Subject: [Tweeters] In Search of Teals
Date: Mar 18 08:35:35 2013
From: Carol Riddell - cariddellwa at gmail.com


Hi Tweets,

I headed north Sunday afternoon, wanting to see if I could find a Cinnamon or Blue-winged Teal somewhere. I started at Leque Island (Eide Road) where there was lots of quiet water. I saw many Mallards and Green-winged Teals and a huge flock of Dunlin. Fairly close views of a Short-eared Owl was nice consolation for the absence of one of my targeted teals. I then went to the Headquarters Unit of Skagit Wildlife Area on Fir Island. There were lots more Green-winged Teals among other duck species but no targeted birds. In the mud there were about 50 Greater Yellowlegs and several Long-billed Dowitchers. My last stop was the Everett sewer treatment facility on Smith Island. I did a lot of walking around the fenced ponds and scoping, but no targeted teals. The predominant species were both scaup species, Ring-necked Ducks, green-winged Teals and a number of Ruddy Ducks transitioning to alternate plumage. I found one pair of Wood Ducks at the back of one of the aeration ponds. An Everett Parks & Recreation officer, who is starting to get serious about birding, stopped to talk. She mentioned both the American Bitter and Green Heron she had seen in the vicinity within the last week or so and noted that she hoped Wood Ducks might nest there. I replied that there was a pair present at the moment and let her see them through the scope. I was happy to be able to let her see them and she seemed thrilled. It was cold and windy all afternoon but at least rain was minimal.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, Wa