*Birding on Whidbey Island*

April 8, 2013



Hi Tweets,



Yesterday, April 8th, Barbara and I joined Steve Dang for a birding trip to
Whidbey Island. We had overcast weather with temps in the upper 40s and a
chilly breeze from the water early, but by noon the breeze settled down and
the sun came out to make for a very pleasant spring day, with high temps in
the mid 50s. We found a high percentage of the winter birds still present,
and a few spring arrivals made for a very good day of birding: our trip
list totaled 90 species.



We started at tiny Clinton Bay County Park by the ferry terminal spotting
COMMON MERGANSERS feeding to the north and a flock of 20 BRANT flying past
the ferry terminal. Then we headed south to Cultus Bay, where we found a
smattering of waterfowl and shorebirds, but also SHARP-SHINNED HAWK,*
*ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER,* *and RED CROSSBILL.



Next we headed via Bailey Rd to Maxwelton. At Dave Mackie County Park we
found RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, MEW and BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and RHINOCEROS
AUKLET*.* At the wetlands along Ewing Road we found a good variety of
puddle ducks, and, TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, and BARN
SWALLOWS. At Deer Lagoon the tide was pretty low, but we found a few ducks
and shorebirds, and Barbara spotted a BARN OWL hunting by day: it
disappeared briefly into a structure -- possibly to drop off a meal to
hungry youngsters -- then re-emerged to resume hunting. A lunch break at
Lone Lake produced RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, and a
MYRTLE subspieces of the YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. We passed an AMERICAN
KESTREL and MOURNING DOVES as we crossed SR 525 and checked the marsh at
Greenbank, finding some PURPLE and HOUSE FINCHES, but we were disappointed
not to find an early COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.



At Penn Cove we turned up both SCAUP and both GOLDENEYE species, plus
HOODED MERGANSERS at the ponds near Madrona Way and SR 20. We dipped on
the hoped-for shorebirds at Oak Harbor, and so continued north to Deception
Pass State Park where we didn't find the Oystercatchers we hoped for, but
Steve spotted a HARLEQUIN DUCK across the water on Deception Island; in the
woods we turned up a few sparrows and BROWN CREEPER. At Dugualla Bay we
found CANVASBACK, and a flock of AMERICAN WIGEON contained a single
EURASIAN relative. Crossing the island to Joseph Whidbey State Park we had
good views of RED-THROATED LOON and LONG-TAILED DUCK, and RUDDY DUCKS
foraged behind us on Bos Lake.



Our day was fast disappearing as we drove south again. Near Coupeville we
found a NORTHERN SHRIKE as we crossed the island to the Coupeville
(Keystone) ferry terminal, and an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD at a home feeder. At
Crockett Lake we saw a jet fighter making repeated runs over the lake and
wondered that the local residents could put up with it. We caught the 7:30
p.m. ferry at Clinton. Many thanks to Steve Dang, Whidbey navigator
extraodinare, for guiding us around the by-ways of the island!



Species seen:

1. Brant

2. Canada Goose

3. Trumpeter Swan

4. Wood Duck

5. Gadwall

6. Eurasian Wigeon

7. American Wigeon

8. Mallard

9. Northern Shoveler

10. Northern Pintail

11. Green-winged Teal

12. Canvasback

13. Ring-necked Duck

14. Greater Scaup

15. Lesser Scaup

16. Harlequin Duck

17. Surf Scoter

18. Long-tailed Duck

19. Bufflehead

20. Common Goldeneye

21. Barrow's Goldeneye

22. Hooded Merganser

23. Common Merganser

24. Red-breasted Merganser

25. Ruddy Duck

26. California Quail

27. Red-throated Loon

28. Common Loon

29. Pied-billed Grebe

30. Horned Grebe

31. Red-necked Grebe

32. Double-crested Cormorant

33. Pelagic Cormorant

34. Great Blue Heron

35. Bald Eagle

36. Northern Harrier

37. Sharp-shinned Hawk

38. Red-tailed Hawk

39. American Kestrel

40. Virginia Rail

41. American Coot

42. Black-bellied Plover

43. Killdeer

44. Greater Yellowlegs

45. Dunlin

46. Bonaparte's Gull

47. Mew Gull

48. Glaucous-winged Gull

49. Pigeon Guillemot

50. Rhinoceros Auklet

51. Rock Pigeon

52. Mourning Dove

53. Barn Owl

54. Anna's Hummingbird

55. Rufous Hummingbird

56. Belted Kingfisher

57. Northern Flicker

58. Northern Shrike

59. Steller's Jay

60. American Crow

61. Tree Swallow

62. Violet-green Swallow

63. Northern Rough-winged Swallow

64. Barn Swallow

65. Black-capped Chickadee

66. Chestnut-backed Chickadee

67. Red-breasted Nuthatch

68. Brown Creeper

69. Pacific Wren

70. Marsh Wren

71. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

72. American Robin

73. Varied Thrush

74. European Starling

75. Orange-crowned Warbler

76. Yellow-rumped Warbler

77. Spotted Towhee

78. Savannah Sparrow

79. Song Sparrow

80. White-crowned Sparrow

81. Golden-crowned Sparrow

82. Dark-eyed Junco

83. Red-winged Blackbird

84. Brewer's Blackbird

85. Brown-headed Cowbird

86. Purple Finch

87. House Finch

88. Red Crossbill

89. Pine Siskin

90. House Sparrow



Good Birding!



Paul Webster

Seattle

paul.webster at comcast.net
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