Hi Tweets



Several of us from Eastside Audubon took a trip to Whidbey Island today. The
day started out with clouds and little wind, but dry. At the Mukilteo ferry
terminal we saw EUROPEAN STARLING and ROCK PIGEON - whoopee doo! On the
ferry ride we saw CALIFORNIA and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs and a single BRANDT'S
CORMORANT. Nearing Clinton we picked up GREAT BLUE HERON, BONAPARTE'S GULL,
HORNED GREBE, SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (a flock of 20 White-wings flew
by), BELTED KINGFISHER, DOUBLE-CRESTED and PELAGIC CORMORANT.



At our first stop, Deer Lake, there was a distant AMERICAN ROBIN, a
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, a single CANADA GOOSE, five GADWALL, and an OSPREY.
>From there we shot straight down to Maxwellton to Dave Mackie park (it
started to spit intermittently). We could see MALLARD, GADWALL, RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER, SURF SCOTER, HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBEs, COMMON LOON,
RING-BILLED GULL, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, EUROPEAN STARLING, GREAT BLUE HERON,
CANADA GOOSE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and a PIGEON GUILLEMOT. An AMERICAN
PIPIT was on the lawn for a brief time.



The Environmental Learning Center off Maxwellton Rd. gave us BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET and a distant BEWICK'S WREN. From there
up to Ewing Rd. where we saw MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, and CINNAMON TEAL.



We now encountered intermittent showers, but they generally stopped when we
got out of the cars. At Deer Lagoon on Sunlight Beach Rd, there were
KILLDEER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREAT BLUE HERON, OSPREY,
RED-TAILED HAWK, RING-BILLED GULL. A short distance away at the access off
Lincoln, we saw BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BALD EAGLE.



Crockett Lake had a nice group of shorebirds including: WESTERN and LEAST
SANDPIPERs, DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and a single ROCK SANDPIPER. Three
NORTHERN HARRIERs were there. The part of the lake near the ferry terminal
had NORTHERN PINTAIL. The old platform had DOUBLE-CRESTED and a few PELAGIC
CORMORANTs. Up at Fort Casey the wind was now blowing hard, and we sheltered
as best we could for lunch as the showers crept in. Leaving Fort Casey, the
rain moved in and we made short stops for the next hour-and-a-half.



At Partridge Point we saw 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKs. At the Hastie Rd. access we saw
HORNED GREBE and SURF SCOTER. Bos Lake (Swantown) held MALLARD, NORTHERN
PINTAIL, RUDDY DUCK, GREATER and LESSER SCAUP and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT.
The Oak Harbor Marina had several BLACK TURNSTONEs and a single SURFBIRD.
The lake at Dugualla Bay had lots of AMERICAN COOTs.



Ala Spit was split by the high tides (present all day), but we did manage to
pull out 3 BLACK OYESTERCATCHERs , HARLEQUIN DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER and some
cormorants.



The West Beach at Deception Pass State Park had a real tight assemblage of
gull on a rock - CALIFORNIA, HEERMANN'S and few GLAUCOUS-WINGED. Rosario
Beach had some more cormorants, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, PACIFIC WREN and
a GREAT BLUE HERON.



Elsewhere along the way we saw TURKEY VULTURE, an Accipiter (probably
Cooper's Hawk), NORTHERN FLICKER, STELLER'S JAY, AMERICAN CROW, MARSH WREN,
SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO,
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, HOUSE FINCH and HOUSE SPARROW.



We stopped by Fir Island on the way home and had approximately 15,000 SNOW
GEESE at the Snow Goose Preserve, along with 15 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. A
nice finish to the day!



In spite of the wind and rain for part of the day, we finished with 70
species.



Good Birding!



Brian H. Bell

Woodinville Wa

mail to bell asoc at iso me dia dot com