Tweeters,

Ten of us birded in and out of the persistent fog yesterday. A 1st-winter Harris's Sparrow was flocking with other sparrows in the brambles and shrubs on the east side (the Edison side) of the Samish River, right at the wide gravel pullout there. The sparrow seemed unaware of its mildly rare status, as it perched in plain view. In Edison at least four Eurasian Collared-Doves were near a similar number of Mourning Doves, right in town at the north end.

The much-reported Ruff was again along Boe Rd. in mid-afternoon, this time on the south side of Boe Rd adjacent to the large red barn, a good 150 m. beyond the No Trespassing signs at the entrance of the private road that leads south toward the red farm buildings. As before, it was foraging actively near scores of Killdeer and a few Dunlin and snipe.

Also: a couple Short-eared Owls and a N. Shrike from the end of Rawlins Rd. (Skagit W.A.), and good numbers of Rough-legged Hawks of assorted morphs on all the flats.

Good birding, Bob

Bob Sundstrom
Tenino, Washington
ixoreus at scattercreek.com