Tweeters:

Wow. I had a productive eve last night, the last two hours of daylight up
on Fir I., and it turned out to be the best-ever visit for shorebirds at
Jensen and the Hayden Preserve.

There were no less than 18 shorebird species, and at that I missed Gary
Bletsch's BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER detected just hours earlier on the
ploughed fields at Hayden (AKA the Snow Goose preserve), along with LAPLAND
LONGSPURS (he reported both to the birdbox). While birding at Jensen, I ran
into Marv Breece, who showed me a MARBLED GODWIT there, a species that is
rare in the county (we have about 17 records now). Until I got a better
look I assumed first that it was a WHIMBREL I'd had there earlier. A second
(or the same) WHIMBREL was present close to dusk at Hayden.

Perhaps most amazing at both Jensen and Hayden was the BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
flight. I figured about 1750 at Jensen when all was said and done, and
another 250 or so at Hayden--so 2000 total, my highest ever there. Amongst
these I had two PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS, and then Marv and I had a third
calling bird fly over us. Then a single AM. GOLDEN-PLOVER was at Hayden
near dusk. The BAIRD'S SANDPIPER flight was also noteworthy, with about 25
at Jensen and another 10 at Hayden. I also had a returning DUNLIN and snuck
up on a single SEMI SANDPIPER at Jensen.

Shorebirds weren't the only migrants around. In the brambles surrounding
the Hayden Preserve parking lot, there was quite a grouping of sparrows (6
species), mainly returning Golden-crowns but also a FOX SPARROW and a VESPER
SPARROW. This is the second September in a row for Vesper on Fir I: there
was a cooperative bird at Jensen last year on Sept 19, but there are very
few recent records overall for the county. Also of note from Hayden was a
flock of about 25 AM. PIPITS, and (heard just after dusk off the dike), a
returning BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON among a cacaphony of calling VIRGINIA
RAILS.

Must be September! Don't know how many of you check the BC Vancouver Island
listserv, but the rarities reported up there have been remarkable. And to
Anne Winskie--another September highlight--it was Marysville Jaguars 26,
Sultan Black Pirates 0, for Saturday morning's opener in the rain.

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