Tweeters:



Could not resist the temptation to get out and bird this beautiful day, but really it was an excuse to get exposed to that strange golden orb in the sky. Doesn't it seem like it has taken an eternity for spring to finally have sprung this year? I note that up here at Tiny's Land in n. Lake Stevens, the snows of winter really flattened the forest understory and thickets, making things unusually open and see-through, and many native plant species are late in flowering/leafing out this year. Let's face it, that was a harsh winter for us--and it seems like we have had well-below-average temps for at least 5 months in a row now. The gloomy weather has coincided with a gloomy economy, too. So it has been great to get a break just last few days, finally.



Birds of note (all found today unless otherwise noted):



Wood Duck 2 (close view along Skagit WMA headquarters loop trail)

(Am. x Eur) GW Teal 1 (marsh near outer loop trail)

Eur GW Teal 1 (small pond just west of Rt/Hwy 11 exit, Burlington)

Cinnamon Teal 13 (marshes along Skagit loop trail)

Turkey Vulture 2 (low over Hwy 9 near Arlington)

Osprey 1 (seen in s. Tacoma 4/5 low over baseball game in progress!)

Greater Yellowlegs 8 (flooded farmland west of Island Crossing), 22 (Skagit WMA), 5 (small pond at s. end of Hwy 11 in Burlington)

LESSER YELLOWLEGS 1 (w/Greaters at Island Crossing)

EUR. COLLARED-DOVE 1 (just south of Bow along Rt/Hwy 11, thanks Gary Bletsch for earlier reports from here)

Rufous Hummingbird, VG and Tree Swallows throughout

OC, Audobon's YR Warblers--various sites

Com. Yellowthroat--several arrivals on Fir I.

Puget Sound WC Sparrow--several on Fir I.

CHIPPING SPARROW 1 (flyover at Tiny's Land this morn, first for us)

Lincoln's Sparrow 2--two migrants in brambly park in urban s. Tacoma 4/5



The most exciting bird of the day was heard only but very distinctly. Near the outer loop trail of the Skagit MWA headquarters, I was studing Gr Yellowlegs and various teal when I heard the loud, piercing "kek-kek-kek-kek!" of a flyby BLACK-NECKED STILT over a nearby marsh. Skagit Count has not had the species previously to my knowledge, although I recall April reports in the past from Nisqually and s.w. BC. Finally, I ran into Ian McGregor who mentioned an encounter with a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL near Spencer I today, early. It is worth noting, however, that we had a single bird (and a drake Cinnamon Teal) here on the CBC back in December.



The TuVus, Osprey, OC Warblers, Puget Sound WC Sparrows & Yellowthroats were all FOS (first of season) for me and while all have been seen earlier by others out there in Tweeterland, they all seem late for first arrivals.



Scott Atkinson

Lake Stevens

mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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