[Tweeters] How do Cassin's Auklets work?

[Tim Brennan via Tweeters]

Hey Tweets!

I've been plugging away at the Jefferson and Kitsap County year lists, and most recently made a trip to the coast, adding 8 more birds to the year list. This included some Black Swifts over a meadow behind a gift shop on the way up to the Hoh, and a few stray pelicans. 169 for the year in Jefferson was a Common Nighthawk over a clear cut (clearcut? Clear-cut?) off of FR-3000 the other night.

The goal is two hundred species for the year. My bet is that I'll come up a little short of that, but have a great time trying. One thing that has been eluding me is some open-minded conversations about seabirds, and maybe more specifically, I am trying to understand Cassin's Auklets. A couple things I do understand about them. They are usually seen very far out from shore. Yep. The pelagic trips from westport head out far enough, but not into Jefferson. Repositioning cruises pass through Jefferson waters, but they pass through a lot of other waters, to my understanding, and might be a more extended trip than I'd be keen on doing.

So, I've researched a little, and come across an interesting fact. 50,000 or so Cassin's Auklets nest on Alexander Island, Jefferson County. And this is like... A mile off shore. They go out far. I understand this. 😄 But... Then they come back, yes? Is their return usually in full dark? Late in the day? It may be information that's hard to pull out, given that anyone with some sense, and a desire to see these birds would just hop on a pelagic trip, go a billion miles out, see them in any old county and call it a day. But if anyone knows a little more about how these birds work, I'm curious to hear more. Maybe they return via undersea tunnels, sporting transparent plumage?

I've talked to one person who has kayaked to these islands (I'm not kayaking to these islands), and to a fishing charter that may be willing to do a trip out to some of these Jeffersonian Islands. I'm just slowly trying to extract teeth to determine. . . How late the boat might be able to be out there, and how late these birds return. This may be some really easy math, such as: "the birds come back after​ dark" and "the boat has to be back before dark", but it's been a challenge to get these two numbers. I'm not dumb enough to even think about pursuing this if it's a purely nocturnal endeavor, but. . . I'm just dumb enough to get to the bottom of this. 50,000 birds a kayak's paddle away seems too interesting to not even ask!

TLDR: How do Cassin's Auklets work?

Auklets aside, this goes through Tufted Puffin habitat (yes, I know where to find them in Island and Clallam Counties, but thank you!) - I think it'd be a beautiful trip, regardless of any auklet goings-on. Feel free to reach out through my blog (jkcountybirding.blogspot.com) if a trip like that would have your interest at all! If it feels like it would be worthwhile, that boat would hold six passengers.

Cheers,

Tim Brennan
Renton


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