Hi,

Marv Breece and I birded upper Skagit and Whatcom today.

Highlight in a busy day, was an Ovenbird at the Agg Ponds off Hy 20, a couple of miles west of Newhalem.

We walked in in from the parking area, and taking the right fork on the trail we walked a couple of hundred yards. We were focused on finding Redstarts. But we heard a distinctive call - which Marv immediately identified it as an Ovenbird. We waited tensely for some minutes. Eventually Marv had conclusive looks at the Ovenbird and I saw it briefly as it flew out of view. We saw the bird at about 2pm - but did not relocate it in the next 2 hours.

Also in the area we had at least 4 male Redstarts, Nashville and Mac's warbler.

We returned to Corkindale Creek, where earlier in the day we had seen the Least Flycatcher - it was still around. But also we found a Brewer's Sparrow in the hedgerow in the field on east side. We had prolonged views with the scope of the sparrow that was about c250 yards away. Not sure if this was the same bird that Scott had reported recently, but certainly a Brewer's Sparrow. Eastern Kingbirds, Laz Bunting and many Bank Swallows provided a respectable supporting cast.

We ended the day with 11 warbler species.

Did not find the Scissor-trailed Flycatcher, Lewis's Woodpecker, Calliope Hummer, Magpie or Mocker..

But still, not too shabby.

And as Marv might say (and did) - A Good Day.

Cheers, Steve