Hi, Tweets

Ann van der Geld and I spent about three hours up in the Stanwood to Fir
Island area today. Sitting here one more day logging in other people's
turkey vulture sightings was getting me down . . . anyway, with a fairly
strong ese wind and warmish temperatures, we wandered around the Stanwood
area, including the new Nature Conservancy preserve, Big Ditch, Jensen's,
and North Fork Access areas, and I-5. What was surprising was the very
large numbers of swallows, including barn, tree, and some others (we were
looking for vultures). We saw: 3 turkey vultures, all singles; 15 redtails,
3 northern harriers, 1 immature bald eagle, 1 adult Cooper's hawk, and 3
unidentified raptors (not vultures). About half were probably migrating,
the rest were perched and looking for snacks or hunting. There was an
absolute absence of waterfowl everywhere. Lots of hunters out, but little
shooting, so I guess the wise ducks are still to the north.

Got a report of 80+ vultures over Crofton on Vancouver Island, so there are
still plenty to pass over.

We also found a dead American pipit on the road (be sure to bring the ice
chest Monday night!).

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at vei.net
http://users.vei.net/tvulture/