Hello All,
I tagged along on a Tahoma Audubon trip that Bruce LaBar led today. We had a
fantastic day with very decent weather. After enjoying over 20,000 Snow
Geese on Fir Island, we did a little birding at the game range HQ where we
found a calling Great Horned Owl and an Orange-crowned Warbler among a mixed
flock. Also on Fir Island we ran into our first of 4 Peregrines and a female
American Kestrel.

We worked our way north to the Samish Flats, en route ticking a Merlin for
part of the group. Bayview State Park provided a small sample of saltwater
birds before we got to the flats. After studying some nice Rough-legged
Hawks in various plumages, we found a nice juvenile Gyrfalcon along
Bayview-Edison Road at the intersection with Sullivan Road. The bird was
then harried by (what else?) harriers and flew over towards West-90. We
headed there, as well, and after scanning for a while saw the bird back
again along Bayview-Edison. Unfortunately, the bird didn't remain at that
perch either. We drove a few more roads, seeing a "Slate-colored" Junco on
Samish Island, before finding ourselves back at West-90. While viewing up to
5 or 6 Short-eared Owls, a Prairie Falcon flew in and started hunting the
shorebird and starling flocks. The bird hung around for about 10 minutes
before booking it south.

That's all, good birding.

Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington