Hi Tweets

A WOS field trip today to the Skagit and Samish areas was conducted
under generally non-rainy skies. We started out along the back road into
the Skagit Game Range, and had several RED-TAILED HAWKS, a couple of
BALD EAGLES, a field full of TRUMPETER SWANS (some calling), a number of
MEADOWLARKS. At the Game Range we ran into Marv Breece and we all walked
down the west dike trail (listening to all the "mallards" giving
interesting calls from the edges of the field - most of these
"birds" had on hunter camo). We had NORTHERN HARRIERS (male and female),
absolutely wonderful looks at an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE (at a distance
of about 25 feet) - this after more distant looks at an earlier one.
There were two GREATER YELLOWLEGS in the same field as the "mallards",
but they didn't seem to be bothered by these "ducks".

We left the game range and went to the north side of Fir Island where we
had a field of about 7000 SNOW GEESE, and a number of TRUMPETER SWANS.
In with the swans was at least one TUNDRA SWAN. A number of BALD EAGLES
were in the trees along the dike, and a probably COOPER'S HAWK came by.

On the way up to the Samish we took a brief detour along Farm-to-Market
Rd (because of a train across the tracks with no engines). As we made
our way along Josh Wilson Rd toward Bayview, we got views of a female
AMERICAN KESTREL. Down along Padilla Bay we had views of COMMON LOON,
PACIFIC LOON, scoters, and a rather unusual LONG-TAILED DUCK that kept
its head pulled down against its body and with short, vertically erected
tail feathers.

After lunch at the Brazeale Interpretive Center, we found both DOWNY &
HAIRY WOODPECKERs in a tree out by the highway.

Our next stop was the West 90, with several RED-TAILED HAWKS along the
way, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. We had just gotten out of our cars at
the 90 when the immature GYRFALCON flew by very closely, great views,
and proceeded to perch on an insulator on top of a power pole along
Samish Island Rd. Great looks under very acceptable light. Everyone was
able to study the head pattern, the coarse streaking along the breast
and belly, and the primaries much shorter than the tail. Many NORTHERN
HARRIERS over the fields, several RED-TAILED and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS
(including an almost black morph), and a couple of SHORT-EARED OWLS. The
gulls flock in the puddle contained a WESTERN GULL.

We continued to the WDFW site at the end of Wharf Rd and had COMMON &
PACIFIC LOONS, SURF & WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, BUFFLEHEAD, both GOLDENEYES,
LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, HORNED & RED-NECKED GREBES,
BRANT, and PELAGIC and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS on Samish Bay. On the
way back off the island we had large flocks of AMERICAN WIGEON with
several EURASIAN WIGEON, MALLARDS, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

At the sparrow spot near the T-Loop tavern, we had SONG and FOX SPARROW,
BROWN CREEPER, and RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.

A most enjoyable day and rewarding with many excellent views of nice birds.

Brian Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com

76 species
Snow Goose
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Gyrfalcon
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Northern Shrike
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow