Tweeters:

Related to a productive central Skagit County visit over the weekend, I'll
leave the birdbox post I left Sat. to cover most of the details, but I'll
add a few more here that time did not allow for on the birdbox.

In short, there were plenty of interesting birds in the
Rockport-to-Marblemount stretch Saturday morn, the highlight being a singing
GRAY CATBIRD from the birdy Corkindale Creek powerline crossing at about
7:30 am, on the north side of the road. This is only the 5th county record.
This spot right along Rt 20 has produced a number of notable records in
recent years, although surprisingly Bank Swallows weren't present--despite
there being 4 here on May 25, and up to a dozen having been here at one time
in past years.

Other than the catbird, 11 warbler species (!) were found, including the
highlight YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT that has been present since mid-June along
the northwest end of Martin Rd. in Rockport. It is just the county's 4th.
I found a bird at this same spot 2-3 Junes back; and it is interesting that
on Saturday the bird was noted giving the song flight high up between two
Doug-Firs, of all places. The song flight features exaggerated wing
down-strokes and a slowed flight, as the un-warbler-like song is given.

I found no Hermit Warblers on Saturday a few miles up Suiattle River Rd.
heading southbound along the Sauk River but did find a hen Ruffed Grouse
with six recently-fledged young, along with my 5th and 6th CASSIN'S VIREOS,
a better-than-average day for that species.

After birding the interior Saturday at close to noon I checked the shorebird
accumulation at Jensen on Fir I., peeps having clearly increased since July
4 and many birds cooperatively feeding right below the dike in the muddy
open edge of the marsh, frequently rising to resettle or shuttle over to the
ploughed fields on the other side of the dike:

Killdeer 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Least Sandpiper 150+
Western Sandpiper 300+
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5 (all adults, most well into molt from breeding
plumage)
BANK SWALLOW 1 (also seen July 4)

At Snow Goose just east, I couldn't find any shorebirds roosting on the
fields at high tide, but did enjoy the mammalian highlight of the day, a
LONG-TAILED WEASEL that came bounding out of some blackberry thickets at the
edge of the parkling area with surprising aplomb.

Lastly, today the family headed back to Skagit County to hike Slide Lake,
luckily just ahead of the bad weather. There were no rarities but we did
flush a hen Blue Grouse with two chicks and a Great Horned Owl far up Ilabot
Creek Rd; I also had a COM. NIGHTHAWK close to our residence in Lake Stevens
before dawn.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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