Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Ross Goose, M Godwit
Date: Sep 19 20:28:14 2010
From: Gary Bletsch - garybletsch at yahoo.com


Dear Tweeters,

Take tomorrow off and go birding in Skagit!

Yesterday, Dick Abbott saw two geese he identified as Ross's Geese at the Game Range on Fir Island. He sent me two cell-phone fotos, taken at very close range. Anyone who wants me to send them the pictures just needs to ask--I'd be happy for a second opinion--sorry, Dr. Abbott! Kidding aside, I don't know ROGO very well, and these birds have a lot of dusky feathering that I haven't seen on Ross's Geese.

Today, Steve and Gail Aslanian and I, and Mitch Blanton, all had good looks at the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at the Game Range again. Mitch and I had good looks at the Black Phoebe, too. We noticed that it looks a LOT blacker than we remembered it being. Has it moulted, or rolled about in some black Kiwi polish, or is it a different bird?

At Hayton Preserve were close to fifty Pectoral Sandpipers, plus a House Wren.

At Jensen Access afterwards, five Marbled Godwits flew right by me. I got to tick them for Snohomish County as well, because I scoped them all the way over to the Stanwood area. Yes, delightfully tacky, I know.

At the Samish Flats were eleven Whtie-fronted Geese, all showing nice black barring below.

At Samish Island Public Beach, I met Bobby Carr and Sarah. We were fortunate to be there during a mini-fallout of sorts. There were, in no particular order, a Yellow Warbler, a Black-throated Grey Warbler, a Wilson's Warbler, a Warbling Vireo, a couple of Orange-crowned Warblers, a Hutton's Vireo, Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, and a Fox Sparrow. Out on the bay it was fairly slow, but I did see at least twenty Common Loons, a Mew Gull, and about fifty Surf Scoters.

What a day!

Yours truly,


Gary Bletsch ? Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA ? garybletsch at yahoo.com ? ?