Hi Tweets

Yesterday, I led a Seattle Audubon trip to the Samish and Skagit Flats. Our day started out clear and sunny, ran thru some fog near Everett and then broke out again north of there. Shortly after turning north on Chuckanut Drive we ran into snow covered ground and the day stayed that way and cold (24F to start). The snow cover greatly reduced the number of birds we saw, particularly swans, although the raptors were out in strength.

At the 90degree bend north of the east 90 (DeLorme p.108, D5) we had a real concentration of Bald Eagles, Northern Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and a couple of Northern Harriers. Lots of interaction between the eagles with some food stealing going on.

Around the corner and out at the west 90 (same DeLorme location) there was much activity of Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers, but no Short-eared Owls. Nor was the Gyrfalcon around, or any other falcon. But a flock of Dunlin was constantly in the air and balling up like they do when a falcon is around. At one point they flew over Samish Island Rd, accompanied by 4 Black-bellied Plover. We went up to Samish Island and looked out over the southern end of Samish Bay - covered with ducks. Scoping showed large numbers of American Wigeon and Northern Pintail (about 50/50) with a scattering of others including Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler and Green-winged Teal. Approximately 2000 each of wigeon and pintail. Turning around to the west and scoping Padilla Bay there were even larger concentrations of wigeon and pintails - probably another 4000 wigeon and 2000 pintail.

At the DFW access point on the north end of Samish Island we scoped more of Samish Bay and had Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Double-crested and one Brandt's Cormorants, Pacific and Common Loons, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe and Long-tailed Duck. A gorgeous Red-breasted Sapsucker flew in and gave us very close looks. A small flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Downy Woodpecker worked the trees overhead.

We made another pass down the road to the west 90 and heard that the Gyrfalcon had been present 30 minutes before. We stopped at the area past the east 90 to take a brief lunch break and watched the eagle activity again. A few sparrow worked the bushes along side the road over including White-crowned and 1 Golden-crowned Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow and a House Sparrow. Lots of European Starlings were in and out of the old corn field. After lunch we covered most of the roads on the flats, with some more red-tails and rough-leggeds but no falcons. We made a pass along D'Arcy Road but didn't see the kestrels.

Back up to the west 90, with a couple of red-tails along the way. Coming back down a few minutes later we stopped by the side of the road near where the remains of the old barn are and scoped out the raptor on the cross arm of a pole to the east. Bingo!! The Gyrfalcon was perched there and gave everyone nice looks (life bird for several - seventh try for Patricia).

We headed south, and just before D'Arcy road was a nice male American Kestrel on the wires. We continued on down toward Bay View and in the ponds along the way were another huge concentration of American Wigeon and Northern Pintail - another 1500 or so each. Didn't pick up any Eurasian Wigeon, but most of the wigeon were too far away for detailed examination.

We went down Rawlins and Maupin Rds on Fir Island, but nothing unusual there. As we went out toward Conway we could see a large flock of white birds. We turned up Dry Slough Rd and finally found the Snow Goose flocks. Five separate flocks in the general area totalling about 10,000 birds. Sure was nice to hear their voices.

Had a scattering of Western Meadowlarks, a few gulls (not the large numbers usually present if the ground is clear), Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds and House Finches.

All in all a nice day with cold but decent weather, little wind and 62 species.

As Marv would say "It was a good day"!

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com