I had a couple hours free today so I headed up to Skagit to see if the HARRIS'S SPARROW was still at the Snow Goose Reserve. I found it easily in the blackberries halfway to the parking lot. There was also a flock of about 30 American Pipits that flew over.

I still had a little time so I headed out to the end of Samish Island to the public easement area. On my way back near the water tower a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE flew up from the ground and perched in a tree just above eye level. I watched it for a few minutes but unfortunately I was already running late so I had to go. To get to where the shrike was from the red metal gate at the entrance, walk north along the gravel road and take a left on the gravel road that branches off toward the water tower. It was on the north side of the road about halfway down. There was some construction going on in the area but I wasn't bothered by it. While in the area the treetops contained Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills, and out on the water there were 6 Harlequin Ducks.

An American Kestrel was flying around the Lakewood/Smoky Point Exit of I-5 in Snohomish County on both the drive up and back. North of the Conway exit there was a dead hawk in the median that appeared to be a Red-tailed.

Pictures of the shrike can be seen here:
http://www2.bc.edu/~merrillr/shrike/shrike1.jpg
http://www2.bc.edu/~merrillr/shrike/shrike2.jpg
http://www2.bc.edu/~merrillr/shrike/shrike3.jpg

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