Subject: [Tweeters] Vashon Jan. 4 CBC highlights
Date: Jan 8 13:18:32 2015
From: Ed Swan - edswan at centurytel.net


We had a day of constant light rain but not much wind so that we definitely
missed some numbers of birds and at least one species, we still had a good
count with the persistence of all of the observers.



We missed the Yellow-billed Loon though it was seen the day before the count
and daily through today but it often likes to be farther out in Tramp
Harbor, too far on count day to see through the mist and rain and get a
definitive identification.



However, other less common birds such as the Long-tailed Duck (Tramp Harbor)
and White-breasted Nuthatch (West Vashon) were found. One observer party
also went after and found the American Dipper that salmon watchers found and
Judd Creek this fall. We also had Virginia Rail in more count sections than
in any other year. Many of the Vashon ponds were still frozen so the Pierce
County and Kitsap County birders doing those parts of our count circle
pulled in a good variety of the freshwater ducks and waterbird species for
us and Ken Brown brought in three owl species: Great Horned, Barred and
saw-whet. Grace and Ollie Oliver got some Brant by doing the Three Tree Pt.
part of our circle. The north Vashon folks brought in the most passerine
species with a good variety of thrushes and more warblers than usual
including many Yellow-rumped Warblers and one Orange-crowned Warbler.



In the Quartermaster Harbor part of Vashon, Western Grebes remained low with
just 37 this year compared to the almost 2000 fifteen years ago at the start
of this count circle. However, scoters, goldeneye and loons all continue to
show stable trends and in some cases some increased. All the loon species
were higher this year as well as White-winged and Surf Scoters.



Ed



Ed Swan

Nature writer and guide

Check out the new The Birds of Vashon Island at

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

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

206.463.7976