I spent Labor Day weekend birding parts of Island and Whatcom
counties along with Larry Moss. Saturday I slowly worked my way up to
Bellingham, stopping along the way in Edmonds, Stanwood, and northern
Camano Island. On Sunday Larry and I birded parts of northern Whidbey
Island through the driving rain and wind which made the going very
tough particularly at Crockett Lake (this was very ugly birding). We
just could not get on many of the birds due to the high wind
conditions. Sunday the weather was much better and we made stops in
Blaine, Semiahmoo Spit, the Lummi Flats, and Point Roberts, which was
crawling with Border Patrol agents. Overall we got some ok birds
(total of 75 species) but would have done better on Saturday had the
weather given us a bit of a break. A few of the highlights included:

HARLEQUIN DUCK - at Semiahmoo Spit, and at Lighthouse Park (Point Roberts)
HORNED GREBE - nice seeing one on the westside that was almost
entirely in breeding plumage - Hastie Lake Boat Ramp (Whidbey Island)
PEREGRINE FALCON - English Boom (Camano Island)
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER - Deception Pass State Park
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER - Lummi Flats
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE - Blaine Marine Park
All Three local species of Cormorant - Blaine Marine Park
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER - Semiahmoo Spit (a single individual in
amongst a small flock of Westerns)BLACK TURNSTONE - Semiahmoo Spit
COMMON TERN - Semiahmoo Spit and Blaine Marine Park
VAUX'S SWIFT - Lily Point (Point Roberts)
WILLOW FLYCATCHER - Semiahmoo Spit

Cheers and Good Birding;

Michael Fleming
Ballard, Washington
michaelfleming01 AT gmail.com