On Tuesday, May 13, Joyce Meyer, Mike West, Derek Mahaffey and myself did our annual BirdAThon trip up Whidbey Island. It was a cool, wet day and we had the windshield wipers on all day during this cool, wet day. We birded from the car when possible, so we didn't expect to do very well. Despite not seeing any kinglets, common mergansers, Steller's Jays or Pied-billed Grebes, we were surprised by a record 107 species. Here are a few of the highlights.

We met at the Kingsgate P&R at 6 a.m. Our first bird was WESTERN TANAGER at the P&R. We got on the 0630 ferry to Whidbey and headed for the Ewing Road ponds. An OSPREY was at the nest, we had 4 swallow species, many duck species including all 3 Teal species and AMERICAN COOT. Deer Lagoon was basically dry with all the mud flats showing and there were surprisingly few birds, but a good number of species. One WHIMBREL, KILLDEER with babies, one DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and a VIRGINIA RAIL. The Lincoln St. access had a COOPER'S HAWK, a number of CASPIAN TERNS, and more Virginia Rails. The Earth Sanctuary was very good with WOOD DUCKS, HOODED MERGANSER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, WILSON'S WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, RING-NECKED DUCKS. The east side of the ponds on Double Bluff Road produced GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and two TRUMPETER SWANS that flew over.

At the seaside by Crockett Lake we found WHITE-WINGED & BLACK SCOTERS, HORNED & RED-NECKED GREBES, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS. On the lake side there were hundreds of WESTERN SANDPIPERS, a few LEAST SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, 20-30 CASPIAN TERNS, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS and some PURPLE MARTINS at the nest boxes. At the Keystone ferry area, there were the usual HARLEQUIN DUCKS and on the old pier were all three CORMORANT species. We ate lunch in the car, due to rain, at Fort Casey SP. The surprise in the woods were three GREAT HORNED OWLS, one adult and two young. We also found the HOUSE WREN that reside in the woods. A lone BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was at the top of a tree. Near the lighthouse we heard CALIFORNIA QUAIL and saw GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS.

At beach accesses on the west side we saw COMMON, PACIFIC & RED-THROATED LOONS. The Oak Harbor marina yielded a BELTED KINGFISHER and at Dugualla Bay and lake we had LESSER SCAUP & EURASIAN WIGEON. The entrance to a Deception Pass SP camping area had WINTER WREN, BROWN CREEPER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH & ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS. A visit to Rosario Beach SP rewarded us with an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER & BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.

Our last stop was at the Stanwood Sewage Treatment Ponds where we always find some birds we didn't have yet. We added the final four birds to our list MARSH WREN, RUDDY DUCK, EARED GREBE and two WILSON'S PHALAROPES. A good way to finish off a very good day of birding, if not weather.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder AT earthlink.net