hi all
nice to be back in the pacific northwest and seeing the local birds again!!

today phyllis stark and i birded camano island and the stanwood ponds. we
saw a wide number of species but were especially excited about seeing 3
immature northern shrikes. the first was seen on camano, at the cove at the
north end of s. barnum road. this area is a large wetland and was filled
with waterfowl. very impressive was not just the large number of great blue
herons, but their density as well. in just one field of view we had 7
birds!!. i had never birded this area and was excited to find such quality
habitat relatively close by. we enjoyed mixed foraging flocks along the
roadside, including chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets and hutton's vireos.
we also saw one male eurasian in a large flock of american wigeion.

we observed the other 2 shrikes over at iverson spit, one near the purple
martin houses. this is another very nice area, just recently bought and
protected by island county. there are several types of habitat here to
allow for a variety of birds. we had a great look at a displaying ruby
crowned kinglet-his red crest went up so high he looked like a miniature
stellar's jay!! a really exciting moment was when we had sharp-shinned hawk
that came in to pishing! we were on the forest trail in the middle of a
mixed foraging flock and i was trying to pish them in to get a closer look.
i heard the sound of a fairly large wingbeat over my head, looked up , and
about 8 feet above my head a sharpie alighted on a branch. he looked at me,
i yelled (quietly) for phyllis, and he took off like a bullet into the
trees. i feel like a champion pisher today!!

anyone desiring more specific directions for locations etc., please email me
off-list.

good birding
marissa j benavente
seattle
junebug99 at home.com