Greetings All

There was an amazing movement of waterbirds today. Dabblers were everywhere
in huge numbers, and along the w. side of Whidbey, even at mid-day, flocks of
pintail, wigeon, shoveler could be seen headed south along with the more
expected flocks of Surf Scoters, etc.

Ryan Shaw and I started at the headqts of the Skagit WMA at end of Wiley
Road, where yesterday I had a MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE and 2 WT SPARROWS. Today, we
heard a WT SPARROW and no M Chickadee. Landbirds seemed to have cleared out,
though today and yesterday there were Evening Grosbeaks about. We also had a
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, which is uncommon there, and yesterday I had a Hairy
Woodpecker, also uncommon at this specific location. So, definitely some montane
movement.

Heading n towards Fir Island Rd, on Wiley Rd, about 10:30 am we encountered
hundreds of blackbirds with a very bright RUSTY BLACKBIRD among them.

Other highlights on Fir Island included 2 LAPLAND LONGSPURS and a Caspian
Tern at Jensen Access at first light and about 250 G White-fronted Geese
scattered about grazing.

Crockett Lake had amazing numbers and diversity of shorebirds for this late

6 Killdeer
1 American Golden Plover
1 Pacific Golden Plover
30 Semipalmated Plover
30 Black-bellied Plover
70 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Black Turnstone
1 Baird's Sandpiper
12 Least Sandpiper
400 Western Sandpiper
12 Pectoral Sandpiper
2 SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER
400 Long-billed Dowitcher
10 Short-billed Dowitcher

Cheers
Steven Mlodinow
Everett Washington


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