Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Prairie Falcon, Ancient Murrelets
Date: Nov 29 17:55:41 2008
From: Gary Bletsch - garybletsch at yahoo.com


Dear Tweeters and Skagit Birders,

Today (11-29-08) there was a Prairie Falcon on the Samish Flats. It was watching a flock of about five thousand Dunlin near the hay shed off Bay View-Edison Road, just south of the T-90, on the west side of the road. With the Dunlin were two or more Western Sandpipers. I was unable to find the American Herring Gull that had been seen out on the flats on Friday.

At Green Point were five species of alcids: five or more Ancient Murrelets, a half-dozen or so Marbled Murrelets, seven or eight Pigeon Guillemots, three Common Murres, and a single Rhinoceros Auklet. Unexpected at this site was a small flock of Common Mergansers.

At Skagit Regional Airport Ponds was a single male Canvasback. Also, a Barn Owl flew over the airport runways at about 150 meters altitude at dusk--quite a surprise.

Three Eurasian Collared Doves continue to perch along F & S Grade Road in Sedro-Woolley, near Klinger Road.

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

Gary Bletsch ? Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA ? garybletsch at yahoo.com ? ?