Subject: Skagit Today-Swallows, and Wilson's Warbler
Date: Feb 10 18:34:32 2002
From: Lynn & Carol Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Tweeters:
4 of us headed north to the Skagit area from south King County, leaving
early (at 6:15) so we could bird early and try to avoid the incoming bad
weather that was being forecasted. We stopped first at the Stanwood sewer
ponds and saw the female LONG-TAILED DUCK (OLDSQUAW). She was actively
diving in the first pond, and would only come up for about 3 seconds at a
time. A Merlin flew by. Temp was about 42 degrees but the wind was
starting to blow. We headed south to Thomle Rd and viewed Snow Geese and
raptors behind the lee of a bldg. The wind was increasing. Stopped at
Norman Road looking for the Harris Sparrow as reported yesterday, but hardly
anything was moving. The wind felt very cold and we saw a few Song
Sparrows, a junco, and a Fox Sparrow. The birds were hiding. No Common
Redpolls to be seen. Decided to go up to Skagit WL Headquarters on Fir
Island. Nothing was moving. Very cold feeling, except the thermometer said
it was 48 degrees. We were looking for Pine Grosbeaks, but didn't see them.
Then we saw 3 TREE SWALLOWS flying through the field by the parking lot, and
over in the field to the west.
We drove on and stopped at the slough by the green bldg on Fir Island,
looking for Black-crowned Night Heron but didn't see any roosting birds.
The wind felt like it was blowing about 25 mph. We figured a front was
about to arrive. Headed north to the Samish Flats. Just north of the
bluffs as you drop down to the flats we turned right on D'Arcy Rd, jogging
south on Farm to Market Rd, and then going east again on Allen West Rd. We
turned right on Benson Rd. There is a big silage pile there, and it was in
the lee of the hill (out of the wind). Finally we saw some little birds but
even they were staying low in the bushes. We played one of those little
squeaky bird calls and finally did a little bit of pishing. Lots of Song
Sparrows, a few Golden-crowned Sparrows, and a few other birds came out of
the bushes and trees. Finally, a Male WILSON'S WARBLER popped up out of a
bush and we all got good looks at it. What a bright-colored bird in W WA in
the middle of winter. A real treat. This must be the same bird that was
found on Jan 26 during a WOS field trip, and reported by Colin Thoreen on
Jan 27.
About then the farmer came and started to load silage into a truck. It was
2:15pm as it
started to rain, and the wind blew. We headed for home. It turned out to
be
a great day after all.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines