Tweeters:

Had a couple hours to try some stake-out for the Everett-Marysville CBC today. Highlights included an AM. BITTERN in cattails just before the Spencer I. bridge, along with a LEAST SANDPIPER accompanying a Killdeer; there were also three CINNAMON TEAL hanging in there at a marshy spot just north of the bridge.

There were about 3000 gulls at the Sewage Treatment facility, with the highlight being a perfect ad. SLATY-BACKED GULL with Mews on the frozen edge of open water near the south end. The dominant gull was MEW with about 2000 present; I also picked out two WESTERNS, a RING-BILL, a THAYER'S and a CALIFORNIA among them, along with a pale-headed medium gull I could not place to species.

I also found an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER close to the 528 overpass over the Snohomish River, near Dagmar's Landing. SNOW GEESE were coming and going several times. There was no sign of any Swamp Sparrow or Com. Yellowthroat (as present some winters if mild conditions prevail) walking south from the Spencer bridge on the bike path on the sewage pond side of Steamboat Slough, although 17 MARSH WRENS were present.

I was also impressed by hardy TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS near our home in n. Lake Stevens. Despite a single overnight low of 5 F. about five days back, we have two still in the woods with the CB Chickadees, and another was about a mile away near 123rd and 84th Street NE.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
_________________________________________________________________
Life on your PC is safer, easier, and more enjoyable with Windows Vista?.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/127032870/direct/01/