I was a shameless chaser of birds this morning,
taking a quick trip up to Stanwood and Mt. Vernon
to look for the reported Wilson's Phalaropes and
Pectoral Sandpipers...also planning to check out
the huge flock of Whimbrels on Camano. Started
with Mt. Vernon and drove a number of farm roads
including the length of Kamb Road looking for
ponds with birds. I cannot be sure I found the
right pond but don not think I missed any and
there were zero birds on any of them, no
Pectorals, no shorebirds, no ducks...NADA. Maybe
it was the time of day or since this is migration
after all, they had migrated on.

Then drove down to Stanwood and checked out Eide
Road. I was stunned and concerned when the
seemingly perfect muddy bay/field north of the
main road had nothing in it but I followed
directions and headed to Eide itself and parked
and scanned the large muddy field and ponds to the
west. Lots of Red Winged Blackbirds and swallows
and finches but I saw no shorebirds or Yellow
Headed Blackbirds so worried I had had a double
dipper. But persistence pays off as I put on the
big rubber boots and hiked out a bit into the
field with my scope and was indeed rewarded with
great views of 4 Wilson's Phalaropes. Again no
Yellow Heads but I was pleased to see Phalaropes
which rank right up there among my favorite birds
- elegant and delicate little darlings.

Then drove over onto Camano and on Utsaladdy Road
in a huge green field near the airport, there they
were. Not then the multi-hundreds of Whimbrel,
but two distinct groups: one of 70 and another of
40 and also a single outlier perhaps a hundred
yards from any of its kin. I have only seen
Whimbrels at the Ocean in the past and this was a
real treat.

No other highlights but it is always nice to see
Bald Eagles (at least a dozen) and Red Tails (8 in
total).