Today I visited Skagit Wildlife. On the way thru Stanwood, I spotted an AMERICAN KESTREL, but didn't see the WHOOPER SWAN between Big Ditch and Conway. I carefully checked out each group of swans along Pioneer Hwy, to no avail. But a MERLIN greeted me in Conway, so dipping on the swan wasn't so bad.

Skagit Wildlife was alive with birds. At the entrance were 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE with TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS. On the dike trail I saw an adult male COOPER'S HAWK as well as an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was perched high in a tree near the boat launch entrance. A vocal flock of 15 PINE GROSBEAKS flew past a couple times, once perching for a few minutes, allowing time to get some good looks at them. Several PURPLE FINCHES were around as usual.

I saw 2 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS; one near the gate at the boat launch entrance, and another in a field between the first 2 bridges. There were also 4 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS; 3 white and 1 tan stripe. Couldn't find a SWAMP SPARROW.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
mbreece at earthlink.net