Dear Tweeters,

Today I dipped for the second day in a row on the Fir Island Ruff, but did get some excellent views of a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at the Game Range (Wylie Slough, Headquarters area, WMA, etc). The bird started calling as I was getting into my car at the boat launch parking area. It was in the brush along the slough behind the restrooms.

There were also quite a few Cedar Waxwings along the access road. A Rough-legged Hawk hunting near the entrance looked much like a bird I saw on Fir Island yesterday evening.

Back at the junction of Wylie and Fir Island Roads, I saw three or four AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, at least one PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, scores of Killdeer and American Pipits, and fourteen or more Pectoral Sandpipers. A MERLIN chased a PEREGRINE after the latter had caught a bird. The Peregrine was pale; it had lots of white on the head, and a pale terminal band. I did not know quite what to make of that peregrine.

There were close to 300 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE on Fir Island, as well as at least 1500 Snow Geese. It was also the first day of waterfowl slaughtering season.

At Rosario Head was a single Rhinoceros Auklet, a couple of Marbled Murrelets, and three Harlequin Ducks. In the trees near the picnic tables was my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the season.

At March Point were about fifteen Bonaparte's Gulls and two Red-breasted Mergansers. Horned Grebes are now present in goodly numbers.

At Samish Island Public Beach were fifteen Bonaparte's Gulls, a Greater Scaup, and a smattering of other seabirds.

Good birding!

Yours truly,

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