Carolyn and I spent three days, April 1-4, birding Reifel Bird Sanctuary and environs to the south end of Whidbey Island. Small shorebirds and songbirds were sparse. Notable birds:

Bewicks Wrens are singing everywhere.

Common Loons were easy to find on ay open water--maybe 12 at Blaine Harbor, 10 at Point Roberts.

Red-necked Grebes were also plentiful--10 at Rosario Beach.

2 Horned Grebe at Ebey's landing.

Snow Geese -- thousands remain in the fields on Westham Island and at times afford extremely close views.

Harlequin Ducks small flocks on most open water--for example 10 at Point Roberts.

350 Dunlin seen at Roberts Bank (I think that is the name--also called Deltaport). No other small shorebirds seen on the trip.

21 Greater Yellowlegs at Reifel.

Rhinoceros Auklets--2 at Point Roberts, 6 at Rosario Beach, 1 at Ebey's Landing.

Rufous Hummingbird--1 at Birch Bay ST Park, 1 at Rosario Beach.

6 Orange-crowned Warblers heard at Ebey's Landing--we were running very late and had to get back to Walla Walla, so we did not hunt these guys down.

3 Common Yellowthroat heard at Birch Bay State Park.

6 Fox, 8 Golden-Crowned Sparows at Reifel.

25 Savannah Sparrows along the Boundary Bay dike south of Delta, BC.

We had a great time exploring. I love the new ABA birding guide to Washington State. We follow the maps from point to point. This takes us off the main roads and guides us through out-of-the-way places we would not otherwise see.


Joe Corvino
933 Alvarado
Walla Walla, WA 99362

corvinojm at alumni.amherst.edu