Yesterday, 2/23, I led a Seattle Audubon field trip to the Skagit and
Samish Flats. At the Skagit Game Range, as we walked the dike loop, we
saw three VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, my first swallows of the year. We also
saw one ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. We didn't find anything else out of the
ordinary, but my group of beginners was thrilled to see the GREAT HORNED
OWL on the nest at the Game Range, and two PEREGRINE FALCONS stooping at
a flock of several thousand DUNLIN at Alice Bay.

On 2/22, while scouting for the above trip, at the West 90 we saw a BALD
EAGLE hovering like a kestrel over a ditch or slough in the distance.
It did this for quite awhile, sometimes soaring off a short way, but
then returning to hover over the same spot. It was still hovering when
we left. I've never seen an eagle do this before. It looked like it
was expending an enormous amount of energy. There must have been
something really good in that ditch!

Today, 2/24, my husband and I joined several other birders on the
Skyline Trail at Stevens Pass, in search of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. We
saw two pairs and a few extra ones not too far from the beginning of the
trail, along with lots of PINE SISKINS and a pair of RED CROSSBILLS. We
didn't have snow-shoes, so we turned back to avoid a long return trek
down the steep, slippery trail (worse going down than going up), but the
other birders continued up, so maybe they will have more to report.

Rachel Lawson
Seattle
RachelWL at msn.com