Subject: NO Curlew Sandpiper at Crockett Lake
Date: Jul 20 19:22:52 2002
From: Ruth Sullivan - GODWIT at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I were joined by at least 16 other birders at Crockett
Lake on Whidbey Island in search of the adult Curlew Sandpiper that was
observed yesterday,but unable to be relocated today. We spent considerable
time from 8am-3:30pm checking the eastern portion of Crockett Lake,which has
good water levels for foraging shorebirds that we observed throughout the
day at this location upon three visits to the northeastern corner of the
lake(accessed from Wanamaker Rd.). The Curlew Sandpiper could have possibly
moved on or been taken by an adult Peale's Peregrine Falcon that was
observed during at least two occurances during the day,as the bird pursued
and flushed ALL the existing shorebird flocks at the east end of the lake.
Shorebird diversity overall was fairly good with a total of 9 species
observed at two locations on Whidbey Island,but the the area is by far NO
comparision to Ocean Shores and it's recent great diversity of shorebirds
and other bird species. As mentioned my mother and I checked several main
birding locations including several vantage points around the south shore of
Crockett Lake,as well as a visit to Swantown along West Beach Rd.,where the
main highlight there was a roosting flock of 25 Black Oystercatchers along
the private beach shoreline that were soon flushed by residents only to
return shortly further down the beach. Despite not relocating the Curlew
Sandpiper it was nice to visit with other birders and to visit Whidbey
Island in general,since my mother and I normally bird on the coast from
Ocean Shores to Tokeland,being our primary route. A list of notable species
that were encountered during our visit to Whidbey Island at selected
locations include:

Pacific Loon
5 off the west end of Hastie Lake Rd.(south of Swantown)

Common Loon
1 off the west end of Hastie Lake Rd.
1 at Penn Cove

Lesser Scaup
4(3 males,1 female)at Swantown

Harlequin Duck
16 at Swantown

Surf Scoter
14 at Swantown
34 at Penn Cove

White-winged Scoter
3 at Swantown
8 at Penn Cove

Northern Harrier
3(1 immature male,2 females)at Crockett Lake

Cooper's Hawk
1 at Crockett Lake

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult Peale's subspecies observed at Crockett Lake

Semipalmated Plover
14 adults at Crockett Lake

Black Oystercatcher
25 at the west end of Hastie Lake Rd.

Greater Yellowlegs
14 at Crockett Lake

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
1 juvenile at Crockett Lake

Western Sandpiper
380+ at Crockett Lake
38 at Swantown

Least Sandpiper
85+ at Crockett Lake
13 at Swantown

Short-billed Dowitcher
18 at Crockett Lake

Long-billed Dowitcher
44+ at Crockett Lake

Marbled Murrelet
4 off the west end of Hastie Lake Rd.

Mourning Dove
7 at Crockett Lake


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net