Subject: Skagit Co. Lark Sparrow - Sept 3, 2004
Date: Sep 4 02:20:33 2004
From: merrillr at u.washington.edu - merrillr at u.washington.edu


I had a few hours free this morning so I headed up North to get one more day of birding in before leaving for New Zealand on Sunday. The big highlight of the trip was an adult LARK SPARROW at the Hayden (Snow Goose) Preserve, one of nine sparrow species found this morning! I initially saw it fly across in front of my car while driving down to park. I followed it along the edge of the road until it flew down the muddy, dirt road heading East from the parking lot. I was trying to get a picture but it wouldn't stay still long enough. Does anyone know how many other Lark Sparrow records there are for Skagit County?

Highlights from the morning:

American Kestrel (1 very bright male at the West 90)
Killdeer (75+, mostly on Fir Island)
Greater Yellowlegs (3, W-90 outer dike)
Lesser Yellowlegs (3, W-90 outer dike)
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (1 a few hundred yards down Rawlins Road on Fir Island near a puddle)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1, Skagit Game Range)
Orange-crowned Warbler (60+, mostly at the Skagit Game Range)
Yellow Warbler (15)
Western Tanager (5, Game Range)
CHIPPING SPARROW (1, W-90 outer dike, just south of the parking lot)
LARK SPARROW (1, Hayden Preserve, near parking lot)
Savannah Sparrow (200+, everywhere)
Fox Sparrow (8, Game Range)
Lincoln's Sparrow (25, most at Game Range, W-90)
Black-headed Grosbeak (2, Game Range)
Evening Grosbeak (1 just North of Breazeale Interpretive Center on Bayview-Edison Rd)

Good Birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland, WA
merrillr AT bc.edu