Hi All:

Today, Monday, around 12:00, there was a double-banded Song Sparrow at the
west parking lot at the Game Range (Skagit WMA headquarters). It had a
silver band on the right leg and red on the left. I believe that there was
more than one red band stacked on the left leg, but I couldn't tell how
many. Does anyone know who I should report this to?
Also, Judy Duvall and I spent 4 hours looking for the Pine Grosbeaks,
starting about 8:30, with no luck. We ran into several people who were also
looking for them, throughout the morning. Did anyone see them later today?
We did see a small group of redpolls, in the alders just east of the west
parking lot. Other than the redpolls, probably the best bird in the area
was an adult male Merlin, playing in strong, gusty winds.
We continued to the Snow Goose access, North Fork access, down to Big Ditch,
then to Eide Road (Stanwood). The wind seemed to keep things down, though it
was almost balmy when in a sheltered area; the light was dramatic - sun and
dark clouds. We had modest numbers of raptors - and a lot of fast, elegant
flying - particularly harriers, followed by red-tails and Bald Eagles. There
were peregrines at Big Ditch and Eide Rd. Lots of Snow Geese and swans were
parked in the fields on the north edge of Stanwood, west of the road that
runs from Stanwood to the Big Ditch.
All in all, a good holiday - but no Pine Grosbeaks.

Ruth Taylor
Seattle/Ballard
rutht at seanet.com