Hello All
Today Fred Boesche and I birded from the Stillaguamish to the Samish. It was
fairly cold and windy throughout the day, but fortunately there was no rain
until we headed back south. The Stilly had all the expected species,
including 170 Trumpeter Swans and 10,000 Ring-billed Gulls.

On Fir Island, the Cattle Egret has found some cattle. We found it at the
small dairy farm along Wiley Road (entrance to the WMA HQ). At the Hayton
Snow Goose Preserve, we found 4 Blue morph Snow Geese (2 ad, 2 imm), and an
imm. Greater White-fronted Goose. Also, a late Osprey was hunting the
stream.

The Samish Flats were pretty dead, except for some nice Rough-legged Hawks.
Off Samish Island I scoped 6 Long-tailed Ducks and 10 Eared Grebes among
others. Contra to Dennis Paulson's observations today, we had many ducks
west of Samish Island in Padilla Bay. A vast mixed flock of Mallard,
American Wigeon, and Northern Pintail numbering at least 20,000 birds.

For the day, 105 species.

If interested, I've posted photos of all the Blue Geese here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/potoo/

Cheers and good birding,
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington