Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded portions of Skagit Co.,mainly on the Samish
Flats attempting to relocate the Falcated Duck with again NO luck along with
the presence of many other birders. Due to the amount of increased wet
flooded fields in the general vicinity on the Samish Flats, and with the
area in which the ducks have moved in one days time it is still very
possible the bird could still remain. The weather was considerably dryer,
but cooler today compared to yesterday making viewing conditions great. Most
of all the ducks observed yesterday along Samish Island Rd. north of the
West 90 "ponds" have moved to other fields east of Bayview-Edison Rd.
including along Sunset Rd. and areas viewed from Farm to Market Rd.,south of
Edison. Perhaps if flooded areas receed with decreased rainfall The Falcated
Duck may be easier to relocate.

As mentioned previously my mother and I spent the majority of the day on the
Samish Flats chiefly looking for the Falcated Duck, but we also spent
additional time observing other species that we came across in the general
vicinity before working our way south. After 2pm we continued south and
stopped at the silage pile accessed from Allen West Rd.,immediately
southwest of Benson Rd., where the overwintering male WILSON'S WARBLER was
again present, as were a few additional highlights. Our last stop of day was
made at the Skagit WRA headquarters at 3:30pm, we ran into Marv Breece,Wayne
Weber,Carol Schulz and others,where we walked a portion of the west dike
trail. A list of our highlights for the day follows:

Black Brant
275+ observed from the base of Samish Island in Padilla Bay

Common Teal
1 male along Sunset Rd.
1 male along Farm to Market Rd.
1 male at the West 90 "ponds"

Common Teal/Am.Green-winged Teal
1 male along Farm to Market Rd.

Eurasian Wigeon
45+(including 3 hybrids)noted at several locations on the Samish Flats
including birds noted along Bayview-Edison Rd., Sunset Rd.,Farm to Market
Rd., and Samish Island Rd.

Cooper's Hawk
1 adult at the intersection of Fir Island Rd. and Rawlins Rd.
1 immature at the Skagit WRA

Rough-legged Hawk
7 on the Samish Flats,including 2 dark-morph birds
2 along Bayview-Edison Rd.,south of Bayview
2 along Fir Island Rd.

Am.Kestrel
1 along Bayview-Edison Rd.

Merlin
1 along Samish Island Rd.,south of Samish Island
1 along Fir Island Rd.,north of Rawlins Rd.
1 at the Skagit WRA

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult at the intersection "T" of Bayview-Edison Rd. and Samish Island Rd.
2 at the Skagit WRA

Black-bellied Plover
28 along Bayview-Edison Rd.
15 along Samish Island Rd.

Western Sandpiper
125+ along Bayview-Edison Rd.,north of Sullivan Rd.

Dunlin
3500+ along Bayview-Edison and Samish Island Rds.

Short-eared Owl
3 at the West 90 ponds

Hairy Woodpecker
1 at the Skagit WRA

Tree Swallow
4 at along Bayview-Edison Rd,west of Farm to Market Rd.
28 at the Skagit WRA

Violet-green Swallow
3 at the Skagit WRA

Barn Swallow
15 immatures at the Skagit WRA

Am.Pipit
20 along Church Rd.(accessed from Farm to Market Rd.)

Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 at the West 90 ponds parking lot

Wilson's Warbler
1 male at the Allen West Rd. silage pile

Lincoln's Sparrow
2 at the West 90 ponds parking lot
2 at the Allen West Rd. silage pile
1 along Fir Island Rd.

White-throated Sparrow
1 white-striped immature at the Allen West silage pile

Lapland Longspur
2 heard and seen flying over the West 90 ponds parking lot

Western Meadowlark
40+ along Samish Island Rd.,north of the West 90 ponds

Common Redpoll
4 at the Allen West Rd. silage pile


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net