Although Feb. 10 would be early for Tree Swallow in Skagit County, there is
a Feb. 13 report from this site also (E. Peaslee), a year or two back. And
then the Sullivans had some birds recently southward.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
email: scottratkinson at hotmail.com


>From: "IRENE POTTER" <isparrow at msn.com>
>Reply-To: isparrow at msn.com
>To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Skagit swallow ID and Skagit/Samish
>Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 20:19:53 -0800
>
>Tweets
>
>I feel Carol Schulz should not apologize anymore or retract the ID of the
>swallows we saw at the Skagit headquarters on Sunday 2/10/02. I went back
>today and searched, but no swallows were to be seen. However, I talked to
>a lady from Arlington who had been also been there on Sunday. She said she
>thought she had seen a Tree Swallow but was only going to count it as a
>swallow sp. until she talked to a couple in the parking lot who asked her
>if she had seen the Tree Swallow. This makes three separate sightings.
>Unfortunately, none of us took pictures.
>
>Today in the same area where we saw the swallows on Sunday, I saw three
>Pine Grosbeak in an alder tree. All with the gray/russet plumage. Within
>100 feet of this alder was a tree with berries (Hawthorn?) that had a total
>of 26 Common Redpoll after a two flocks combined. There was one male with
>the beautiful deep pink wash down over its breast. As if the were not
>enough, there was a Merlin at the top of conifer tree near the gate on the
>gated section of this road.
>
>At Kraig Kemper's silage pile at Samish, I did not refind the Wilson's
>Warbler that we saw on Sunday, however, a Sharp-shinned Hawk came in
>apparently looking for lunch on the smaller pile that appears to be a poop
>pile rather than silage (we birders must discern between the two from time
>to time). It really searched the top of this pile quite well. I wondered
>if it was hearing the Audubon squeaker that I was using and thought it had
>a trapped bird nearby. Before it came in, there had been a large flock of
>juncos and sparrows feeding on the silage pile. The sparrows had really
>reacted to this squeaker when I used it on Sunday. The Sharp-shin did not
>appear to be concerned about my presence. It only about 30 feet away and 5
>feet off the ground. This is a sighting that I shall not forget for long
>time!
> Irene Potter, Tacoma
> isparrow at msn.com


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