Subject: [Tweeters] central Skagit Co Timberline BREWER'S SPARROW,
Date: Jun 4 17:03:00 2011
From: Scott Atkinson - scottratkinson at hotmail.com



Tweeters:

Central Skagit County continues its east-slope attractions, and there were a few of us up there today. No luck on the BLACK-THROATED SPARROW at the Skagit WMA last night however, and others tried in vain this morn as well.

Of a number of highlights, I flushed, at the north end of the Corkindale Creek road, a dark, longish BREWER'S SPARROW. This bird was large and dark enough that I thought at first glance it was a Zono, but subsequent close study revealed the northern BREWER'S. I watched it for about a minute, around 9 a.m., atop brambles near the white flatbed truck. There is a LAZULI BUNTING pair in this thicket usually, and a couple White-crowned Sparrows were also here. This is just the third for Skagit County, the others being a Samish Island late May bird and a late August individual near Cutthroat Pass.

The other good bird at Corkindale was a LEAST FLYCATCHER, first found about 9 a.m. and still there when I returned at about noon. Apprently several other observers had this bird. It was very accomodating, perching in the streamside growth or the Rubus brambles on the east side of the road. There was also a singing HOUSE WREN nearby and about five LAZULI BUNTINGS on the north side of the highway. On the southside, one or two W. KINGBIRDS were near the powerlines, as were two BANK SWALLOWS. A MAGPIE report held me for awhile watching the barn on the southside, but the best I got was a white-primaried Rock Pigeon that finally flew out.

I don't want to steal anyone's thunder so suffice it to say other good birds were seen nearby today.

Other central Skagit highlights:

ROCKPORT QUARRY

PEREGRINE FALCON 1 (few county records for June-July)
Nashville Warbler 2

FIRST 1/2 MILE OF SUIATTLE RIVER RD

DUSKY FLYCATCHER 1
Nashville Warbler 6

COUNTY LINE PONDS

CALLIOPE HUMMINBGBIRD 1 (female, not a great study but seen briefly perched)
Nashville Warbler 1

RANGER STATION RD (Marblemount)

HOUSE WREN 1

Finally, behavioral highlight was a Red-breasted Sapsucker flycatching (!) right over 530 just south of Rockport. Also--an E. KINGBIRD was heard-only at an unlikely spot near dawn, just off Hwy 9 and 172nd in Arlington, in an open area recently cleared just s.w. of the intersection there. Terrific day to be outside.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com