Subject: [Tweeters] Fir Island Snowy - YES
Date: Dec 29 16:11:17 2005
From: Wise, Cathy - cathy.wise at cingular.com


I located one Snowy Owl on Fir Island today - it was at the North Fork
access, just past the sign that is covered with a plastic bag. She was
hunkered down in the driftwood until it started raining - then she
popped up on the log and gave me a real good look at her. It appears to
be the same individual I photographed at this location several weeks
ago. I also saw several harriers, herons, and one short eared owl at
this location. Huge rafts of pintails and mallards on the sound, as
well as decent sized flocks of wigeons. The light was horrible and
visibility low so I could not tell if there were any Eurasian's among
the flock.

Also looks like the flooding Skagit river is pushing the eagles down. I
saw several dozen bald eagles on Fir Island today - definitely the most
so far this winter. Most were full adults with only a few juveniles to
be seen. The Snow Geese were in three different flocks, spread around
the island with the largest concentration being right across from Snow
Goose Produce.

The highlight, other than the owl, was a merlin that landed on a pole as
I was headed west out of Conway. It was at the church right before the
speed limit goes to 50 mph.

Cathy Wise
Snohomish, WA
cathy.wise at cingular.com