Birders,

Last week, from Thursday afternoon through late Saturday, I birded the
San Juan Islands (San Juan and Orcas). This has been a long-delayed
and much-anticipated trip. Other than a November boat trip, led by
Terry Wahl, that I took in 1979, I have visited the islands only twice
previously-- in July 1975 and August 1983.

It's almost embarrassing that I have visited the San Juans so
infrequently. I was born, and have lived most of my life, within sight
of the San Juans. I can practically see the top of Mount Constitution
from my backyard, and it is prominently visible from many parts of
Delta-- beckoning the urban dweller to escape and explore these
beautiful and intriguing islands. The birding, in a nutshell, was
great. I can tell you that it won't be another 20 years until my next
visit!

In 2-1/2 days of birding (most of it on San Juan Island-- less than a
full day on Orcas) I tallied 112 species-- 103 on San Juan Island,
and 74 on Orcas. A few of the highlights are listed below, with
emphasis on locally scarce species, late stragglers, and early
arrivals.

Red-necked Grebe-- a few stragglers still remaining: 4 at Cattle
Point
(San Juan I.), 1 at Eastsound (Orcas I.)
Brant-- Only one seen, flying offshore past Cattle Point
Wood Duck-- singles and pairs seen at Sportsman Lake, Egg Lake,
and Three Meadows Marsh (all on San Juan I.)
Green-winged Teal-- Lingering flock of 10 at False Bay, San Juan I;
on May 1; gone the next day.
Northern Pintail-- Flock of 12 at False Bay on both May 1 and 2.
Cinnamon Teal-- one drake at 3 Meadows Marsh, San Juan I., May 1
Northern Shoveler-- pair on May 1 at False Bay
American Wigeon-- pair on May 2 at Old Town Lagoon, San Juan I.
Lesser Scaup-- 5 on May 2 at Egg Lake
Long-tailed Duck-- 4 on May 2 with scoters and Buffleheads off Old
Town Lagoon in Griffin Bay, San Juan I.
Hooded Merganser-- 1 male at Egg Lake; 1 female at Westsound,
pair at Frank Richardson Sanctuary, and 3 on Summit Lake, all
on Orcas I.
Turkey Vulture-- 3 seen from the ferry on May 1 over Blakely I.,
several
seen on May 3 at various points on Orcas I.; NONE seen on San Juan
I.
Osprey-- one on May 2 at False Bay, one on May 3 at Eastsound. A nest
at English Camp on San Juan I. appeared unoccupied (no sign of
birds
nearby)
Cooper's Hawk-- one flying over Frank Richardson Sanctuary (Deer
Harbor marsh)
California Quail-- singles heard calling at two points on San Juan I.
(none
seen!)
Virginia Rail-- at least 3 on May 1 at Three Meadows Marsh (one seen
briefly in flight); also 1 heard calling at Sportsman Lake
Sora-- at least 5 heard calling at night from wet fields in the San
Juan
Valley, San Juan I.
Semipalmated Plover-- one seen with Least Sandpipers at a tideflat on
Whites Point Road, San Juan I., May 3
Black Oystercatcher-- Two at False Bay on both May 1 and 2; 3 at
Cattle
Point on May 2 (one of the latter was identified on the shore of
Lopez
Island, at least a mile away, so I guess I could count it for my
"Lopez
list" if I had one. That red bill is visible a long way off!)
Greater Yellowlegs-- 4 at False Bay, May 2
Western Sandpiper-- Up to 75 at False Bay, May 1 and 2
Least Sandpiper-- Up to 16 at False Bay, May 1 and 2
Dunlin-- 20 at False Bay, May 1, but only 2 the next day
Short-billed Dowitcher-- one at False Bay, May 1
Bonaparte's Gull-- 12 at Eastsound, May 3
Common Murre-- one with Rhinos at Cattle Point, May 2
Marbled Murrelet-- one heard at False Bay, May 2; pair seen off Deer
Harbor, May 3
Rhinoceros Auklet-- many flocks, totalling at least 200, feeding and
flying
off Cattle Point-- a well-known feeding area for this species
Mourning Dove-- one at Cattle Point, May 2
Hammond's Flycatcher-- one singing along Three Corner Lake Road,
San Juan I., May 2; one heard at Frank Richardson Sanctuary, May 3
Steller's Jay-- seen at 3 places on Orcas I. (including a group of 4
which appeared to be mobbing something at the Richardson
Sanctuary);
none seen on San Juan I.
House Wren-- appeared to be fairly common on both San Juan and Orcas
Islands (about as common as Bewick's Wren, but in drier areas)
Hermit Thrush-- one at Egg Lake, May 2; one at English Camp, May 3
Cassin's Vireo-- much commoner than I expected (e.g. 6 heard singing
on May 2 along Three Corner Lake Road, San Juan I); also heard in
a
couple of places on Orcas I.
Hutton's Vireo-- Heard singing in a couple of places on San Juan I.
(3 Meadows Marsh, and near False Bay)
Warbling Vireo-- one heard singing and seen near Westsound, Orcas I.;
my first of the year
Yellow Warbler-- one on May 2 at 3 Meadows Marsh; my first of the
year
Wilson's Warbler-- one near Westsound and two near Deer Harbor,
May 2; my first of the year
Chipping Sparrow-- One on May 2 at Egg Lake and 2 at 3 Meadows
Marsh, San Juan I.
Red Crossbill-- At least 4 on May 3 at Deer Harbor

The weather was mostly sunny and great on Thursday and Friday. It
became cloudy on Saturday, but the only significant rainfall was
between about 5:30 and 7 PM on Orcas I., so it didn't interfere much
with birding.

I will be posting more detailed lists of birds seen at particular
localities on http://birdnotes.net , and I may E-mail a few of them
to TWEETERS.

Good luck and good birding,

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net