Tweeters:

Was up in Stanwood yesterday for the kids' track meet and managed some noteable finds in an around Stanwood. At the Stanwood STP the biggest surprise was an AM. WHITE PELICAN that was on the pond and then flew off to the west. Do others out there in Tweeterland know if there are other county records? If memory serves Skagit Co has just two. Also of note at the marshy area immediately adjoining to the west were two WILSON'S PHALAROPES and a BANK SWALLOW; a Least Sandpiper was heard here also and a Ring-necked Pheasant was seen at the STP. At the corner of Dettling and Old Pioneer Hwy, just north of Stanwood, was a EUR. COLLARED-DOVE, and at Big Ditch was a lingering Greater Yellowlegs.

Over the weekend we had plenty of birds in n. Lake Stevens also, including single Olive-sided and Hammond's Flycatchers, and a W. Wood-Pewee; a Yellow Warbler and Calif. Quail were rarities for us that turned up on Sunday, a day when we had 44 species total in the yard. Last but not least, I was surprised to encounter, right in suburban Granite Falls on Saturday, May 17, a SOOTY GROUSE. The bird was right along the busy road near the High School, and given a drooped wing, I figured it had been injured in a collision. But on approach the bird calmly flew off! I figure it was gathering grit for its digestion there, but was at a most unusual (and low elevation) site otherwise. Also of note to the east of us on Sunday were four BANK SWALLOWS at the CNW gravel pond (Hoebel Road pond) which is about 3 miles west of Granite on 84th Street NE, very close to the small commercial area along Hwy 92 known as Getchell Junction. I had not encountered this passage migrant in the area previously.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
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