We held our annual fund raiser this weekend. Our team ( the others haven?t
reported yet) found 105 species from Crockett?s Lake to the northern tip of
the island. On a day with decent weather we expect to be in the 110 range.
My teammates tend to get a little surly when the wind is blowing and I?m
trying to drive them on for a few more species!

Best birds: 1 Western Kingbird at the Au Sable property; 150+ Greater
white-fronted Geese at Crockett?s Lake ( the most I?ve ever encountered on
Whidbey)

Big Misses: Purple Finch, Turkey Vulture ( both seen today, naturally!),
Bewick?s Wren, Am. Coot ( how can you bird for 9 hours without seeing a
coot?????)

Other goodies: 5 warblers, 7 shorebirds, 6 raptors ( Jack, we saw a
Peregrine perched on one of the cross-lake pilings but missed the
Short-eared Owl), 4 alcids, 2 owls including a close look at a Great-horned
Owl.

Oddity: We saw approximately 2 dozen Buffleheads scattered around the area.
Every single 1 was a female.

Mammals: Black-tailed Deer, Harbor Seal, Douglas Squirrel, cottontail

Butterflies: 1 brand new Anise Swallowtail shivering in the cold, cloudy
weather.

Wildflowers: We identified 34 species of native shrubs and wildflowers
blooming. The native rhodies are in bloom!

Steve Ellis
?Cootless in Coupeville?, Wa.
sellis at coup.wednet.edu