Tweets,
Monday Dave Annonen & I birded Point No Point (9:30-11am), Skagit
(1-3:45pm) & Samish flats (4:15-5:45pm). No Thick-billed Murre at PNP,
but plenty of MARBLED MURRELETS, a few RHINO AUKLETS, a LONG-T DUCK &
EARED GREBE. I think I overheard a Minnesota birder say he added 2
species to his Washington list. The highlights from Skagit, besides
the WHOOPER SWAN, at the game range: COMMON REDPOLLS near the
pumphouse by the boat launch (thanks, Gary, for the vocalization tip!)
and skads of sparrows around, as also reported by Carrol Riddell. In
the same flock she was assessing (I assume it was her by the bridge
off the dike trail) I saw a bright-rufous- or rusty-capped smallish
sparrow. The view was too brief and obscured to determine identity. I
did not see any White-throats. We proceded to Samish flats for a
spectacular raptor show at sunset. We watched two BARN OWLS hunting
south of the west-90 parking lot, being harrassed by harriers. Earlier
we saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK with very little pale coloration. A
SHORT-EARED OWL made a roadside appearance as we departed the area. I
was struck today at how many swans we saw on our route--more than I
ever remember.
Good birding!
Paul Hicks
Tenino, s. Thurston Co
phicks AT accessgrace.org