Yesterday morning, Andy McCormick and I arrived at Eide Road just after 6 AM
for shorebirding. The first pond we stopped at had many GREATER and one
LESSER YELLLOWLEGS and one WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Something caused them all to
flush down to a nearby, larger pond. We worked our way down to that one and
had very nice looks at LONG-BILLED and at least one SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER,
WESTERN (many), LEAST (one), and PECTORAL SANDPIPERs and a KILLDEER. Some of
the yellowlegs were working the far side of the pond. A NORTHERN HARRIER
flew over and everybody flushed and scattered. Many of them came back and we
got really nice close looks at the Dowitchers under ideal sunny lighting.
Several MARCH WRENs were singing around us.



A RED-TAILED HAWK was perched in the distance, a BALD EAGLE flew over, a few
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs were around. A single female MALLARD came into the
pond. BARN and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs were overhead. We could hear CASPIAN
TERNs in the distance. Several GREAT BLUE HERONs were present. Along the
road were many SAVANNAH and SONG SPARROWs (including one feeding a young
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD), HOUSE SPARROWs, HOUSE FINCH, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.



When we initially turned onto Eide Road there were a couple of MOURNING
DOVEs on the wires. Just east of the bridge toward Stanwood there was an
AMERICAN KESTREL.



At the Stanwood Treatment Ponds there were MALLARDs, RING-NECKED DUCKs, a
few GADWALL, a few RUDDY DUCKs, lots of PIED-BILLED GREBEs, an AMERICAN
COOT, and a single female BUFFLEHEAD.



Along Boe Road there were many perched BARN, VIOLET-GREEN, CLIFF and a few
TREE SWALLOWs, a RED-TAILED HAWK, MARSH WRENs and SONG SPARROWs.



At Thomle Road there were EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs, EUROPEAN STARLINGs, a
BELTED KINGFISHER, an AMERICAN KESTREL,



At the Skagit Game Range there were EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs, CEDAR WAXWINGs,
AMERICAN ROBIN, HOUSE FINCH, SONG SPARROW (also feeding a BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD), at least two WESTERN WOOD-PEWEEs, a WILLOW FLYCATCHER and several
YELLOW WARBLERs including juveniles.



At the Hayton Preserve there was a KILLDEER, a few LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERs, a
GREATER YELLOWLEGS, a NORTHERN HARRIER, some CLIFF SWALLOWs, several GREAT
BLUE HERONs, a MARSH WREN, a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, some SAVANNAH SPARROWs and
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.



It was a nice day out with some great looks at shorebirds.



Good Birding



Brian H. Bell

Woodinville WA

Mail to bell asoc a t iso media dot com