Greetings,

On 26 November I was able to do a birding loop trip starting and finishing at Trafton, east of Arlington. For the most part I birded along the Stillaguamish, although I couldn't make it to the flats due to flooding. Instead I turned back and headed up Hwy 9 and then to Lake Cavanaugh and back down to Hwy 530 at Oso. I recorded 53 species in 3 hours, which included:
Tundra Swan: 3 in a flooded field near Island Crossing
American Kestrel: 2, Dike Rd, near Arlington; 1, Monty Rd
Blue Grouse: 1, Deer Creek Rd, above Oso (it seemed quite late in the year to see one at that altitude, at least from what I remember from 20 years ago?)
Mourning Dove: 6, Dike Rd, near Arlington
Short-eared Owl: 1, Klein Rd, near Trafton
Hutton's Vireo: 1, Finn Settlement Rd
Gray Jay: 9, Deer Creek Rd
Barn Swallow: 1, Island Crossing
Western Meadowlark: 4, Island Crossing; 6 Monty Rd
Rusty Blackbird: 1, Dike Rd
Common Redpoll: 6, intersection of South Lake Cavanaugh Rd and Deer Creek Rd.

The final bird of the day was a turkey, which was delicious. The best thing about being an American living in Canada, is getting two Thanksgivings a year!

Guy L. Monty
Parksville, BC