Dear Tweeters,
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Today (8 March 2013) was a lot springier than last Sunday in Skagit County. Last week, I'd tried for spring arrivals, and found none. Today, though, there were lots of new birds to see. Biggest problem today was the glare of the sun in the cloudless sky!
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Some highlights include:
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Wood Duck, two at my place near Lyman. Ironically, I'd searched for them in several spots over the last week, not found any--and then two came zooming in as I was feeding my goats at sundown!
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Cinnamon Teal, one drake at the Fir Island Game Range.
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Turkey Vulture, one seen at the Game Range.
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Greater Yellowlegs, ten at the Game Range.
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Tree Swallow, at least ten at the Game Range.
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Bushtit, two at Telegraph Slough. Not a spring-migration arrival, but the first I've seen this year.
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One thing keeps bothering me. I have seen exactly zero Western Grebes in Skagit County?this year. They've been declining the last few years or decades, but come on--dozens of visits to? various coastal spots, and not a single WEGR? Ouch.
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Yours truly,
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Gary Bletsch

Gary Bletsch

Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA

garybletsch at yahoo.com

"Nun,sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer, miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt' deinen Dienst!"