Some observations from 2 afternoon/evening visits to Stanwood and
Skagit Co. this past week, on Tues. and Thur.:

Tues. 2/21/12 -

lots of rain and flooding, but 3 Snowies showed themselves on the
Thomle Dike in the late afternoon, one Shorteared Owl was seen at
Rawlins Rd, as were a couple of N. Harriers (including a male). 2
Mourning Doves, some W. Meadowlarks, 2 Great Blue Herons, one Red-
tailed Hawk, one Roughlegged Hawk, one Peregrine Falcon and weaving
waves of both blackbirds or starlings, Pintail and Mallard ducks, and
the nightly cast of thousands of Snow Geese and Bald Eagles were seen
from the Thomle dead-end. A great display of buzzing Snow Geese
filled the plowed field behind none other than the Snow Goose Produce
Stand on Fir Is. Road ! Not much else was visible behind the sheets
of rain that day.

Thur. 2/23/12 -

flooded fields, a little wind, but some SUN and only one sprinkle of
rain, was the background weather for the Edison Merlin, a Cooper's and
other hawks at West 90, another 3 Snowies, Pintails and Mallards and
waves of Snow Geese (from Thomle vantage points). No SEOW seen at
West 90, Eide Rd. or Thomle Rd.


INTERESTING SNOWY OWL SIGHTING last Monday Feb.20: 6 confirmed
Snowies seen at one time, from the west(wet) end of the Eide Rd dike,
looking across the Stillaguamish River to the south and east in the
driftwood on the shore of Port Susan Bay, between the water and the
Boe/Thomle Dike to the east, between 3 & 5 in the afternoon. Seen by
Steve Reed of Seattle and one other birder who joined Steve out there.
Has anyone else seen more than 4 Snowies at this Stanwood site? Let
us know if you have or if you do in the next month or so.


Photos from Tues. & Thur. from Stanwood and Rawlins Rd:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjymPYxA

Photos from Thur. in Edison, of the Merlin:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjynWM9L


Barb Deihl

North Matthews Beach - NE Seattle

barbdeihl at comcast.net




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