Hello Tweets,

With a late start (I didn't get to Deception Pass St. Pk. until about
10:30), I birded the length of Whidbey Island Sunday the 6th of May. Among
other points, I birded Cornet Bay, Dugualla Wetlands, Joseph Whidbey State
Park, Swantown, Fort Ebey and Fort Casey State Parks, Crockett Lake and Deer
Lagoon. The highlight was the pair of AMERICAN AVOCETS at Crockett Lake
just before sunset. While scoping for Greater Yellowlegs and other
shorebirds at the southeast corner of the lake, the avocets flew through my
scope view and landed along the shoreline. At this time, they proceeded to
engage in a brief courtship dance and then copulation. They also appeared
to be defending territory as well - a stunning sight in the fading sun.
These are probably the same birds which nested last year and which were
reported from the lake recently.

I ended the day with 82 species. TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS were heard in just
about every conifer patch I visited; finally one obligingly popped into view
at Fort Ebey State Park. Other warblers included COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,
YELLOW-RUMPED, ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSON'S. WESTERN
FLYCATCHERS were common as were RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS. All five of the
regularly-occurring swallow species (BARN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED,
VIOLET-GREEN,CLIFF and TREE) were noted in good numbers. I had a nice high
count of 57 WHIMBREL at Swantown as well as two pairs of CINNAMON TEAL,
one along Hastie Lake road and another pair at Monroe Landing. A pair
of late-lingering LONG-TAILED DUCKS (OLDSQUAW) was off Ebey Prairie Road.
Other notables included 4 BLACK TURNSTONES at Penn Cove, 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROWS in high breeding plumage at Fort Casey State Park and 2 pairs of
MARBLED MURRELETS off Libbey Beach County park and Swantown.

Good Luck and Good Birding,
Ted Kenefick
Seattle, WA
tedk at nwlink.com