Greetings All

Yesterday, I birded around Skagit County with Maynard Axelson. Besides
locating a number of Gray-bellied Brant (one solid flock of ~1000 at s. end of
Padilla Bay) we found a huge flock of dabblers in Samish Bay. Dennis Duffy and I
had seen them from a greater distance last weekend. The number is somewhere
around 250-300 THOUSAND; the vast majority (>90%) are Mallards, with Pintail
somewhere in the 5-10% range. A few wigeon and little else in the big flock (though
goldeneyes, scoters, etc scattered elsewhere in the bay). Apparently these
dabblers hang out, away from hunters, mid-day and then go out into the fields to
feed at night.

We did find a BEWICK'S SWAN at the intersection of Cook and Chuckanut near
Bow. It was was with about 100 Whistling Swans and a few Trumpeters. This was a
different bird from last weekend; the yellow did not pass over the bill. Look
at Sibley's drawing, and the yellow was much like that depicted there, but
just didn't cross over the top of the bill. This is typical of Bewick's from the
eastern part of their range (look at a Japanese field guide, especially the
photographic one, if you have access) and looks much like the bird seen at
Allen, Skagit County, last year.

Today, Jessie Barry and I birded the Kent Valley. We were very surprised to
find 550 CACKLING GEESE in the field on your left as you are driving up to the
Boeing Ponds (the field is just before the first building). This is an
enormous number for winter this far north, and is likely a continuation of a trend
that has occurred over the last 3 or so decades of these birds wintering ever
farther north. Interestingly, there was a particularly large number of
Taverner's with our "classic" minima Cackling Geese. This flock, which is relatively
tame, offers an excellent chance for studying these birds. The Taverner's
average larger, paler, with wing/back feather edgings that are not as bright. There
are also differences in head and bill shape that you can pick up on fairly
well with a bit of study. There were also at least 6 parvipes (Lesser) Canada
Geese in the flock and about 50 of our usual big guys (moffittii).Some birds, of
course, eluded ID despite excellent looks. The SAYS PHOEBE worked the edge of
the building at the back of the field.

Finally, on West Valley Hwy just n of 277th, we found an imm male TUFTED DUCK
in with RN Ducks. The bird was on the w. side of the road, where there are a
couple safe places to pull over. It looks pretty much like an ad male, with a
solid black back, but there are a few dusky smudges on the rear flank and the
tuft is not fully developed. A RN x TUDU hybrid should show some RN Duck
features, especially in head, and a TUDU x scaup should have some gray
vermiculations on back.

Best Wishes
Steven Mlodinow
Everett WA