Dear Tweeters,

The Gyrfalcon that Jim Duemmel reported today at the West Ninety may well have gone to sleep on Samish Island. Around a half hour before sundown this evening (19 February 2012), a Gyrfalcon flew west across Samish Bay, routing the Brant, Scoters, and various gulls into panicked flight. The falcon flew right by these waterbirds, disappearing round the bend to the north of Samish Island Public Beach (the county park on Wharf Road).

Other fun birds today included an immature Northern Shrike at the West Ninety, a Hairy Woodpecker at Donovan Park on Friday Creek, a Peregrine screaming near the Edison liquor store--hankering for some Famous Grouse, no doubt--and a Mourning Dove near Lyman.


Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch


Gary Bletsch?Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA?garybletsch at yahoo.com?"Nun," sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer, miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt' deinen Dienst!"