Tweeters:



Anne Winskie and I were out for another fall survey yesterday at Graysmarsh. The birding was fairly average, but we did find Grays' first ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, a female, long overdue given the expanding local population. The bird was in scrub near the start of the public beach access. More surprising was a very late SWAINSON'S THRUSH, heard at point-blank range in the woods south of Einarsen while owling. This was my latest ever in WA by more than two weeks. Other birds of note out of 106 species:



Cackling Goose 271, Gr. White-fronted Goose 22

increased numbers of regular marsh ducks since Sept, and 1 Eur. Wigeon drake

widespread arrivals of LT Duck, Bufflehead, Gr. Scaup on salt water

LB Dowitcher 14

Herrring Gull 1

N. Red-sh Flicker 24, Yellow-shafted Flicker 1

N. Shrike 1 1st-yr

7 sparrow sp (not incl. junco) including 2 White-throated Sparrows

Slate-colored Junco 1 female



Another interesting find at the edge of Einarsen was an odd WINTER WREN. It seemed a bit "wrong" at first glance by being a hair larger than normal; it was ruddy-dark brown above, but pale near the throat; I thought about an Aleutian form migrant but the bird was too dark on the upperparts for a Pribilof bird. The barring was also prominent on the flanks. I am thinking that this was therefore an EASTERN form Winter Wren.



Perhaps the biggest surprise was non-avian: I flushed a BOBCAT just before first light along Holland Rd (crossing the road in the direction of Sugarma Lake), new for the Graysmarsh list.



Final note: Charlie Wright and Ryan Merrill's CANVASBACK was just the second I am aware of for Graysmarsh, the other being a bird on the marsh reported shot by a hunter many Octobers back.


Scott Atkinson

Lake Stevens

mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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