Tweeters,



Yesterday, after most of a day birding in northwestern Snohomish Co., I
decided late in the day to visit Sunday Lake, a small lake just off State
Route 532 east of Stanwood, in hopes of finding a few waterfowl species.
This was my first-ever visit to this locality. By the time I got there--
5:15 PM-- it was getting dark, almost too dark to see any waterfowl.
However, I was surprised to find a large number of Trumpeter Swans on the
lake; it appears to be a nocturnal roost for swans. Most of them were
calling loudly. I was able to count 88 swans on the part of the lake that I
could see. I could hear others that I could not see. I'm sure there were at
least 100 swans on the lake, and I entered 100 swans in eBird, but it may
have been 200 or more.



It may be that this roosting location is well known to the local Trumpeter
Swan experts. However, I thought I'd put this on record just in case it
wasn't known. I was surprised to find this many Trumpeters on such a small
lake.



After having birded for 2-3 hours along Boe Road and Thomle Road near
Stanwood, I was disappointed to find out after I got home about the
Long-eared Owl that was seen nearby on Eide Road, which I did not visit.
(There were at least 3 Short-eared Owls visible from Boe Road.) Long-eared
Owl, along with Clark's Grebe, Northern Goshawk, and Burrowing Owl, is one
of the species that I have never managed to find west of the Cascades in
Washington, despite being somewhat regular in the area. Oh, well-- I guess
it just means that more visits in search of these species are called for!



Good luck and good birding,



Wayne C. Weber

Delta, BC

contopus at telus.net