Tweeters:

Been travelling a lot with little chance to note local birds, but I noticed
that a couple YELLOW WARBLERS on passage through our place in n. Lake
Stevens over the weekend. This species often seems to get started early;
down in deep s. Alabama I had three back on July 24, and there were a couple
in in coastal TX July 29 also.

Also present lately (in Lake Stevens) but evidently birds that nested on
site: a couple Pacific-slope Flycatchers ("ting" positioning note from high
in canopy) hanging in there with Wilson's and Black-throated Gray Warblers,
and Swainson's Thrushes. Also, over Marysville Middle School Monday
evening: a migrant VAUX'S SWIFT among the swallows. I've been noting that
nightflight migrants are also starting to show also, I've heard 2-3
unidentified warblers overhead the last couple mornings, pre-dawn.

Belatedly also from Fir I August 14: a few SEMI PLOVERS, 5 PECTORALS, 3
BAIRD'S, but nothing like Gary Bletsch's good finds, even though I ventured
well out on the mudflats. By the way, Gary's RUDDY TURNSTONE is only about
the 6th of 7th for the county that I am aware of, although STILT SANDPIPER
is now at 15 or so, including a couple of 6-8 birds at once. Thinking about
Wayne's super Aug 11 find in Whatcom Co, now Skagit just needs to get its
first Upland Sandpiper, which you'd think would show first on Fir I, which
has plenty of good "grasspiper" habitat.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com