Dear Tweeters,

Sorry--my pinky must've hit the send button! To resume...

Today (3 March 2012) I birded the "Lake District," as a friend of mine used to call the Nookachamps Basin east of Mount Vernon. Southey, Coleridge, and Wordsworth were probably all at Big Lake Bar and Grill. However, Mud Lake, Clear Lake, Beaver Lake, and Big Lake each had its share of waterfowl, making up for the lack of Romantic poets.

On Beaver Lake were 12 CANVASBACKS, the third-largest flock of this species I've seen in Skagit County. I also saw my first Sharpie of the year here. The reason for my visit to Beaver Lake was to look for early swallows, which often turn up at Beaver Lake, but there were no swallows to be seen.

On Big Lake were three more Canvasbacks. Unfortunately, the huge duck flock that I have seen in the past here, at the less-developed south end of the lake, was not present. Of interest in mid-lake, though, was a flock of 12 Greater Scaup, sticking together and not mingling with the Lessers.

Clear Lake and Beaver Lake each had a pair of WOOD DUCKS, which were the first "spring migrants" I've seen this year.

I searched the "Nookachamps Hills" development near Big Lake, where Western Bluebirds turned up last winter, but found almost no birds at all.

At the Game Range on Fir Island, it was fairly quiet, but I did see my first California Gull of the year.

I searched in vain for swallows on Fir Island as well--it was too early.

Commenced a torrential rain, I ran over to Burlington, to the ballfields at Skagit River Park. Not one gull did I see, though there were hundred there just a week or so ago.

One other thing--I saw four American Kestrels and two Merlins today, scattered here and there. Nice to see the little raptors at work.

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!"