Tweets - today I led a Seattle Audubon field trip to central Skagit County,
mostly focused on passerines. The weather worked out well, with some
clouds, a touch of breeze, but mostly clear skies and moderate temperatures.

Our first stop was the Centennial Trail trailhead just south of Lake
McMurray on SR-9. The first bird seen when we got out of our cars was a
PILEATED WOODPECKER - off to a great start.

>From there, we worked our way north, taking the back route into Concrete
stopping on Lower Finney Creek, then hitting Martin Rd., Barnaby Slough,
Newhalem Ponds, Marblemount, Corkindale Creek, Rockport, Sauk Mountain, and
Cockreham Island.

Highlights included:

We had BLACK SWIFT and VAUX'S SWIFT on the way into Barnaby Slough.

A family of RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS and a HAIRY WOODPECKER were in the deep
woods up Lower Finney Creek.

We had six species of flycatcher: WILLOW FLYCATCHER all over the place,
with PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS nearly as widespread. WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE
heard at Barnaby Slough and Cockreham Island, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER at the
top of Sauk Mountain, and both EASTERN KINGBIRD and WESTERN KINGBIRD at
Corkindale Creek. Surprisingly, we missed Hammond's Flycatcher.

Four species of vireo, with WARBLING VIREO being heard at several locations
and seen at Newhalem Ponds, CASSIN'S VIREO seen at Barnaby Slough, RED-EYED
VIREO at many locations, and HUTTON'S VIREO at Rockport State Park.

The HOUSE WREN was seen on Powerline Rd. in Marblemount, to go along with
WINTER WREN at Lower Finney Creek and MARSH WREN at Barnaby Slough.

A GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET was another highlight at the Centennial Trail
trailhead, as he had his crest fully extended.

We found 8 species of warbler, including BLACK-THROATED GRAY and WILSON'S
WARBLER at Centennial Trail, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and MacGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER
up Sauk Mountain, and AMERICAN REDSTARTS galore at Newhalem Ponds.

WESTERN TANAGER gave us glimpses at Centennial Trail, and great looks at
Barnaby Slough.

FOX SPARROW was heard high up Sauk Mountain, and LAZULI BUNTING was seen at
several stops, including Martin Rd., Marblemount, and Corkindale Creek.

Non-passerine highlights included a calling SOOTY GROUSE heard at the top of
Sauk Mountain Rd., an OSPREY at Corkindale Creek, BAND-TAILED PIGEON at
Newhalem Ponds, and KILLDEER, including BABIES, at Cockreham Island.

The last bird of the trip was a SORA on Cockreham Island that gave us great
looks!

Sharon and I had one more good bird after the end of the trip - a BULLOCK'S
ORIOLE in Lyman, which brought the total field trip list to 79 species.

Great birds and a great group of people made for a really nice day.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net