Hi Tweets

Yesterday, a group from the East Lake Washington Audubon Society took a trip to Whidbey Island. The day started out cloudy and with some rain showers as we worked our way to the north end of the island. A large flock of SNOW GEESE were still on Fir Island, and small number of TRUMPETER SWANS were in the fields near LaConner. The showers had stopped by the time we reach Pass Lake (near Rosario Beach). BUFFLEHEAD and MALLARDS were on the lake, a large flock of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were overhead, a VARIED THRUSH "sang" and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was singing.

At Rosario Beach we got nice looks at DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANTS, several RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were on the north side along with COMMON GOLDENEYE, and a large flock of PIGEON GUILLEMOTS was a ways out. Five HARLEQUIN DUCKS were perched on the rocks, and two BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were asleep on the large island offshore. A BALD EAGLE sat on top of a tree and several PINE SISKINS were in another tree. A WINTER WREN sang briefly in the woods, another ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER sang, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were in the trees overhead and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW repeatedly sang from a grass stalk. A COMMON RAVEN called at some distance. A couple of RED-THROATED LOONS were at some distance. A BELTED KINGFISHER was perched on a limb with a large fish.

At West Beach, in Deception Pass State Park, we saw more of the above as well as GLACOUS-WINGED and MEW GULLS. At Dugualla Bay we picked up KILLDEER, and DUNLIN as well as more MALLARDS. HOODED MERGANSER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, and RING-NECKED DUCK were also on the lake.

Things were pretty quiet at the Oak Harbor Marina, but there were spectacular looks at a full breeding plumage HORNED GREBE and several others in the process of changing. A single PIED-BILLED GREBE was there, a COMMON LOON, a about 40 DUNLIN.

Next we went out to Swantown and Bos Lake. The water was high with no mud. MALLARDS, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD and AMERICAN WIGEON were on Bos Lake, an AMERICAN KESTREL was nearby. On the Strait of Juan de Fuca side we saw many SURF SCOTERS, BUFFLEHEAD, some COMMON GOLDENEYE, at least two LONG-TAILED DUCKS, many more RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, RED-NECKED GREBE, COMMON LOON, PACIFIC LOON, a couple of RHINOCEROS AUKLETS and a stray RED-TAILED HAWK out over the Strait.

At the Hastie Lake access we saw more HARLEQUIN DUCKS, SURF SCOTERS, COMMON LOON and RED-THROATED LOON. Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS were quite close giving good scope views. Down at Libby Beach we added to the days total of HARLEQUIN DUCKS. Back to the Penn Cove area and the San de Fuca area was almost devoid of birds, with the exception of lots of lazy GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS sleeping on the pier. Down by the treatment plant in Coupeville we saw a nice male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, a large raft of WESTERN GREBEs, more SURF SCOTERS and had a nice flyby of a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW.

We stopped on Rhodena at Snakelum Point, and had a singing and displaying SPOTTED TOWHEE, singing HOUSE FINCH, more GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, AMERICAN CROWS, but the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD did not make an appearance. We backtracked down to Crockett Lake and had TREE SWALLOW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, DUNLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. At the ferry terminal we had nice looks at DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANTS and a killer scope view of a BRANDT'S CORMORANT in full breeding plumage with brilliant blue gular pouch and white plumes.

A brief stop at Double-Bluff allowed us to add CALIFORNIA GULL, some more MEW GULLS and BONAPARTE'S GULLS for the day. Next, we stopped at the wetlands on Ewing Road and the ponds were full of birds. MALLARDS, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN WIGEON, CANADA GOOSE, GADWALL, and CINNAMON TEAL made for a nice assortment. Lots of swallows were everywhere including VIOLET-GREEN, TREE, NORTHERN ROUGH-WING and our first CLIFF SWALLOWS. A VIRGINIA RAIL called from the cattails. Four WILSON'S SNIPE worked along the edge of marshy area.

Other birds picked up along the way included: COMMON MERGANSER, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, GREAT BLUE HERON, ROCK PIGEON, NORTHERN FLICKER, STELLER'S JAY, BEWICK'S WREN, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, and HOUSE SPARROW.

We had a great day with good weather, nice looks at birds, and wound up with 77 species for the day.

Brian H. Bell
Birding & Natural History Guide
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia dot com