I spent a surprisingly sunny weekend birding the Skagit flats with some
friends. The highlight of our trip was a Yellow-headed Blackbird seen at a
crossroads East of La Conner. We were hoping for a Peregrine and Barn Owl,
but they didn't show. We were pleased to see Violet-green Swallows and a
Merlin perched on a snag lit by the setting sun. We saw many beautiful
Harriers hunting over the fields and counted 16 Bald Eagles yesterday, plus
were lucky enough to view a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk at such close range we
could count his or her toes. Our weekend list included:



Yellow-headed Blackbird

Rock Pigeon

American Crow

Double-crested Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Belted Kingfisher

European Starling

Mallard

Trumpeter Swan

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Brewer's Blackbird

Common Raven

Snow Goose

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

American Robin

Red-winged Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Merlin

Violet-green Swallow

Dark-eyed Junco

California Gull

Canada Goose

House Sparrow

Brown-headed Cowbird

Bewick's Wren

Steller's Jay

Spotted Towhee

Pine Siskin

Gadwall

Brown Creeper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Wigeon

Brant





Kathryn True

Vashon Island