Subject: [Tweeters] Eastside Audubon Whidbey trip on Tuesday 7 June 2011
Date: Jun 9 15:57:08 2011
From: B&PBell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi All -

Eastside Audubon took a field trip to Whidbey Island on Tuesday the 7th. We had pretty good wind and swell on the ferry ride over from Mukilteo, with a notable lack of birds. Over by Clinton we had a couple of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, a few GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs and a BALD EAGLE. Along Campbell Road we picked up SONG SPARROW, PACIFIC WREN, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, SPOTTED TOWHEE, BEWICK'S WREN, STELLER'S JAY, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN.

On Ewing Road we added WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, BARN, CLIFF, VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOWs, GADWALL, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RING-NECKED DUCK, CINNAMON TEAL, AMERICAN COOT, GREAT BLUE HERON, OSPREY, BALD EAGLE, KILLDEER, and AMERICAN CROW.

At Deer Lagoon the tide was out and there were a couple of GREAT BLUE HERONs, and a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. At Earth Sanctuary we added HERMIT THRUSH, YELLOW WARBLER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, BARN and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWs, MALLARD, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, SPOTTED TOWHEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO. At Double-Bluff there was a small flock of BONAPARTE'S GULLs including a beautiful full breeding plumage bird. Offshore there were RHINOCEROS AUKLETs. We stopped on the way out and scanned the ponds and picked up MARSH WREN, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and GREATER SCAUP.

At Bush Point there was a PIGEON GUILLEMOT, breeding plumage HORNED GREBEs, some RHINOCEROS AUKLETs, and a HOUSE SPARROW. At Crockett Lake it was pretty quiet, but we did see GADWALL, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, CASPIAN TERNs, NORTHERN HARRIER, lots of SAVANNAH SPARROW, and PURPLE MARTIN. By the ferry terminal we saw lots of PIGEON GUILLEMOTs, some PELAGIC CORMORANTs, at least 25 HARLEQUIN DUCKs, and a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER. Walking the picnic area at Fort Casey SP we managed to pull out a HOUSE WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUFOUS HUMMINBBIRD, BEWICK'S WREN.

At Libby Beach we saw 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERs. Up the road at the Hastie Lake access there were 6 more BLACK OYSTERCATCHERs, a HARLEQUIN DUCK and a flyby distant cormorant. At Bos Lake there were a bunch of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs on the far side of the lake. At Rosario Beach there were SONG and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs, HOUSE FINCH, and PINE SISKINS. Along Dodge Valley Rd there were RED-WINGED and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs. At the feeders along Valentine Road we saw DOWNY WOODPECKER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, MOURNING DOVE, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, HOUSE SPARROW, and CEDAR WAXWING, TURKEY VULTURE. Nearby a PILEATED WOODPECKER posed on a stump.

At various spots during the day we added CANADA GOOSE, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, RED-TAILED HAWK, CALIFORNIA GULL, ROCK PIGEON, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED KINGFISHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, WARBLING VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, EUROPEAN STARLING, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.

It started out overcast, added some misty rain early on that quit. Most of the day was pretty nice, and we even had a little sun. On the way home we ran into rain south of the Stanwood exit and this continued until we were almost home. All in all a good day, with 75 species.

Good Birding,

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