Tweeters:

Tiny and I went up today seeking the Wayne Weber White Pelicans. At Fish Point on east Samish Island, there was no sign; we drove the island thereafter seeking other vantage points down on mudflats, and had several different ones, but no luck. But as we were leaving the island, I had the idea that we should try for a look out on Alice Bay. Coming from the West 90, right where the road begins to ascend onto the island, we took the right at the Y where the island sign is. We were unable to find a good access view point, but at the Community Christ Church property, on the left, I had a HOUSE WREN in full song right by the road. Right at the base of Y, we had a view all the way across the bay, but it wasn't easy seeing over the brambles.

But right when we got there, we both saw--in the far distance--two huge white birds flying north above the gulls on the flats. Her impression was that they were about 3 times the size of the gulls below, I thought at least double. No question, the flight was heavy and slow, and the white bodies very heavy--apparently Wayne's two AM. WHITE PELICANS. I scrambled for the scope but the birds were out of sight by the time I got it set up enough to see above the brambles. We both agreed that the size of the two white birds was huge, even from the long distance; the flight was lumbering and slow, and by silhouette there was no possibility of far-off Trumpeter or other swans or other long-necked species, and the flight was wrong for those other alternatives as well. We observed the two birds at about 12:30 pm today.

Also today, a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER was in our woods here in n. Lake Stevens. Not at all early but FOS here.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com