Subject: Skagit Co. shorebirds
Date: Aug 2 22:15:19 2001
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded Skagit Co. at the same shorebird locations than
our previous visit on the 29th of July, including Jensen Access of the
Skagit WRA, Skagit City/Moore Rd. pond, and the West 90 ponds. We checked
the Skagit City/Moore Rd. pond(2pm,6:45pm), and Jensen Access of the Skagit
WRA(2:15pm,4:45pm-6:30pm)during two visits, and the West 90 ponds once. The
main purpose was to check for any increased shorebird activity at high tide
at all the location, although today proved far less productive at all
locations, as far as productivity and diversity.

We started out at the Skagit City/Moore Rd. pond at 2pm, where a single
immature Spotted Sandpiper was the only noteworthy sighting, then we drove
to the Jensen Access of the Skagit WRA at incoming tide, where we
immediately noted some exposed mudflats, as we briefly walked the dike to
the east, and noticed the same marshy ponds, which existed on the 29th along
the south portion of the dike, but this location produced NO shorebirds,
except for a single Greater Yellowlegs. These brackish "ponds" are rather
extensive immediately east of the parking lot along the south portion of the
dike, as you continue east, with exposed mudflats at low tide, but still
some evident water, and at high tide these areas fill up quite well
depending on tide levels. These saltwater brackish "ponds" were very
productive on the 29th at extreme high tide, as we were somewhat surprised
to see NO shorebird activity during two visits, as we believe that the
existing flock observed on the 29th moved on. 2 Peregrine Falcons were noted
flying north of the parking lot, as we left at 2:30pm.

Next, we arrived at the West 90 ponds near Samish Island at 3pm(incoming
tide), where we checked the 4 active ponds, with only 3 ponds being
productive. We birded this location until 4pm, as we walked from pond to
pond through the open fields, as well as walked to the west dike along
Padilla Bay. In general we noted small isolated flocks of shorebirds that
would move from one pond to the next during our visit for NO apparent
reason, but we managed to locate a few notable species, with many of the
same species than on the 29th, but different numbers. Notable species during
our visit included:

3 female Cinnamon Teal
5 female Green-winged Teal
1 adult Peregrine Falcon
2 Greater Yellowlegs
2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS
1 juvenal BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
1 Short-billed Dowitcher
28 Long-billed Dowitchers
2 juvenal WILSON'S PHALAROPES
2 juvenal RED-NECKED PHALAROPES
1 HOUSE WREN(heard,then seen along the west dike in isolated brush patches)

At 4:45pm(incoming tide) we arrived back at the Jensen Access of the Skagit
WRA, where we walked along the dike to the east, but again noted NO
shorebirds in the brackish saltwater "ponds" as mentioned earlier, so we
continued walking to the east, as the water line was much closer than our
earlier visit, as it covered much of the vegetation,as well as filled up the
"ponds" much more to our observation. We understand that our visit on the
29th was probably a rare exception, as far as high productivity and
diversity for this location, as today was far less productive, until we
noted a shorebird flock flying from the southeast, then coming closer to us,
as it circled twice over a dry plowed field, just east of the parking lot,
where they finally landed after 10 minutes. We walked along the dike to the
east towards the resting flock of shorebirds until we were able to get close
enough to view them well enough to seperate species. The flock remained
until we left, as most of the larger shorebirds roosted in the dry field,
while the smaller species and "peeps" foraged loosely, allowing rather close
views to some extent during our entire stay until 6:30pm, just after extreme
high tide. Notable species at this entire location, including offshore
observations included:

14 female Green-winged Teal
187 female Common Mergansers(high count)
67 Black-bellied Plovers
33 Semipalmated Plovers
1 RUDDY TURNSTONE
1 adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
325 Western Sandpipers
121 Least Sandpipers
1 juvenal PECTORAL SANDPIPER
6 Short-billed Dowitchers
1 Long-billed Dowitcher
1 Common Snipe

At 6:45pm we rechecked the Skagit City/Moore Rd. pond, but it was
unproductive, with only a pair of Killdeer.

In regards to our recent juvenal Stilt Sandpiper record, as we agree
strongly with Steve Mlodinow's and Wayne Weber's opinions to some extent on
habitat choices for this species, although there are EXCEPTIONS, and we
stand with our sighting(being both an early date record, and in unusual
habitat), as this is our first sighting of this species in this habitat, as
our only other Stilt Sandpiper sighting(s) come from the Damon Point pond at
Ocean Shores, as being associated with saltwater habitats, but to also state
that the specific area that we observed our sighting was not on the open
mudflats of Jensen Access, but as I mentioned earlier, being the more
brackish edges along the south portion of the dike, where there is somewhat
permanent "ponds", or possible being filled by very high tides, producing
standing water, with some exposed muddy edges. I do agree and believe with
Scott Atkinson's opinion of this location, as being complex, as it is truly
more than open tidal mudflats, as the primary, and probably best viewable
locations for shorebirds are along the dike, especially at incoming tide, as
at lower tides viewing can be very difficult, and would not be advised to
walk off the dike towards the open mudflats. The only typical aspect about
this recent sighting was the Stilt Sandpiper was associated with large
numbers of Long-billed Dowitchers, and both species of yellowlegs, which
this species does seem to favor company with, but can be seen singly, or
multiple numbers alone.

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net