Today I led a Seattle Audubon field trip to the Samish Flats. As we exited I5 at Chuckanut Drive, we pulled over to check out a RED-TAILED HAWK barely east of the interstate. In the conifers we had a huge flock of BUSHTITS and at least one MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. The brambles were full of sparrows including SONG, FOX, GOLDEN-CROWNED, WHITE-CROWNED and DARK-EYED JUNCO.

As usual, the West 90 on the Samish Flats produced. We had to work at it, but we saw 4 or more SHORT-EARED OWLS. Many RED-TAILED (including HARLANS) HAWKS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, a juv SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. and many NORTHERN HARRIERS. Beyond the dike, we watched as a PEREGRINE FALCON singled out a DUNLIN from aong the huge flock and made a kill.

Just north of the W90 was a mixed flock of DUNLIN and a few BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. The flock included 2 DOWITCHERS. One was a SHORT-BILLED, possibly the same bird I saw in the area last week end. The other was a LONG-BILLED. Two young PEREGRINE FALCONS worked the flock. A few AMERICAN PIPITS flew over.

A little farther north , we spotted a juv NORTHERN SHRIKE.

We walked the streets of Edison, enjoying treats purchased at the wonderful bakery. We saw another 1 or 2 MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES and more than 20 EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVES. Yes, more than 20. Oddly enough, we did not see a Mourning Dove all day.

Dodge Valley Road produced several CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, an AMERICAN KESTREL and an adult COOPER'S HAWK.

Did I mention that BALD EAGLES were everywhere?

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
mbreece at earthlink.net