Hi Tweets

Eastside Audubon took a trip today to the Samish and Skagit Flats. We started out running thru alternate foggy and clear weather depending on if we were in one of the river valleys. By the time we got up to Skagit Co. it was cloudy but clear. Coming down toward the LaConner turnoff we had a nice group of Swans close to the road. We pulled off and scanned them - all TRUMPETER, but good views. On a telephone? wire there was a female AMERICAN KESTREL, and a bit further down the road a RED-TAILED HAWK. In the fields there were some MALLARDs and tons of EUROPEAN STARLINGs, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs. A short drive down the frontage road there was another good group of swans- this one was mostly TRUMPETER but there was one TUNDRA in the group.

As we drove up Chuckanut Drive there were a good number of groups of swans, but most were too far away for good looks. We started to pick up more RED-TAILED HAWKs, and an occasional BALD EAGLE. A field contained GLAUCOUS-WINGED and RING-BILLED GULLs. We ducked over Bow Hill and down to Pomona Grange County Park. The creek is running very high, so no Dipper today, but we did see and hear GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETs, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.

Back down over Bow Hill and we had some EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs, more starlings, still more Red-tails. On Chuckanut Drive north of Bow there were a couple of flooded fields with MALLARDs, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WING TEAL, and AMERICAN WIGEON. We turned into the Blanchard area and had a COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEAD on the lagoon on Legg Rd. On Blanchard Road we had 9 more EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs, and in a yard with feeders HOUSE SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED, WHITE-CROWNED, SONG, and FOX SPARROWs, SPOTTED TOWHEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and HOUSE FINCH. In a tree in the same yard there was a single EVENING GROSBEAK. COMMON RAVENs were in the area.

We stopped at the Farm to Market Bakery (lots of yummy goodies), and in the waterway behind it were approximately 150 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. As we moved along outside of Edison there were at least 7 BALD EAGLEs in the Cottonwood trees behind the modern house, with RED-TAILED HAWKs perched in trees along the way. As we turned toward the East 90 there were a couple of NORTHERN HARRIERs in the field, another RED-TAILED HAWK on a pole and a gorgeous ROUGH-WINGED HAWK on another pole (with its wings spread). As we drove west toward the West 90 there were still more RED-TAILED HAWKs, and in a field north of the road a PEREGRINE FALCON (immature) - that explained the DUNLIN that were wheeling all over the place. At the 90 there were at least 10 NORTHERN HARRIERs, including an beautiful immature bird, soaring over the fields. RED-TAILED HAWKs ringed the fields, a couple of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKs were present and a single COOPER'S HAWK. Some SONG SPARROWS hid in the long grass and a MARSH WREN perched briefly. There were lots of GREAT BLUE HERONs in most of the fields.

At the old Wharf Road access point on Samish Island we scanned the bay and picked up BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON and BARROW'S GOLDENEYEs, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, HORNED, RED-NECKED and WESTERN GREBE, COMMON LOON, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, and waaaay in the distance BRANT.

We stopped again at the West 90 and looked at several RED-TAILED HAWKs, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and a nice collection of DUNLIN and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs in the muddy field. A male NORTHERN HARRIER was on the ground, a couple of females flew over. We drove around the flats some and saw lots more RED-TAILED HAWKS ( I think we were up to about 40 by now).

As we moved south we stopped by Bayview SP and scanned Padilla Bay. There was a raft of GREATER and a few LESSER SCAUP fairly close, some BUFFLEHEAD, about 30 COMMON LOONS, a HORNED GREBE, and spread out in the distance hundreds of what were likely scaup.

We stopped by the feeders on Valentine Road and picked up DOWNY and HAIRY WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, HOUSE FINCH, DARK-EYED JUNCOs, SPOTTED TOWHEE, PINE SISKIN, SONG and FOX SPARROW, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH and 7 CALIFORNIA QUAIL.

Down on Fir Island we saw more NORTHERN HARRIERs, and two groups of SNOW GEESE, one of about 2000 birds and one of about 5000 birds.

Along the way we also saw RING-NECKED PHEASANT, MEW, RING-BILLED, CALIFORNIA GULLs, ROCK PIGEON, MOURNING DOVE, NORTHERN FLICKER, STELLER'S JAY, and AMERICAN CROW.

It was a great day in nice territory. We finished with 70 species.

Good Birding,

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at iso media dot com