Tweeters:

The weather was poor but the birds didn't mind. I started late also, but along the Centennial Trail running south from Lake McMurray, the birds were terrific. A mixed migrant flock included about 60 warblers of 7 species, the highlights being about 30 TOWNSEND'S and two MacGILLIVRAY'S; for the life of me I could not spot it, but a single Dendroica in the treetops kept singing a very high "wheedle-wheedle-wheedle" that was textbook HERMIT, but I've learned to discard our old textbook notions on Townsend's-Hermit song differences, the little guys have to be seen each time. Many other migrants were here as well, including two singing CASSIN'S and ten or so WARBLING VIREOS. A SORA responded to an audio tape I had here in the marsh off the trail. Our usual two EMPIDS for this time of year were here too, and an early-ish OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (FOS too) was found nearby close to Camp Brotherhood (the other side of the road, same as the boat launch).

Down on Fir Island things were also hopping. Biggest surprise of all was a WILLET (!) and a WHIMBREL at a marshy area on recently-ploughed ground a the west end of Moore Rd., within a 1/2 mile or so of the bridge over the North Fork of the Skagit R. There were many LEAST and WESTERNS here, and a flock of 6 or so SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. The Willet is only represented by five or so total Skagit County records. Scott AtkinsonLake Stevensmail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com