Hi Everyone,

Here is a brief and belated report on a half-day birding drive Trisha and I took yesterday (Sunday) mostly in Snohomish County. The 'lake' at the old Monroe prison farm (now owned by one of the tribes - the Tulalips, I think) produced well over a dozen species quickly, including - a single RED-NECKED GREBE still showing much breeding plumage, a PIED-BILLED GREBE family, a male BELTED KINGFISHER and a female AMERICAN KESTREL. Duck species included Mallard, Ruddy, Wood, Hooded Merganser and American Wigeon.

On the west side of the bridge between Stanwood and Camano Island, we stopped to scout the marshy area for shorebirds. No shorebirds - instead we found a homogeneous flock of at least 30 NORTHERN SHOVELERS. While we were watching them, a MERLIN made a low pass over the area. The ducks, apparently able to discern predator size or species, decided the Merlin was too small to be any kind of a threat and stayed put. The appearance of a larger predator - certainly in the case of a Bald Eagle - would most likely have resulted in a chaotic situation.

John Tubbs
Snoqualmie, WA
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com