SKAGIT AND SAMISH FLATS, AND DECEPTION PASS WEEKEND

3-4 MARCH 2012

A Yakima Area Arboretum benefit event took eight Yakima-area folks (Diane,
Kyle, Eric, George, Jane, Don, Ellen and myself) to some of the very best
winter birding sites in Washington. This is northwestern Washington's Skagit
and Samish Flats, and Deception Pass. This area boasts a mosaic of habitats:
coniferous forest, deciduous woodlands, brushy copses, farm fields,
intertidal estuaries, and finally deep marine waters with rocky shores.

We began at about noon on Saturday touring various units of the Skagit
Wildlife Area where "big white birds" were stars of the show: Trumpeter
Swans (hundreds) and Snow Geese (several thousand). Viewing so many
Trumpeter Swans was especially stirring as this species came very close to
extinction just 60 years ago. Its numbers now total more than 30,000,
clearly a huge conservation success story. The scads of Snow Geese, part of
the Wrangell Island population, appeared as tame as barnyard geese, allowing
super photos. We had a nice picnic lunch by Ellen in the shelter at
headquarters.

We then headed south to Stanwood where we slipped and skidded along the
muddy track beyond the end of Eide Road. Overlooking Davis Slough and South
Pass, our luck with big white birds continued as, from a vantage atop the
dike about ? mile south of the end of Eide Road, we scoped south along the
Susan Bay foreshore, we counted 5 Snowy Owls! Most were perched atop big
driftwood logs. There were other rewards on this muddy walk: thousands of
puddle ducks (in decreasing order of abundance: American
Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, and Eurasian
Wigeon) in the wet fields across South Pass, and several thousand Dunlin in
tight flocks wheeling about the Susan Bay mudflats. Off to the south towards
Boe Road, a mass of Snow Geese glittered like confetti as they whirled low
over a field.

On a tip from Michael Willison, we managed to find 3 Black-crowned
Night-Herons in a conifer in Stanwood.

Sunday morning we hit the Samish Flats and spent a couple hours touring this
big area of flooded farm fields, sheltered bays, and estuaries. Gobs of Bald
Eagles and a very handsome Rough-legged Hawk were big draws, as were lots of
waterfowl, mostly American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, and
Green-winged Teal. A Peregrine swiftly flew by giving us just a teaseing
view.

Samish Island Park offered sea (Long-tailed Ducks were a crowd pleaser!) and
bay ducks and several species of deeper waters such as loons (Red-throated
and Common) and grebes (Horned and Red-necked). A lone Brant far out in the
bay was the only one we noted on this trip.

Deception Pass was our last stop, timing our birding to a 6 knot ebb
current. This swirling tidal rip was the scene of a great finale as
hundreds of
Red-throated Loons, dove, flew, and rode the swift current. Other seabirds
we
noted in this rip included Common Loon, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted
Merganser, Surf Scoter, all three cormorants, Common Murre, and Pigeon
Guillemot. Brandt's Cormorants, were in their full breeding plumage
adornments sporting their showy white filoplumes on their head and upper
back, very striking, indeed.

Another fine picnic by Ellen fortified us for the afternoon.

Close to shore at Deception Pass, Harlequin Ducks and Black Oystercatchers
were about the rocky outcrops, both species wedded to this micro habitat.

In coniferous forest in the parking lot we were treated to a roving
mixed-species flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits, Brown Creepers,
and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Cool!

Andy and Ellen Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net