Today on a Pilchuck Audubon visiting field trip to Vashon we found a
juvenile Northern Shrike at the Wax Orchards airstrip on 232nd. This area
is appropriate habitat for shrikes but what is funny is that this is only
the second record for Vashon, the last was from 1987. While two-thirds of
the Island is forested, there are still quite a few open and farm areas with
good habitat for shrikes but we just don't seem to get them. Any ideas why?
Is the water crossing a deterrent?



Despite the constant drizzle we racked up quite a few good birds during the
day with a nice perched Peregrine watching Quartermaster Harbor where we
also had some Red-throated Loons, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren and Lincoln
Sparrow on Monument Road (where some wood workers in a nearby barn were
somehow making a sound remarkably like a Sandhill Crane) and Wilson's Snipe
at Fisher Pond.



Ed Swan

Nature writer and guide

www.theswancompany.com <http://www.theswancompany.com>

edswan at centurytel.net <mailto:edswan at centurytel.net>

206.463.7976