Although I was in the area for other reasons, I wa able to get in a little
birding at the Headquarters section of the Skagit Wildlife Area late on 13
Feb and the morning of 14 Feb.
On 13 Feb two swallows were flying together along the dike that runs south
of the main parking area. At a distance both looked the same..very white
underparts and flight style about the same. When they came quite close I
could
see that one was a Barn Swallow and the other a Tree Swallow.
On 14 Feb along the same dike trail I had a White-throated Sparrow and a
flock of 12 Common Redpolls.

Dave Beaudette
Wenatchee

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Atkinson <scottratkinson at hotmail.com>
To: isparrow at msn.com <isparrow at msn.com>; tweeters at u.washington.edu
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: Skagit swallow ID and Skagit/Samish


>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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