Tweeters,

Yesterday, I birded in Skagit and Island Counties, part of the time
with Howard Armstrong. One of the highlights was the NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD (only my second sighting for the state) which
was still present at the intersection of Rhodena Drive and
Snakelum Point Road, a couple of miles east of Coupeville
on Whidbey Island. It was at the same spot where it was first
reported 10 days ago by Sarah Schmidt. (I am attaching Sarah's
message which was forwarded to TWEETERS by Dave Parent.)

I didn't get to Rhodena Drive until about 4:40 PM, close to sunset.
However, the Mockingbird was sitting quietly on a telephone wire
directly in front of the same fruit-laden holly tree where Sarah
had reported it earlier. In about 15 minutes of observation, it did not
call, but it did fly into the holly tree and ate a few berries.

Also of interest at Dugualla Lagoon, near the north end of Whidbey
Island, was a flock of 113 CANVASBACKS. This is often a good spot
for Canvasbacks, but 113 is a very high count. There were also
18 TRUMPETER SWANS in and near the lagoon.

I was also one of the lucky ones who got point-blank sunlight views
of the WHOOPER SWAN next to the church just west of Conway on
Fir Island Road in Skagit County. After making 3 unsuccessful
round trips from Canada to Snohomish to look for this bird, it
was nice to be rewarded by such close views!

Good luck and good birding,

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net



----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Parent" <dpdvm at whidbey.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 2:04 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Whidbey Island Northern Mockingbird


Hello, Tweeters,

Yesterday, Sarah Schmidt shared this observation with our local Whidbey
email group. I thought it would be of interest to all you Tweeters. I can
provide photos if anyone is interested. Please contact me.


Dave Parent, Freeland



-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Schmidt [mailto:junco at galaxynet.com]
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 1:47 PM
To: Bill Applegate; Ann & Tom Campbell; Bart Rulon; Steve and Martha Ellis;
Diane and Gary Piazzon-WW; Frances Wood; kurt noonan; Keith Becker; Janet
Hall-home; Phyllis Kind; Susan Bennett; Lisa Harkins; Dave Parent; Allard
Calkins; Kathy and Merv Floyd; Mary Margaret Fry; Don Knoke; Renee Smith;
Brian and Jan Martin
Subject: Mockingbird report, day 2



Hi folks,
The mockingbird is still there today. Dave, feel free to share the sighting
with Tweeters. For today's report, scroll down. I've included below my
reports from both days, because I discovered a couple of mistakes in what I
wrote yesterday and wanted to correct them for anyone that might try to
follow my directions. Today's photos are significantly better. Sarah

Sunday, 14 January 2007

At 2:30 this afternoon, Bill and I were returning from a walk to Au Sable,
walking east along Rhodena Drive from Parker Road. At the top of Snakelum
Point Road, we heard a loud, unfamiliar bird call. A single strident, harsh
note. It was repeated several times and seemed to be coming from a tall
holly tree filled with berries.

Finally the bird flew out and landed in clear view on a fir branch, and it
was a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD!!! We watched it for ten minutes, sitting in the
fir, flying to the holly tree, wolfing down red berries, back to the fir,
and chasing off a robin in good mockingbird form!

ID markings visible when perched included "robin-sized", gray above and pale
buffy white below with long tail, white wingbars, darkish line through the
eye, no eye ring. In flight we had excellent views of flashing white wing
patches and white outer tail feathers.

If anyone wants to look for it, three miles south of Coupeville turn off of
Rt 20 onto Parker Rd, go north past Au Sable Institute (former game farm)
and turn R down Rhodena Drive. At the bottom of the hill you pass Reeder Rd
on the left, and after several more houses you get to Snakelum Point Road, a
left turn down hill to the point. Park on Rhodena, stand at the top of
Snakelum Point Road, and look at the holly tree near the front door of the
first house on the left, a little aqua-blue cottage. There are more
berry-filled holly trees a little further along Rhodena by a house on the
south side of the road, so I'd check those if the mockingbird isn't in the
place we saw it.

Monday, 15 January 2007

At 11:00 AM I returned to the junction of Snakelum Point Rd and Rhodena
Drive to look for the mockingbird. Before I could see the area I could hear
its loud scolding call. The trees in the vicinity were a-flutter with
several dozen robins. The mockingbird was dashing after one, then another
and another, back and forth from fir to fir to holly to utility wire to
holly to fir. I hope it isn't burning more calories trying to guard its
holly tree than it gains from eating the berries! This time it perched much
closer and I got better photos. Still blurry, but clearly identifiable. I
have attached the best. After a time, the majority of the robins flew en
masse up the street. Then the mockingbird perched silent and still in the
holly. I stayed in the area talking with neighbors for fifteen minutes. I
imagine the bird stayed in the area, but when it is quiet and inactive, it's
hard to spot.

Sarah

--
^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Sarah Schmidt
Coupeville, WA 98239
junco at galaxynet.com
^o^ ^o^ ^o^ ^o^

"Wisdom begins in wonder" -Socrates



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