Yesterday my wife and I returned to Sikes Lake in the sunshine and birded for the second day in a row.? We had a scope, which was?very helpful, since the birds drift away from the bridge to the?southern end of the lake.? Sikes Lake had an incredible number (500+?) of waterfowl as well as other birds of the valley.? A little south is Chinook Bend Reserve which is also a good place to bird.? We identified the following species on and around Sikes Lake.?
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American Coot, American Crow, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Cackling Goose (at least 30), Canada Goose, Double-crested Cormorant, European Starling, Gadwall, Greater White-fronted Goose (1), Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Northern Harrier, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-winged Blackbird, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck.
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We saw some of the same waterfowl at Chinook Bend plus a Black-capped Chickadee and several Bushtits.
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While leaving Sikes?Lake,?we saw a Belted Kingfisher on a pedestal?in a private pond.
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Hank Heiberg
Lake Joy
Carnation, WA
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