Dear Tweeters,

After hemming and hawing over whether to try for the Snohomish County Gyrfalcon or the Whatcom County Mountain Bluebird, I opted for the northern choice. It turned out well; I see that the Gyr was not relocated today, so for once I made the right?choice.

After parking next to the covered picnic area on Semiahmoo Spit, it took me about twelve seconds to find the female MOBL. She continued to forage on the barren, stony?greensward north of the picnic shelter the whole time I was there.

A raft of 120 Pacific Loons was a nice bonus, as was a male Black Scoter. Oddly absent were shorebirds. Two Black Oystercatchers flew by, and four unidentified shorebirds blew through the marina, but that was it.

At Birch Bay State Park, the Eared Grebes outnumbered the Horned Grebes by about 12 to 10.

At Lake Terrell, there were lots of waterfowl, including all five expected?Aythya ducks.

Just outside of Lake Terrell, in the fields by Douglas Road, there was a single Snow Goose, as reported recently on Whatcombirds; it was with?around a hundred?Canada Geese and a few Cacklers.

All told, I managed to find 25 species of waterfowl in Whatcom County today, not a bad day, considering I didn't get up there until sandwich time.

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch