Hi Tweeters,
We completed the twelfth annual Skagit Flats Hawk Census last Saturday
with excellent weather and a great turnout of volunteers (over 100 people).
We have 27 teams surveying routes covering 158 square miles during a two
hour count period (9-11 am) on the Skagit and Stillaguamish River deltas
here in northwestern Washington.
Many thanks to all of those who generously helped out.
Incidentally, we would love to encourage a "sister count" on the Fraser
Delta by the BC birders in the future.
Here are our preliminary results. Bob Merrick, the count coordinator, is
currently checking all of the survey forms for errors and will have the
official totals in a week or two.

1. BAEA......420
2. RTHA......336
3. NOHA.....143
4. RLHA........64
5. AMKE.........4
6. MERL.........8
7. PRFA.........1
8. PEFA.......22
9. GYRF.........2
10. SSHA........6
11. COHA......17
12. SNOW.......4
13. SEOW.....20
14. BAOW.......1

Buteos......7
Accipiters 1

Unofficial total.......1,056

As usual, the "Big Four" species made up over 90% of the totals.
I think one of the main values of this survey is to demonstrate what an
unrecognized national treasure we all have in the Skagit Flats.

Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA. 98232
360.757.1911