Good Morning Tweets -

Yesterday a group from Seattle Audubon searched through the fog on the
Samish/Skagit flats on a field trip. The day started out cold and foggy
with visibilities of 100 feet or less. By mid-morning the fog began to
thin, at least away from the water. In spite of the weather we had a
good day seeing good numbers of birds with excellent views of many. We
would up the day with 52 species.

While we had to search diligently early for the raptors on the Samish
Flat we eventually wound up with good results - 30-35 RED-TAILED HAWKS,
a dozen NORTHERN HARRIERS (female/immature and male), 8 ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWKS, a COOPER?S HAWK, 6 BALD EAGLES, a male AMERICAN KESTREL, and
excellent views of a PRAIRIE FALCON. The Prairie was on the crossbar of
a power pole about a quarter mile north of the West 90, and we were able
to close views. At the West 90 we had good looks at SHORT-EARED OWLS,
with stunning views of one from about 50 feet.

In the field northeast of the West 90 we had 30 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS
(alas no GOLDENs) accompanied by 124 DUNLIN. The shorebirds were feeding
calmly when a falcon put them all up - the falcon shortly disappeared in
the high fog. Only one KILLDEER seen all day. While looking the
shorebirds over, we had a flight of TUNDRA SWANS come over calling.
Earlier we had a flight of TRUMPETER SWANS also calling - nice to
compare voices.

Waterbirds were in short supply from the viewpoint on the north shore of
Samish Island because of the north wind and the resulting surface action
on the bay. We did see RED-THROATED and PACIFIC LOONS, RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK and LONG-TAILED
DUCK. Later, at March?s Point we added SURF and BLACK SCOTERs, more
COMMON GOLDENEYE, loads of BUFFLEHEAD, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL and
HOODED MERGANSER.

We finished the day on Fir Island looking at the BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONs at their roost, and just east we had a field with
approximately 10,000 SNOW GEESE. Great views from close range with more
birds flying in while we were there.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
www.peregrinenorthwest.com

Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper?s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Prairie Falcon
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Dove
Short-eared Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker (red-shafted)
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller?s Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer?s Blackbird
House Finch
House Sparrow