Subject: Census Count: Point Roberts, Whatcom County, Washington on July 04, 2003
Date: Jul 6 04:09:10 2003
From: contopus at telus.net - contopus at telus.net


This report was mailed for Wayne Weber by http://birdnotes.net

Date: July 4, 2003
Location: Point Roberts, Whatcom County, Washington

Low temperature: 58 degrees fahrenheit High temperature: 68 degrees fahrenheit
Wind direction: S
Prevailing wind speed: 20-28 km/h
Percentage of sky covered by clouds: 10%
Precipitation: none

The following birds were observed by Wayne Weber at Point Roberts,
Whatcom County, WA between about 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM on July 4, 2003.
The main observation areas were Lily Point, Lighthouse Marine Park,
and the vicinity of the firehall and primary school on Benson Road.

The tide was still fairly high at Lily Point, with no rocks or gravel
bars showing above the water (high tide at 8:15 AM, low tide at 3:25
PM)

In addition to the birds, a HARBOR SEAL was seen off Lighthouse
Marine Park, and two DOUGLAS SQUIRRELS were heard in the forest near
Lily Point.

The most noteworthy sighting was a pair of MARBLED MURRELETS in the
tiderip off Lighthouse Marine Park. This species, once common off
Point Roberts, has become rare in the last 10 years, especially in
the breeding season.

Very few birds were observed on the water, even for July. No loons,
Harlequin Ducks, or Double-crested Cormorants were seen.

Birds seen (in taxonomic order):

Pelagic Cormorant 6
Great Blue Heron 3
Greater Scaup 2 [1]
Surf Scoter 24 [2]
White-winged Scoter 5 [3]
Bald Eagle 4
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 100
Caspian Tern 2 [4]
Marbled Murrelet 2 [5]
Rufous Hummingbird 2 [6]
Hairy Woodpecker 1 [7]
Willow Flycatcher 2
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1
Hutton's Vireo 2 [8]
Northwestern Crow 15
Violet-green Swallow 10
Barn Swallow 10
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 8
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
Bewick's Wren 1
Winter Wren 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Swainson's Thrush 5
American Robin 20
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 4
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Spotted Towhee 5
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 4
White-crowned Sparrow 3
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 8
Red Crossbill 4 [9]
Pine Siskin 3
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 4

Footnotes:

[1] 1m, 1f, in pond west of marina
[2] off Lily Point
[3] flying past Lighthouse Marine Park
[4] feeding off Lighthouse Marine Park
[5] pair off Lighthouse Marine Park
[6] one imm male, one female (?) in brush near primary school
[7] female; eating red elderberries
[8] both birds singing
[9] flying over near primary school

Total number of species seen: 41