Hi Tweets

I led a small group on a WOS trip to Whidbey Island on Saturday (sorry
for the delayed report), and we had a very good day. It started out
overcast and cool, but gradually cleared and warmed up. While waiting
for the ferry at Mukilteo, we got extremely nice views of juvenal
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs - nice downy heads with dark spots on them. We had
one MARBLED MURRELET just west of the ferry dock just before the ferry
came in. We had a couple of CASPIAN TERNS here, and 20 later at
SWANTOWN. We had an adult and immature RED-TAILED HAWK along Ewing Road
in Whidbey and several more later on the trip home down along the I-5
corridor.

Double-Bluff was pretty quiet, but did turn up a pair of adult BALD
EAGLES, 6 COMMON TERNS down by the point, and a pod of 6 dolphins moving
north (too distant to identify with certainty but perhaps HARBOR
PORPOISE as they had all black dorsal fins and were relatively small
appearing). As we went back out to the highway, the wetlands/lake had
good numbers of MALLARDS, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL and
GADWALL. A few CLIFF SWALLOWS were present, although generally BARN and
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs were the only ones present in any quantiity. A
nice female/immature COMMON YELLOWTHROAT showed itself in the marsh as
did RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs.

At Bush Point we had a single COMMON LOON flyby and also a COMMON MURRE.
Several RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were diving a ways offshore. A male BELTED
KINGFISHER kept flying in and attempting to land on a television antenna.

At Crockett Lake the thistles were loaded with AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and
the surrounding conifers had good numbers of CEDAR WAXWINGS. There were
good numbers of shorebirds at the lake including both GREATER and LESSER
YELLOWLEGS - at one point we had both side by side allowing great views
under superb lighting. A nice comparison. Lots of WESTERN and LEAST
SANDPIPERS, also allowing nice comparisons. One BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was
present, but a PEREGRINE FALCON made a pass before we could really the
Baird's and all the shorebirds flushed. Approximately 25 Long-billed
Dowitchers were doing their best sewing machine imitations. Three
NORTHERN HARRIERs cruised back and forth, one adult female and two
immatures with wing tags (a blue one on a left wing with a solid
diamond, and a blue one on a right wing with an open triangle). A nice
SAVANNAH SPARROW popped up at one point and gave us a nice view as it
perched on an old hunters blind. On the other side of Crockett Lake we
had 38 GREAT BLUE HERONS feeding on the edges of the lake. On the old
platform just offshore were about 12 PELAGIC CORMORANTs and about 25
PIGEON GUILLEMOTs. The rock jetty was loaded with GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs
and HEERMANN'S GULLs (Heermann's also at Double Bluff and Swantown).

Up at Fort Casey we had an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER who sat silently, but
finally responded with the classic song. The picnic area turned up
NORTHERN FLICKER (red-shafted race), SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (juveniles, Audubon's
race), GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, a HAIRY WOODPECKER tapping on al old
branch, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, BEWICK'S WREN, WINTER WREN (heard), and a
BROWN CREEPER. At the south end of the picnic area we had impressive
looks at a GREAT HORNED OWL.

From the pier at San de Fuca we had looks at COMMON LOON, SURF and
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, and a couple of BLACK TURNSTONEs at the end of the
pier. Swantown turned up a PACIFIC LOON, a SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER, a
KILLDEER, a RED-NECKED GREBE and a RED-THROATED LOON.

We stopped at the Stanwood Sewage Ponds on the way home and were
rewarded with several species. The most outstanding were incredible
views of male, breeding plumage and displaying RUDDY DUCKS with bright
ruddy sides and brilliant blue bills. The ponds also had MALLARDS,
GADWALL, HOODED MERGANSERS, a surprising GREATER SCAUP, a BREWER'S
BLACKBIRD and a RING-BILLED GULL.

At various times and places we saw AMERICAN CROW, ROCK DOVE,
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, AMERICAN ROBIN, HOUSE
SPARROW, HOUSE FINCH, SONG SPARROW, CANADA GOOSE, MORNING DOVE,
CALIFORNIA GULL and TURKEY VULTURE.

It was a great trip and we saw a total of 73 species for a most
enjoyable day. The best thing about the trip was the great views we had
of many of the birds.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com