Made a run (but not too fast !) up to the Samish Flats area where several had reported/photographed an adult female gray Gyrfalcon last week. Weather wasn't bad until late afternoon, when it started raining and blowing a bit. Saw lots of Trumpeter Swans along Chuckanut Drive, many Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, a beauty of a Rough-legged Hawk, several Northern Harriers, Great Blue Herons, Red-winged Blackbirds, a starling murmuration, Ring-necked Pheasant, Mallards, Widgeons, gull spp., sparrow spp. a Western Meadowlark, Common Ravens, a Northern Shrike, and, the thrill of my afternoon - Short-eared Owls (6) in flight and barking !!! I saw the owls in the W-90 south and west fields between 2:20 and 4:30 p.m. At 4:45, 2 SEOW were flying around right in front of me in my car in the parking lot. Despite not having seen a Gyrfalcon that afternoon, I had a very nice time watching and photographing the birds I did see. I did hear yesterday, that the Gyrfalcon was seen on Friday near Samish Island, flying fast and low...

for photos of some of the birds I saw (but not the SEOW), click on this link: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjQw6tiY


Barb Deihl

North Matthews Beach - NE Seattle

barbdeihl at comcast.net
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