Subject: [Tweeters] Vashon birding by jogging
Date: Feb 27 16:49:58 2006
From: Ed Swan - edswan at centurytel.net


I usually run 2.5-3 miles a couple of times a week and count the birds I see and hear while running. I was getting bored with my usual routes when I finally got smart and started a new route recently with many more birds. It gets such good birds that I bet there would be few other 3 mile runs in the Puget Sound area that could beat the number of species in the same time and distance and with no optical aids.

In 30 minutes, covering 3.2 miles without any stops to get better looks or optical aids, starting at Ellisport on Vashon, going south to Portage, west along Quartermaster Drive to Monument Road, north up Monument Road to 216th, east on 216th and north on Tramp Harbor Drive to Ellisport, I saw or heard 36 species:

American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird
Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
House Sparrow

How I missed Brown Creeper or Hutton's Vireo which are singing all over Vashon right now, I don't know. I guess it's just the short time frame. Also, other usual birds found along the route would be Canada Goose, Mew Gull, Downy Woodpecker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Purple Finch. About 10-15 other species might put in an occasional appearence along these roads. Lately about 25 Brant have been feeding on the east side of Portage, this is the first day I haven't seen them there on the shore for several weeks.

Ed Swan
Vashon Island
www.theswancompany.com
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