BLACK PHOEBE at the Copper Way ponds - no at 10am, YES at 1.10pm. Marv
Breece, who had been there for the whole 3 hours plus, told me it had showed
itself just five minutes earlier. While it was visible, it was actively
singing/calling most of the time, obvious as soon as I opened the car door.



SNOWY OWL - no at Thomle Road at 2 separate times, both with several other
birders looking. No at Eide Road 2 separate times, both with several other
birders looking. No at Fox Trot Road scoping Livingston Bay around 11.15am,
just me. YES at the end of Boe Road at the restricted access to Port Susan
Reserve. Thanks to Max who gave me the tip off the second time at Eide Road!
The bird was immediately visible as a white blob as I looked north from the
road end; it was still a distant wavering blob through the scope with heat
shimmer, though obviously owl shaped and moving, with facial features as it
turned its head. The bird in fact was right below the dike supporting Hwy
532 close to the Camano Gateway bridge. You might have had great views of
the bird from Hwy 532 by looking over the rail, instead of scoping it from a
mile away, if there was anywhere to stop on the bridge without dying..



Rough-Legged Hawk - one at Thomle Road, distant on the dike, one at the end
of Boe Road, beautifully posed on a nearby stump.



Peregrine Falcon - one seen from the very tip of the Eide Road dike, showing
no interest in the flocks of hundreds of dunlin feasting in the mud.



Lincoln's Sparrows - I've never seen so many in one area, along the Eide
Road dike, beautiful with distinct buffy breasts.



Many thanks to all the birders I met today who passed along their sightings
or non-sightings, including Michael Willison who first reported the black
phoebe so many of us have enjoyed.



Louise Rutter

Kirkland