Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Big Day - 14 May 2008
Date: May 16 10:57:48 2008
From: Ryan Merrill - rmerrill27 at gmail.com


Joel Brady-Power and I did a big day in Skagit County on Wednesday, 14
May 2008. There was light rain most of the day but fortunately not
even a hint of wind. The birding in general was excellent with new
birds at nearly every stop including many surprises. Our species
total for the day was 146 which clearly surpassed our expectations and
set a new record for Skagit County.

Quick highlights before a more detailed report:
Greater White-fronted Goose - 4 Samish Flats
Snow Goose - Skagit Game Range
Tundra Swan - 1 Butler Flats
Eurasian Wigeon - 2 Samish Island
Ruffed Grouse - 1 flushed Barnaby Slough
Whimbrel - 1 Samish Flats
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1 Burmaster Road
Wilson's Phalarope - 1 Burmaster Road
Red-necked Phalarope - 2 Burmaster Road
Short-eared Owl - 1 Samish Flats
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER - 1 County Line Ponds (Skagit & Whatcom County)
DUSKY FLYCATCHER - 1 County Line Ponds
Ruby-crowned Kingler - 1 County Line Ponds
Nashville Warbler - 4 Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Barnaby Slough,
County Line Ponds
Chipping Sparrow - 1 Martin Road, Rockport
Yellow-headed Blackbird - 1 Burmaster Road

Our first bird of the day was around 3:15 east of Sedro-Woolley when a
Barn Owl flew across the road. Further owling was fruitless due to
the rain. Robins were singing by 4:30 at Howard Miller Steelhead Park
where we had a nice flock of migrants that included two Cassin's
Vireos, a Nashville Warbler & two Townsend's Warblers. At Martin Road
in Rockport Joel spotted a CHIPPING SPARROW. At Barnaby Slough there
was another Nashville, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's and two singing
MacGillivray's Warblers, plus a RUFFED GROUSE that flushed off the
side of the trail. Continuing along we had a Bank Swallow at
Corkindale and three Townsend's Solitaires in Marblemount.

As we were walking into County Line Ponds, just past the rock pile on
the left, a 'whit' drew our attention to a cooperative empid perched
just a few feet off the ground - overall drab grayish color, very
short primary projection, long tail, full eye ring that was slightly
wider in the back, bicolored lower bill that was noticeably larger
than the several Hammond's in the immediate area, and a bit of a
crest. Just as we realized we had a DUSKY FLYCATCHER we spotted
another bird flying above the trees from upriver. It's distinctive
flight style, gray neck and light red belly immediately identified it
as a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER! We spotted it again a few minutes later on a
snag across the river. After about five minutes of decent but distant
views it continued flying downriver. Other highlights here include a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, another Cassin's Vireo, two more Nashville
Warblers and our only kingfisher and Varied Thrush of the day.

A quick swing through Cockreham Island yielded a pair of Spotted
Sandpipers, six Bank Swallows and another Townsend's Solitaire. Near
the east end of Burmaster Road we hit the shorebird jackpot with a
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and two RED-NECKED
PHALAROPES, along with five dozen Long-billed Dowitchers and a few
Semipalmated Plovers. If that wasn't enough, a ratty-looking
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was bathing at the edge of the water.

The Green Road Ponds had 4 Soras, a pumping bittern, and a Pied-billed
Grebe. A late TUNDRA SWAN was just north of Dahlstedt Road on Old
Highway 99. An American Dipper took just thirty seconds to see at the
fish hatchery on North Green Road.

Our only WHIMBREL of the day was in a grassy field on Allen West Road.
Two male Blue-winged Teal and a pair of Eurasian Collared Doves were
on Chuckanut Drive just north of Edison. At the Samish T we were
happy to find a Western Gull, four GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, a late
SHORT-EARED OWL perched on a post, and about fifty American Pipits.

At Samish Island at least two male EURASIAN WIGEON were with about 600
Americans in Alice Bay. Off the DNR park were all three loons, two
Greater Scaup and a pair of Marbled Murrelets. Our only Mew Gulls and
Bullock's Oriole were also on the island. On our way out a meadowlark
was singing at the West 90. All three species of teal were in the
pond near the parking lot.

The House Wrens were singing as we drove up to Bayview Cemetery where
we also heard an Olive-sided Flycatcher and I had a Turkey Vulture.
Four Purple Martins were found easily at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal.
At Green Point in Washington Park we had about 40 Rhinocerous Auklets
and at least 17 Marbled Murrelets, as well as our only Pileated
Woodpecker. We ended our daylight hours at the Skagit Game Range
where there were at least eight bitterns, finally our first Bewick's
Wrens, and in the distance some of the last Snow Geese. The final
bird of the day was a Great Horned Owl calling at Rexville around
10pm.

Potential birds we missed include Horned & Red-necked Grebe, any
accipiters, American Coot (doesn't a dead one count??), Black
Oystercatcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Bonaparte's Gull, Common Murre,
Barred Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Western Kingbird,
Bushtit, and Hermit Thrush.

Yesterday (5/15) on the way back home there were 2 Eared Grebes, 1
Wilson's Phalarope & 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves at the Stanwood STP.
On 28th Ave NW (Stubb Road) a nosiy flock of 60 Whimbrel were flying
around.

Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland, WA