Subject: Census Count: Samish Flats, Skagit County, Washington on February 11, 2004
Date: Feb 13 05:29:59 2004
From: contopus at telus.net - contopus at telus.net


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

Date: February 11, 2004
Location: Samish Flats, Skagit County, Washington

Low temperature: 48 degrees fahrenheit High temperature: 52 degrees fahrenheit
Wind direction: N
Prevailing wind speed: 6-11 km/h
Percentage of sky covered by clouds: 0%
Precipitation: none

The following birds were seen by Wayne Weber on the Samish Flats,
Skagit County, WA on February 11, 2004 between noon and 3:10 PM.
Areas covered included Alice Bay, the West 90 and East 90, D'Arcy
Road, Field Road, and Farm to Market Road. The weather was sunny and
warm with very light winds, and resembled April more than February.

The tide was firly high when I arrived, falling rapidly during the
afternoon.

I met David Chelimer and at least 3 other birders at the West 90.

In addition to the identified waterfowl, at least 1500 unidentified
dabbling ducks were present far out in Samish Bay.

Birds seen (in taxonomic order):

Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 20
Canada Goose 10
Brant 25
Trumpeter Swan 250 [1]
Tundra Swan 30 [2]
American Wigeon 400
Mallard 200
Northern Shoveler 6
Northern Pintail 500
Green-Winged Teal 40
Bufflehead 1
Bald Eagle 20
Northern Harrier 12
Red-tailed Hawk 8 [3]
Rough-legged Hawk 1
Dunlin 200
Glaucous-winged Gull 200
Rock Dove 6
Short-eared Owl 4
Belted Kingfisher 1 [4]
Northwestern Crow 20
Common Raven 6
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Marsh Wren 1
European Starling 500
Song Sparrow 5
Golden-crowned Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Western Meadowlark 12
Brewer's Blackbird 30
House Finch 15
Pine Siskin 6

Footnotes:

[1] Trumpeter Swan -- 150 S of Field Road, 100 more N of Sunst Road
[2] Tundra Swan -- 30 with Trumpeters S of Field Road
[3] Red-tailed Hawk-- including one dark-phase HARLAN'S HAWK at the
East 90, another possible Harlan's on Field Road
[4] Belted Kingfisher -- male

Total number of species seen: 33