Subject: [Tweeters] Four Loon Field Trip on SAS trip to Vashon Island,
Date: Dec 18 17:38:47 2013
From: Ed Swan - edswan at centurytel.net


Today the Vashon Island Seattle Audubon field trip to Vashon had a great day
for loons. At the Tramp Harbor fishing pier we had a Yellow-billed Loon, at
least five to six Common Loons and 25+ Pacific Loons. This is the seventh
Vashon record for Yellow-billed Loon. Walter Wehtje saw and photographed
one last year on 28Dec2012 off the same Tramp Harbor fishing pier.



We got our fourth loon species with twenty plus Red-throated Loons in the
middle of outer Quartermaster Harbor. Some other highlights included
several Eared Grebes at Tramp Harbor and three Wilson's Snipe feeding
vigorously in the mud at Fisher Pond. Also, on the ferry over we saw
several small flocks of Brant, which is a couple of weeks earlier than usual
for Vashon.



Another fun set of sightings this fall has been American Dipper seen on
three different Vashon streams: Fisher Creek, Judd Creek and Shinglemill
Creek. Salmon watchers with the Vashon Nature Center took video of birds on
Shinglemill and Judd Creek. In the past, we have just had one bird seen on
Shinglemill Creek, usually with years between sightings.



All of these locations can be found on the map at the Vashon Audubon
website, www.vashonaudubon.org <http://www.vashonaudubon.org> . Directions
from my book The Birds of Vashon Island are linked in.



Good birding,

Ed

Ed Swan

Check out the new The Birds of Vashon Island at www.theswancompany.com
<http://www.theswancompany.com> .

Guide

Birding Vashon Island and Beyond

206.463.7976

mailto:edswan at centurytel.net