Subject: [Tweeters] Samish & Skagit Flats Jan 9
Date: Jan 9 20:34:36 2008
From: B & P Bell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi Tweets

A group from East Lake Washington Audubon birded the Samish and Skagit Flats today. The day started out with scattered rain showers. Just south of Mount Vernon we found a large field (along Cedardale Rd) absolutely filled with SNOW GEESE and Swans (It had stopped raining). There were approximately 5,000 Snow Geese with at least one Blue morph. To the east, behind the geese, there were about 300 Swans almost exclusively TRUMPETERS with three of them having neck rings (2 red and 1 green) - because of distance and crowding it could not be determined if any of them were Tundras. In the distance (maybe a 1/4 mile away) were another 3-400 Swans. We continued up and turned off on Chuckanut Drive. North of Sunset were more swans. We got nice looks from Ershig Rd., again of mostly TRUMPETERS, but mixed in were two TUNDRA SWANS and four GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.

All along the way we were seeing BALD EAGLES - we ended the day with somewhere around 40. There were numerous RED-TAILED HAWKS around also, and many COMMON RAVENS. In the deciduous tree just east of the intersection of Bow Hill Rd and Chuckanut Drive there was a very nice PEREGRINE FALCON. A ways further north along Chuckanut there was a female AMERICAN KESTREL. A puddle held MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, and many AMERICAN WIGEON. At the back of the pack was a single EURASIAN WIGEON.

Around Blanchard a pond held Pintail, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE. A STELLER'S JAY was in a tree close by. Also in the vicinity were AMERICAN ROBINS, NORTHERN FLICKER, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, HOUSE FINCH, MOURNING DOVE. A GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was perched on top of a birdhouse right by the road, and further down was a big collection of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, HOUSE SPARROWS, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS. A COOPER'S HAWK came blasting thru, but didn't stop.

Near Edison we saw GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and AMERICAN COOT. The usual large assemblage of BALD EAGLES was along Bayview Edison Rd. Four HOODED MERGANSERs were in Edison Slough. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was just south of Samish Island Rd before you get to the West 90. At the 90 the winds made it really chilly, but we saw more Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and both female, male and immature NORTHERN HARRIERS. Unfortunately, no Short-eared Owls put in an appearance.

At the end of Wharf Rd on Samish Island we had COMMON, RED-THROATED and PACIFIC LOONS, SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, BRANT, HORNED, RED-NECKED, and WESTERN GREBES and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. Coming back off the island we had a nice female Taiga MERLIN.

We headed down to the Skagit Flats and had scattered flocks of swans - it was really nice to see so many swans today. Another group of about 2000 SNOW GEESE were near the North Fork access along Rawlins Rd. At the Hayton Preserve there were four more female HOODED MERGANSERS as well as a male. In the eagle nest on the road in there was one BALD EAGLE on the nest and one perched nearby. East of the parking lot were another 1000 SNOW GEESE. In a slough off Wylie Rd there were five RING-NECKED DUCKS.

Other birds seen included: GREAT BLUE HERON, DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, MEW, RING-BILLED, CALIFORNIA, and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs, ROCK PIGEON, BELTED KINGFISHER, AMERICAN CROW, EUROPEAN STARLING, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, RED-WINGED and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs, and PURPLE FINCH.

It was a chilly - thank goodness for a good heater in the car - but good birdy day. We saw species.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at isomedia dot com