Dear Tweeters,

After reading Carol Riddel's account, I visited the Fir Island Game Range yesterday evening, in search of owls. Visiting Barcelona birder Nil Muntaner and I walked out to the private property line on the dike, but did not hear a single owl, despite numerous attempts to call them up. We did see one large, unidentified owl; it flew across the marsh and dropped down into it. Unfortunately, my telescope had just fogged up in the evening mists, but I am pretty sure it was a GHOW.

Right at the same moment when the owl was flying around, we lucked onto a surprising find--three Black-crowned Night Herons flew over, giving their characteristic "quok!" calls. Nil recognized them instantly, as they are found in fairly urban habitats in Spain--but I was quite surprised, as I have never seen them here in summer. Furthermore, they had seemed to disappear from their previous roost nearby a few years ago. Maybe they are hanging around Fir Island this summer? As Carol mentioned, not very many people seem to go to the Game Range in the late evening this time of year.

There were quite a few Virginia Rails out on the dike, giving their descending series of squawks.

Good birding!



Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com


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