Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Clark's Grebes, Swamp Sparrow
Date: Oct 27 20:52:13 2011
From: Ryan Merrill - rjm284 at gmail.com


Yesterday at the north end of Sauk Prairie Road there was Swamp
Sparrow that was calling for at least five minutes but was only
briefly in view, as well as a pure Yellow-shafted Flicker, two
American Pipits, and a Slate-colored Junco.

Today at the sparrow patch just as you drive on to Samish Island,
adjacent to the church parking lot, there were over 250 sparrows
including a hybrid Golden-crowned x White-crowned Sparrow and a
tan-stripe White-throated Sparrow. Elsewhere on the island were a
couple Anna's Hummingbirds. There wasn't much activity off Rosario
Head, but 18+ Marbled and 3 Ancient Murrelets were nice to see, as
were single Thayer's & Herring Gulls. In the afternoon I went
kayaking off Snee Oosh where there were five species of grebes
including two Clark's and a Pied-billed. An Eared Grebe was off the
northeast corner of March Point which made for a six-grebe afternoon!
There was also another Thayer's Gull here. The Snow Goose flocks on
Fir Island included a juvenile Blue Goose as well as the continuing
adult.

Pictures of the flicker and one of the Clark's Grebes are online:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rjm284/

Also, on Monday I heard two calling Swamp Sparrows at Nisqually NWR.
One was right at the visitor center and the second was along the
slough near the barns. Apparently the one by the barns has been
hanging out there since at least the 23rd.

Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland