Subject: [Tweeters] Photos from the weekend at Anacortes and Whidbey Island
Date: Apr 4 12:34:31 2007
From: Denny Granstrand - dgranstrand at charter.net


Hi Tweeters,

My wife and I spent a long weekend in Anacortes. I spent a lot of
time at the marina getting photos of Common Loons. Many, in fact all
but one, were in gorgeous alternate plumage. As I mentioned in a
previous e-mail, we drove around Guemes Island two afternoons but
couldn't find the Great Gray Owl.

Two trips to Rosario Beach were fun but the bird list was short. We
had great views Ssunday morning of a pair of Black Oystercatchers and
several pairs of Harlequin Ducks.

We drove down Whidbey Island Monday. Another pair of Black
Oystercatchers were very accomodating on the south side of Penn
Cove. I remembered there had been a Northern Mockingbird near
Coupeville but didn't have directions. I called Andy Stepniewski,
who looked through his Tweeter archives and called me back with
directions. We were able to drive right to the spot on Rhodena Drive
where Snakelum Beach Road comes into it. I played the mockingbird
song with my CD player and the mockingbird flew right in. It sat on
the power line by the holly tree for ten minutes, looking around and
preening a bit, allowing me to get some nice photos.

I tried at many locations for Black Scoter but dipped again. There
were many Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters on Penn Cove. In the
Anacortes area were several pairs of Long-tailed Ducks still in basic
plumage, and Rhinocerous Auklets and Pigeon Guillemots in alternate
plumage, mostly seen from the Guemes Island ferry and Washington Park.

We stopped at Snoqualmie Falls to see the nesting Peregrine Falcons
there. I couldn't find the nest but did see one of the Peregrines
fly across the river and land on the cliff on between the falls and
the west observation deck. Its back was to me so the photos were
disappointing. The guy who originally found the nest showed up and
pointed it out to me. It was exciting to see it.

Photos of the Peregrine Falcon on its nest, the mockingbird,
oystercatchers, loons and a few other species are in the new photos
folder on my website.

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Denny Granstrand *
* Yakima, WA *
* dgranstrand at charter.net *
* Denny's bird photos can be seen online at: *
http://granstrand.net/gallery/