cool thing! We watched numerous flocks of robins and waxwings earlier at Restoration Point.

• Western Meadowlark - A nice bright bird at Restoration Point.

We enjoyed Dunlins, Surfbirds and Black Turnstones at Restoration Point, although at about this time of year we hope for a Rock Sandpiper to make an appearance. No such luck. We did have a few Common Murres and Pigeon Guillemots along with a fly-by rhino at Battle Point, but in general alcids were few and far between. Sparrows were also in short supply at Restoration Point as this is usually a great spot for them.

All in all, it was an excellent day of birding in my own local area. Hey, how often can a leader of a WOS field trip add two new county birds to his or her county life-list (Rough-legged Hawk & Short-eared Owl)! Perhaps a few of you county-listers and fellow WOS members may want join-in if this trip is run again.