Subject: [Tweeters] 1/28 Whooper Swan and the Flats
Date: Jan 29 09:38:55 2007
From: pslott - VariedThrush at comcast.net


Tweeters,

The Accessible Birding trip to the Samish flats yesterday began
auspiciously with a successful search for WHOOPER SWAN, found northeast
of Conway along the frontage road south of the Alpaca farm just north of
Exit 221. Although the day had been scheduled as a big raptor day on the
Samish Flats, neither Gyrfalcon nor Prairie Falcon have been wintering
on the flats this year and the group supported the search for Whooper
Swan even though it set us back an hour and offset coordination with the
morning high tide. The Swan was a treat for all group members, and
especially for a guest from Delaware on a Big Year search in the lower
48. Conway produced 4 other year birds for our guest, including BUSHTIT.
We enjoyed a very nice look at PEREGRINE FALCON, plus RED-TAILED HAWK,
and BALD EAGLE at this first stop.

We next searched the Blanchard area, where Chuckanut Drive approaches
Samish Bay. We arrived just minutes before high tide. Here, we saw our
first AMERICAN KESTREL and NORTHERN HARRIER, along with plenty of ducks,
KINGFISHER, FOX SPARROW and other small passerines.

Samish Island produced the usual special selection of deep water birds,
including wonderful looks at LONG-TAILED DUCK.

The West 90 produced our first, but unsatisfactory, look at ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK, however a trip down Sullivan Road soon put this to rights.
Nevertheless, I was sorry to miss the close encounter that I had with
SHORT-EARED OWL at this location last Thursday. Stopped temporarily
along the seldom-used road, the owl flew just 10 ft. from my car while
hunting and locked eyes with me as I watched. This was an encounter that
I?ll always remember.

The access roads along Fir Island did not produce a Merlin for our
group, just as had all our previous stops during the day, however I was
consoled by a single Dowitcher at Hayton Reserve. A bright winter sun
glaring on the water behind this individual obscured my chance at
positive ID, so I will assume that it was most likely a LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER.

The boat launch and dike at the Wildlife Management Area gave us
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BROWN CREEPER,
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and other winter passerines, but no specialties
on this sunny and warmer day. However, as our guest was about to part
from us for the excellent birds to be found at Blaine, I found him
VARIED THRUSH along Mann Road to speed him on his way.


Patricia S. Lott
Seattle, WA
mail to: VariedThrush at comcast.net