Subject: [Tweeters] San Juan Islands - 6-7 Oct 2012
Date: Oct 9 21:45:40 2012
From: Ryan Merrill - rjm284 at gmail.com


Ryan Shaw, Tom Mansfield and I spent the weekend birding in the San Juan
Islands. We found 114 species during this visit, despite most of the
neotropical migrants having already departed. The most unusual species
were probably Townsend's Solitaire, Swamp Sparrow and White-throated
Sparrow. The weather was amazing with little wind and plenty of warm sun.

Saturday morning on Lopez Island we checked out Odlin County Park, Port
Stanley, Spencer Spit, Hummel Lake, Fisherman Bay, and the marshes in the
center of the island. We had our best luck with shorebirds this weekend
while on Lopez, with two Greater Yellowlegs and a LB Dowitcher at Port
Stanley; Western Sandpipers, Dunlin, two Pectoral Sandpipers and a
Short-billed Dowitcher at Fisherman Bay; and then 13 more LB Dowitchers at
the airport marsh. Many gulls and other seabirds were off Fisherman Bay
including at least 600 Bonaparte's Gulls.

We then took the ferry to Orcas Island for the afternoon. An adult Herring
Gull was the most interesting sighting during the crossing.

Once on Orcas we drove around the island to Olga, making a brief stop to
check out the shoreline in Eastsound which was pretty quiet. A young
Western Gull was with the gull flock at Buck Bay, but Olga itself had few
birds around. We looked for dippers along the stream leading into the
south end of Cascade Lake in Moran State Park with no luck, though did see
a Hermit Thrush. Up at the peak of Mt. Constitution we enjoyed the
fantastic views of Vancouver, Mt. Baker, Lummi and Samish Flats, and down
to Whidbey Island. While up there three TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE's flew past
heading north with an Oregon Junco. With the excellent visibility we
headed up to North Beach to scope out the seabirds there. There was an
impressive raft of at least 530 Pacific Loons, most of which were still in
the breeding plumage. Another 600 or so Bonaparte's Gulls were cruising
around in the distance, this time being harassed by at least five Parasitic
Jaegers. At one point four jaegers were chasing a single gull!

We headed over to San Juan Island for the evening where there were two
Greater White-fronted Geese with the Canada Geese at Roche Harbor Airport.
Early in the morning we looked for owls at a few places at the sound end of
the island. Panorama Marsh was noisy with rails - we heard at least five
Virginia Rails and a Sora calling before dawn. Down at American Camp it
was just dark enough that both Short-eared and Barn Owls were still hunting
the fields.

We started the day's birding at 3M Marsh. Waterbirds included a few Wood
Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, Pied-billed Grebes, and
American Coots. There were at least 25 Lincoln's Sparrows around the
edges, and with them a calling SWAMP SPARROW that we had great close views
of. Most of the remainder of the morning was spent around American Camp
and Cattle Point. Highlights here included SIX Northern Shrikes (including
three together in a single bush), two Orange-crowned Warblers, an apparent
Red x Sooty Fox Sparrow, 25 more Lincoln's Sparrows, a White-throated
Sparrow, and three Western Meadowlarks. At the north edge of Carefree Lake
along Westside Road, Ryan Shaw did an imitation and called in a very vocal
Barred Owl. The pond just south of Blazing Tree Road hosted 130
Ring-necked Ducks, two Lesser Scaup, and a male Canvasback.

Finches were throughout the islands in decent numbers, with Pine Siskins
and Red Crossbills (nearly all Type 3's) at nearly every stop. Evening
Grosbeaks were at several places as well. American Pipits were fairly
common.

Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland
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