Subject: A 3 -Gyrfalcon day on the Skagit/Samish
Date: Feb 9 08:17:35 1999
From: Andy Stepniewski - steppie at wolfenet.com


Tweeters,

Kraig Kemper, Bob Kuntz, and myself were lucky to spot 3 different
Gyrfalcons 7 February on the Skagit/Samish Flats in northwestern
Washington. We also tallied 3 different Peregrines, 1 Prairie Falcon, 1
Merlin, and 1 American Kestrel for my first ever 5-falcon day (Kraig's
third in 1999!).

The 1st Gyr was a streaked brown immature not far from the Skagit WRA "
sparrow" area. We watched this bird briefly set after a large race Canada
Goose! The next was another brownish immmature about 25 km to the north on
the southern Samish Flats (probably ruling out a repeat observation of the
1st). The 3rd was a very imposing gray adult on the Samish Flats.

Other interesting observations included several Lincoln's and 2
White-throated Sparrows in a sparrow flock in a particularly birdy area at
the north base of Bay View Ridge at the south end of the Samish Flats (.5
mile east of Hwy 237, .25 mile south of Allen West Rd.).

We also had great views of the huge Snow Goose flock off Fir Island Rd.,
lots of Tundra and Trumpeter Swans, ~ 10 Eurasian Wigeons total, and
memorable views of thousands of dabbling ducks here and there on the
flooded farm fields.

As an eastern Washington resident, my trips to the fabulous Skagit/Samish
areas are infrequent (usually less than once per year). I cannot help but
notice the steady decline in habitat quality due to encroaching
urbanization, orchard plantings, and, most recently, cottonwood (for pulp)
plantations. I remember Bud Anderson saying a few years back "I'll give
this area 15 years before its gone." It seems his sad prediction is slowly,
but steadily coming true.

Despite wind and rain, we tallied 91 species.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA