Dear Tweeters,

Redheads have popped up in Skagit County this year
more than usual.

On Christmas Eve at high tide, there was a drake
Redhead at the "Bingo Hall Lagoon," just north of SR
20 where it crosses Swinomish Channel. Fireworks
stands made viewing difficult, so I checked the area
from the smoke shop parking lot just west; I would not
have seen the bird if I had been at the usual
fireworks stand viewpoint, because he was in the
western corner, not far from the smoke shop itself.

On Christmas Day there was a pair of Redheads at Mud
Lake. This is the small lake on the northwest side of
Clear Lake, east of Mount Vernon. The Redheads were
staying with three Canvasbacks. Over 100 Ring-necked
Ducks and a few Lesser Scaup were also there, so it
was a good day for Aythya ducks on Mud Lake.

Besides these two sightings, I have found Redheads in
two other locations in Skagit County this year. A
female lingered in Hamilton for a few weeks in fall,
and another female was at Lake Erie (near Anacortes)
in March. Most years, it is hard to find this species
more than once or twice in twelve months here, so
perhaps they are bouncing back a bit.

Ten to fifteen years ago, it was pretty easy to find
Redheads and Canvasbacks on Big Lake and Beaver Lake,
but these lakes don't seem to have them any more.
Indeed, yesterday at Beaver Lake there was nary a duck
on the water, with only a single coot and a few
Pied-billed Grebes plying the surface.


Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch


Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com



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