The Whooper Swan gave excellent scope views among a large mixed swan
flock just south of Stackpole Road and west of the railroad track that
parallels I-5 to the west. I saw many swans start flying into that
spot at sunup from my vantage point over on Cedardale Road, just south
of the Alpaca farm. By the time I left shortly after 0900, the
Stockpole Road flock had grown to a methodically counted 650+, and
still increasing with arriving stragglers. I swung back by the Alpaca
Farm spot and counted another 330 Trumpeters/Tundras (carefully
checked) close to Cedardale Road and then estimated another 200 swans
immediately southwest of the Exit 221 (Conway) interchange as got back
on I-5 South. A solid 1200 swans total in the area.

The glorious sunrise flights of these swans have always been one of the
highlights of my winter visits to the Skagit/Samish area, and I always
hope to have my irregular business travel to the Seattle area make that
possible at least once every year.

Chris Floyd
Lexington, MA
chrisf at mitre.org