Subject: Skagit birds 1/23
Date: Jan 23 21:57:49 2003
From: Jason Paulios - jpaulios at hotmail.com



In the surprise move of the year my girlfriend decided that it would be cool
to see the Skagit Snow Geese...left me speechless. Before she could change
her mind I grabbed the keys and the binocs and we headed out the door. And
wouldn't you know it, but the Rusty Blackbird location just happened to be
on the way to those geese! Got to the Norman Rd location at about noon,
there were only two "flocks" of blackbirds (6-10 birds in each flock).
Brewer's and 2 Red-Wingeds, but no Rusty Blackbird in sight. I figured we'd
check on the way back, but we ended up going all the way to Deception Pass
and then getting a beer in LaConner (how can you pass up a homemade brew?)!
We'll meet again blackbird. Stopped at Boe RD and was suprised that there
were zero Snow Geese! I'm so used to seeing thousands there, we ended up
driving around until we found another flock (or maybe that same flock) on
Maupin RD off Fir Island RD. Good numbers of Trumpeter Swans spread out
throughout the areas.

Birds:
Red-necked Grebe (Deception Pass State Park)
Snow Goose (thousands-Maupin RD)
Trumpeter Swan (scattered flocks, Fir Island RD, Boe RD N. Conservancy)
Red-Breasted Merganser (4 D. Pass)
Bald Eagle (2 adults D. Pass, 2 imm. Boe RD)
N. Harrier (3 Boe RD)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (1 light adult Boe RD probably female)
A. Kestrel (1 Boe RD)
Black Oystercatcher (1 D. Pass)
Mew Gull (D. Pass)
Pigeon Guillemot (3 D. Pass)

I also found my first anenomes in a pool at Deception Pass Park! Does
anyone know of a good website or guide for finding out what kind these were?
They had a green body with pink feelers, very tiny. NOTE: the sunset is
great from Deception Pass but wear earplugs, we were buzzed by Navy jets for
a good half hour.

Jason Paulios
JPaulios at hotmail.com
Olympia, WA



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