Hi Michael,
I also ended up doing my "big sit" on this side of the mountains.
I had hoped to try Birch Bay State Park or Potholes State Park, the
advantage being able to stay all night and still have a place to sleep
(my camper). The weather reports didn't look that great and I didn't
want to spend all day and night in the rain, so I changed my "sit site"
to Spencer Island. Then, of course, the weather turn to the better. It
turned out to be a beautiful day, it almost felt like spring, almost...
Still all in all I had a good "sit". I set up about a hour before dawn
just south of the old barn. Spent most of the daylight hours there and
came up with 36 species. I most likely could have had another 15 to 20
if I were more capable of recognizing gulls, shore birds, and ducks in
flight and other birds by song.
My list :
1.great blue heron
2. greater white fronted goose
3. canada goose
4. gadwall
5. american wigeon
6. mallard
7. northern pintail
8. green winged teal
9. bufflehead
10. northern harrier
11. sharp shinned hawk
12. redtail hawk
13. peregrine falcon- watched it chase down and take a wigeon in flight,
land on a snag and have a leisurely 15 minute "lunch".
14. american coot
15. common snipe
16. glaucous winged gull
17. belted king fisher
18. barn owl
19. downy woodpecker
20. pileated woodpecker
21. northern flicker
22. steller's jay
23. american crow
24. black capped chickadee
25. bushtit
26. bewick's wren
27. marsh wren
28. golden crowned kinglet
29. ruby crowned kinglet
30. american robin
31. starling
32. spotted towhee
33. song sparrow
34. red- winged blackbird
35. house finch
36. american goldfinch
These "big sits" are a lot of fun, next year I hope more groups will
form in Washington state! It's a great day of birding and you don't have
to feel guilty for not getting your exercise! (well unless your on a
ladder all day :-) )
Arthur