Yesterday (Saturday, 2/18) we took a delayed Valentines trip to San Juan
Island.



We had left the house while it was still dark and were treated to the pre
sunrise display by the time we got to Granite Falls. The beautiful color
show continued all the way north to Anacortes.Crows were everywhere from
Granite Falls to Anacortes, I don't remember seeing so many of them before.
They must love the sunrise too. We just made it and were the last to board
the 8:30 ferry. We did not look for any birds or sea life From the ferry.
We bought the Times and read it on the ride to the island. Since we never
have time to read the paper that was a treat.



I think that it was close to 10:00 when we got to San Juan. The sky was
brilliant blue but was it ever cold!! We went to Cattle Point to look for
birds. A pair of Black Tail Deer crossed the road in front of the truck on
the way. The lighthouse sits on a rock above the beach. The water is full of
large rocks, many of which still show at high tide. The birds and seals love
these rock islands. Last time we were here it was June when the rocks were
crowded with various birds and seals. This time there was not much going on,
at least compared to June. In a protected corner of the sea and rocks under
the picnic area there was a pair of Harlequin Ducks near the beach. On the
other side of that rock wall facing the large rock island there wasn?t
anything unusual. Seagulls everywhere but it was too cold to ID them, winter
loons too but I am not sure what kind, I am so bad at ID?ing winter loons.
Red Neck?s I think. We saw some cormorants and listened as a pair of
Canadian Geese came in gossiping with each other as they considered just
where they would land. We could hear songs coming from the trees but did not
see the singers. A brown hawk (again, too cold to set up the scope, no ID)
and later a Bald Eagle sat on a tree behind the houses choosing what to have
for brunch. That same rubber Great Horned Owl was sitting on the same TV
antenna that he was on last June. I don't think that he ever moves. Leaving
Cattle Point we saw only one bunny at American Camp. Maybe that is why the
air was not filled with hawks and owls the way it was in June. Then again,
maybe it was just too cold for the bunnies.



We drove to San Juan County Park by way of False Bay. The tide was on its
way out and the flats were exposed. Two Black Tail were thigh deep in salt
water going across the bay. There were a few mallards but the main bird in
False Bay was Northern Pintails. Further along, just above Lime Kiln Point
we saw not Orca but Common and Red Breasted Mergansers which we glassed only
briefly. We wanted to get to the large pond above Lime Kiln on the way to
the park where we love watching the birds in June. Nothing but feathers
caught in the ice on the pond yesterday.



San Juan County Park was glorious. We parked at the upper lawn overlooking
the bird rock and the two little inlets on either side. We actually got out
of the truck but still did not get out the scopes. The wind was wickedly
cold. One Seagull and one Black Oystercatcher on the rock. Nothing in either
inlet
back to the truck we go. We could not help but notice the bird song
on the windy walk back to the truck. Glassing the bare trees we saw more
robins then we could count and one lone Varied Thrush. At 1:00 we had a
dashboard picnic with the windows cracked to listen to the robins. While
watching the robins I saw a robin sized bird with a silver body and a black
cape/head that I did not see long enough to ID. My husband called it a
swollen junco; I don't know what it was. A lone harbor seal looked like he
was doing some birding by the rock but left because of the low activity.
(That's my story and I'm sticking to it) We took one last look at the inlet
across from the caretaker?s cabin (where they have conveniently placed the
restrooms) and found a flock of about twelve Barrows Golden Eyes and maybe
five Hooded Mergansers. A bird about the size and color of a Clarks Nuthatch
flew across the water to the rocks but his speed and the glare of the sun
hid his true identity from us though he twice flew across the water. We have
no idea what he actually was.



Continuing around the island past English Camp and Rosario we thought that
our birding was basically over and figured that we would just take our time
driving back to Friday Harbor for some coffee and lavender shopping. However
there are those little freshwater ponds that were not frozen on the way back
to Friday Harbor. We had to stop to glass the ponds when we noticed the
swans. Two beautiful white adult Tundra Swans accompanied by a pale gray and
a dove gray juvenile. There was also a male Buffle Head which was unusual
only because he was the first Buffle Head we had seen all day. The next
small pond held a few mallards and a bird we had not seen before. Turned out
to be our first Ring Necked Ducks. There was another pair of Tundra Swans on
this pond. We stopped at Egg Lake but it wasn?t very active though we did
see a pair of Pied Billed Grebes.



After buying coffee and the most expensive shampoo ever in Friday Harbor we
got in line for the ferry where we watched crows, pigeons and seagulls.
Sitting at the front of the ferry we tried to watch for seabirds but our
eyes were tired and I think (though I cannot confirm it) we dozed.



The drive home was dark, so if there were birds then I cannot confirm it.



Deb of Ray & Deb Fame and the recipient of a happy but late Valentines Day

Robe Valley in Washington

42psalm01 at foxinternet.com



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