Dear Tweeters,

Today marked, I think, my eighth unsuccessful attempt
to find that Red-shouldered Hawk at the Fir Island
Game Range. There were some other fun birds,
though--12 to 15 Barn Swallows, a Swamp Sparrow, a
couple of Cooper's Hawks, and several Yellow-rumped
Warblers. I am out of practice with Myrtle versus
Audubon's Warbler identification--the warblers all had
goodly supercilia, and called "chep!"

As to the Barn Swallows, only one had a decent set of
tail streamers. The others were quite dull-looking.

Later, at March's Point, I failed to find any Black
Turnstones. Usually they are an easy bird there, on
one of the piers, but this winter I have seen a total
of one bird one time. There were lots of ducks out
there, including quite a few Oldsquaws and Surf
Scoters. Among the other seabirds, there was even a
Marbled Murrelet way out there, a bird I've not often
seen from that location.

On another note, I was talking to another local
birder, and he said there have not been any Redheads
or Canvasbacks at Clear Lake, Mud Lake, Big Lake, or
Beaver Lake (Skagit County's "Lake District") for a
few years now. I have tried repeatedly this winter to
find the two species at those lakes, with no luck. Has
anyone else seen Redheads or Canvasbacks there of
late?

Good birding,

Gary Bletsch

Near Lyman, WA

garybletsch at yahoo.com

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