Saturday was the 1/2 day cruise with Ken MacDonald of Viking Cruises. The
predicted rainy and windy weather failed to appear and we had a dry, cloudy
day with light winds. The boat was full with 42 people.

On the cruise we saw 31 bird species and numerous harbor seals and a number
of river otter. From La Conner we went south down the Swinomish Channel, then
north by Hope Is., thru Deception Pass and out around Williamson Rocks. After
the cruise, six of us went to check out the DeBay Swan Preserve NE of Mt.
Vernon. The list of birds is as follows:

Horned Grebe
Western Grebe - many rafts of 100+
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Trumpeter Swan - about 1000 along LaVenture Road about 3 miles north of
College Way in Mt. Vernon. We didn't see any at the DeBay Swan
Preserve.
Snow Goose - 5-10,000 along Fir Is. Road before the cruise
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail - 500 +
Harlequin Duck - 1
Surf Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron - numerous
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 8 along Fir Is. Road before the cruise
Bald Eagle - 20-30, 2 near nest on LaVenture Road NE of Mt. Vernon
Cooper's Hawk - 1 on pole on road where Trumpeter Swans were see.
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin - 1 flyby in Swinomish Channel
Black Turnstone 20-30
Surfbird - a few
Dunlin - 1 flock of about 30
Black Oystercatcher - 6, 2 at each of three locations
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot - numerous
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Rock Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
American Crow
House Sparrow
A total of 35 species.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder at aol.com