Seabirds abundant on Taylor Beach today

I had thought that the Mergansers which started showing up on Taylor Beach this past week were Common Merganser females. Now I am not so sure, as most of them lok more like Red-breasted merganser females . Click for enlargement.

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Group of female Mergansers off the north end of Taylor Beach

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Zoomed in view of mergansers- possibly a mix of mainly red-breasted merganser females and common merganser females..

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Flying merganser females

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Flying merganser females closer–

buffleheads

Buffleheads in large flocks of up to 100 individuals

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Flying Buffleheads go past Double -crested Cormorants

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Double-crested Cormorants with an ocean-going vessel in the background. If all projects for the Pacific North-west go ahead as planned, over 1000 more ships of this size above the high number already using this waterway, will be transiting these waters each year, all carrying bunker and diesel fuel and if Kinder Morgan has its way 350 a year carrying highly toxic dilbit. Click on the oil-spill risk category link below.

See the Census Page on the seabirds showing up in the last few weeks.