What are those round-bodied, small-winged birds that look like the bumblebee of seabirds? They get so full of food that they crash off the top of several waves when trying to get airborne and a number of times have just missed hitting my boat because they won't change their flight path.

funny to watch, but I don't know their name
anybody?

The "usual suspects" would be Pigeon Guillemonts (PIGU), Common Murres, Marbled Murrelets at this time of year.

Small, black with white wing patches would be the PIGU adults. the young have more white but still the obvious wing patch. And bright red feet.

We monitored so nests down in South Sound this year. They are a actually a pretty common breeder in the Sound. During the winter, more northern species will be down here.

What color are they? Sure sound like guillemot's.

You are probably referring to what we always called "Whale Birds", which are actually "Sooty Shoalwaters"

I agree like pigeon Gullemonts but might be murres (a slightly larger black and white bird with white bellies instead of wing patch).

Curt

Lots of sandpipers in the sound this time of year too.

Not murres....all dark....no noticeable white markings

Well, I looked for birds of Puget sound and came up with this. I have never noticed the white belly, but perhaps it was just me. The bird shape is what I can relate to....football shaped. I'll look more closely next time for white belly.

Go back a month or so on The Reel News, there was a article there about Sooty Shoalwaters

Just go to your internet search engine & type in sooty shoalwater

SlabHappy-
If the birds you are seeing are smallish with small bills they could also be Cassin's auklets.

Curt

I'm pretty sure that they are auklets all right.....perhaps even the whiskered guy. I need to look closer next time. They are a funny bird and are reluctant to change course when in flight.....almost hit my boat on more than one occasion.

You doin' A Big Year?