I took a few hours yesterday (Jan. 22) to head up to Stanwood to look for
the Snowy Owls at Thomle Road, and the Black Phoebe at the Copper Way
Retention Ponds.

After a bit of a search, I found two SNOWY OWLS towards the end of Thomle
Road. I had to make a couple trips back and forth to find them, however.
In fact, the first Snowy I observed was from the Eide Road access (across
the slough from Thomle), but perched on a pole in the middle of the fields
south of dogleg that's near the end of Thomle. So I packed up my scope and
raced back to Thomle to get a better look. After watching it for a while
from the aforementioned dogleg on Thomle, I got distracted by a SHORT-EARED
OWL perched in the fields west of the food farm at the end of the road, and
last track of the Snowy. I eventually picked it back up, sitting alongside
a second Snowy atop the dike to the west of Thomle. Lots of raptors
around, including several RED-TAILS, ROUGH-LEGS, BALD EAGLES, NORTHERN
HARRIERS, and a single AMERICAN KESTREL. One thing to note: if there is
public access to that dike, it's very difficult to find and I haven't a
clue where it is. There are no trespassing signs posted everywhere.

I then decided to try my luck with the Black Phoebe at the Copper Way
retention ponds. After arriving in a significant downpour and nearly
giving up after 15 very wet minutes, the rain let up and I finally heard
the BLACK PHOEBE calling. It was very active around the ponds, working the
cattails and pond edges for insects. I don't recall the first date that it
was discovered here, but if memory serves, it's been nearly two months this
bird has stuck around!

Good birding,

Tyler

--
Tyler Davis
FishingOwl [at] gmail.com
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