Greetings All:
Fred Boesche and I had a fantastic full day of birding today up north. We
began along Norman Road west of Silvana, where more than a thousand gulls
were coming off the bay and dispersing into the ag fields. As we scanned
through throngs of Ring-billeds I was able to pick out a Franklin's and a
Glaucous, both of which were later relocated on the ground for great views.

Among the many other highlights during the remainder of the day were 11
White-throated Sparrows, a Swamp Sparrow, a Northern Waterthrush, a
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a Black-legged Kittiwake, and a Cattle Egret. The
egret was a state bird for me (at last), found on Fir Island. The
Sharp-tailed was in a heavily flooded portion of the turf farm, at the
intersection of Farm-to-Market Rd and Sunset Rd. It was with a large mixed
flock of Dunlin, Black-bellied Plovers, and Western Sandpipers, so it really
stood out.

Thursday, 28 October 2004 (7:45am-5:40pm):
Stanwood to Samish Flats - 114 species.
Lt. rain/mist; 33-50? F; light wind.

NORMAN/BOE ROAD COMPLEX (8:05-9:55):
Snow Goose (5000+)-south of Boe Rd.
Trumpeter Swan (14)
Tundra Swan (1)
Hooded Merganser (3)
American Kestrel (1m.)
Peregrine Falcon (1): attacking a Mew Gull for at least 5 mins.
Killdeer (40)
Greater Yellowlegs (1)
FRANKLIN'S GULL (1): 2W bird flew over me, landed on Stillaquamish R.
Mew Gull (200)
Ring-billed Gull (600)-most loafing along Stilly R. bank.
California Gull (10)
Herring Gull (2)
Glaucous-winged Gull (300)
Western Gull (1)
GLAUCOUS GULL (1): 1W flew over, landed in field W of 48th Ave.
Mourning Dove (10)
Short-eared Owl (2)-off Boe Rd.
Pileated Woodpecker (1)-Pioneer Hwy.
Steller's Jay (25)
Hermit Thrush (1)-Miller Rd.
Orange-crowned Warbler (1)-Miller Rd.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (2)
White-throated Sparrow (4): 3-near Valde Rd intersection; 1-e. of Miller Rd.

SKAGIT GAME RANGE/FIR ISLAND (10:40-1:30):
Snow Goose (6000+)
Trumpeter Swan (1)
Ring-necked Pheasant (15)
CATTLE EGRET (1): foraging behind a tractor plowing a field on the south
side of Fir Island Rd at 1:20pm.
Green Heron (1): adult in slough at HQ parking lot.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (2)
Cooper's Hawk (1)
Rough-legged Hawk (1)
Merlin (1)
Wilson's Snipe (3)
Mourning Dove (20)
Downy Woodpecker (8)
Hermit Thrush (1)
American Robin (300)
Varied Thrush (25)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (1): calling near the 2nd bridge along the dike loop;
first found by Tom Aversa.
Spotted Towhee (60+)
Fox Sparrow (20)
Lincoln's Sparrow (14)
SWAMP SPARROW (1): heard on outer portion of the dike.
White-throated Sparrow (7): mainly on outer dike.
Purple Finch (85)
Evening Grosbeak (1)

SAMISH FLATS (2:30-5:25):
Northern Harrier (25)
Cooper's Hawk (1)
Peregrine Falcon (3)
Black-bellied Plover (350)
Western Sandpiper (50)
SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER (1): in flooded field NE of the intersection of
Sunset and Farm-to-Market Rd.
Dunlin (1500)
Long-billed Dowitcher (3)
Wilson's Snipe (6)
Short-eared Owl (2)
Herring Gull (1)
Thayer's Gull (3)
Northern Shrike (1)
Savannah Sparrow (6)

SAMISH ISLAND PARK (3:30-4:00):
Greater Scaup (2)
Harlequin Duck (9)
Surf Scoter (20)
White-winged Scoter (5)
Long-tailed Duck (1)
Red-breasted Merganser (25)
Pacific Loon (3)
Common Loon (12)
Horned Grebe (6)
Eared Grebe (1)
Merlin (1)
Bonaparte's Gull (8)
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (1ad.)
Rhinoceros Auklet (6)
Band-tailed Pigeon (2)
Red-breasted Sapsucker (2)
Hairy Woodpecker (1)
Hutton's Vireo (1)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (20)
Purple Finch (5)
Red Crossbill (14)

Cheers
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington