Subject: Re: Skagit Flats on Fri. Jan. 10
Date: Jan 11 15:58:54 1997
From: "F. Wood" - fbwood at u.washington.edu


Spent the foggy, overcast day birding between Silvana and Samish Is. The
most spectacular area was Boe Rd. south of Stanwood (E of 530). The
original flock of about 500 snow geese expanded to perhaps 5000 while we
watched (I'm nowhere near as good at astronomical estimates as RTP
trained himself to be). Our only Snowy Owl was at the periphery of this
flock of geese. Flock of 25 Trumpeters north of Stanwood had at least one
well marked and small Tundra. 12 B.C. Night Herons on the Fir Island road
tree. We also saw the Scrub Jay in Bayview. No falcons seen, even at the
Bayview-Edison "T", upper Best Rd. or the "Samish west 90". At the last
point, however, we saw at least 3 Short-eared Owls (but no Snowys). A few
clouds of Dunlin and many Harriers and B. Eagles were seen during the day
with scattered Red-tails and Rough-legs as well.
Were able to read easily the red collars on several of the Snow
Geese and will try to forward these via email to Mary Gustufson at the
national Bird Banding Lab. I'm curious as to whether anyone is currently
using this information, or were these part of the breeding area studies?
Fran Wood (male) - Seattle