I woke up early and headed to Samish Island with Zach Elsner to see
if we could locate the Falcated Duck. After scanning the flooded
fields just south of the island for a couple hours we did not locate
it. My heart jumped and I found myself twitching whenever I saw a
green head hidden behind the grass, Wigeon, and Pintail. But
ultimately all the twitches were for Mallards. There were a large
raft of Mallard in the bay to the west of Samish Island rd. which I
couldn't see well enough to rule out the possibility of a Falcated
Duck hanging out with them. In addition as we were leaving a mass of
hundreds of Mallards were flushed from the cattails just south of the
flooded fields. If there was a Falcated foraging in them there would
be no way to see it. Point being there are plenty of spots around for
it to be hiding, even out in the open there were areas I couldn't see,
so it is probably still out there and all that is needed is a the
right luck and it will be found. I know I am going back again.
--
Aaron Martin
Seattle, WA