Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I observed the previously reported Alder Flycatcher along the mowed trail just south of the Marblemount Boat Launch near the town of Marblemount in Skagit Co. The bird was very active and nervous during our morning visit from 8:45am-11:30am,as it sang from both sides of the trail,which was well marked with a pile of rocks by Scott Atkinson. We obtained tape recordings of the bird during our visit,but we never heard the bird call and at times it seemed the bird was most elusive flying from one side of trail to the other bordering the Cascade River. The bird allowed the best observations through our spotting scope and definitely showed a more crisper plumage and more noticeable eyering than the bird we observed during the 2002 WOS Convention on Okanogan Co. The song was nearly identical to the Okanogan Co. bird giving a two syllable "ree-BEEET" or "ree-BEEEET" song,being accented on the second syllable and if there was a third syllable we were unable to hear it,but it could possibly be detected on a finished sonogram. The bird remained active and was most observed by itself,but up to 4 Willow Flycatchers were observed in the general vicinity,as they also sang from exposed perches. The Alder Flycatcher seemed to be more often heard than seen during our visit and seemed to favor the areas north and south of the pile of rocks along the mowed trail as far north as the mixed deciduous tree grove closest to the residence just east of the boat launch parking lot and as far south as the trees bordering the Cascade River. The bird would occasionally perch and sing atop an exposed branch and allow good looks,but would soon fly to a more concealed branch or thicket of vegetation. This particular bird was more or less uncooperative due to the seemingly nervous or possibly agitated behavior,but we did obtain scoping views of the bird. Nonetheless it was a quality bird to see and hear again in WA! During our visits at the location we ran into up to 10 birders,but more could have seen or heard the bird after our afternoon visit at 2pm,in which the bird was the most elusive. The Marblemount Boat Launch was actually very productive birding wise with up to 12 Black Swifts observed flying overhead north of the location,several actively singing Red-eyed Vireos and up to 5 Lazuli Buntings,being the most noteworthy species. Although the weather was quite cloudy and calm when we arrived skies cleared greatly by 11:30am and winds increased,which was probably the biggest downfall for afternoon passerine birding.

We managed to also visit a few other locations along the Hwy.20 corridor between Rockport and MP 118.1(Newhalem "ponds")just west of Newhalem in Whatcom Co. and observed a few additional highlights during the day including:

Turkey Vulture
15 observed over the town of Marblemount/Marblemount Boat Launch

Bald Eagle
1 adult along Hwy.20 east of Hamilton
1 adult along Hwy.20 east of Lyman

Spotted Sandpiper
1 pair at the "County Line Ponds" accessed west of MP 116 along Hwy.20 in Skagit Co.

Band-tailed Pigeon
6 at Marblemount

Black Swift
12 over Marblemount
1 along Hwy.20 west of Newhalem

Red-breasted Sapsucker
1 at the Marblemount Boat Launch
1 at the "County Line Ponds"
2 along Hwy.20 at the Newhalem"ponds"

Dusky Flycatcher
1 at the "County Line Ponds"
1 at the Newhalem"ponds"

Bank Swallow
5+ along Hwy.20(MP 103)at Corkindale

Red-eyed Vireo
8+ at Marblemount
3 at the "County Line Ponds"
3 at the Newhalem"ponds"

Nashville Warbler
1 at the Rockport rock quarry

Black-throated Gray Warbler
1 at the Rockport rock quarry

Townsend's Warbler
2 at the Newhalem"ponds"

Am.Redstart
2(1 adult male,1 imm.male)at the "County Line Ponds"

On the way home my mother and I stopped and checked the Green Rd. wetland north of Burlington,where a single Black Tern was observed foraging over the main portion of the wetland,which may probably be the same individual than observed by Gray Bletch on the 17th of June.



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net