Hi Tweets



The UW Retirement Assoc. birding group took a trip to Whidbey Island today.
The day started out clear and a temperature of 54F. It was surprising that
the Mukilteo ferry terminal was birdless this morning. Part of the way over
to Clinton we picked up RHINOCEROS AUKLET and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. We had a
couple of SURF SCOTERs fly by. Closer to the Clinton terminal there was a
large group of SURF SCOTERs and quite a few PIGEON GUILLEMOTs and a single
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. A stop at the Clinton Beach park let us see COMMON
LOON, HORNED GREBE, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, more SURF SCOTERs, SONG SPARROW,
HOUSE SPARROW, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.



Up the hill and to a stop at Deer Lake, the water was absolutely calm -
MALLARD, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, a BALD EAGLE in the
top of a tree and reflected below in the lake, an OSPREY flew past, we had
several CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEEs, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, a NORTHERN
FLICKER (red-shafted race), EUROPEAN STARLING, PURPLE FINCH and a beautiful
male YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Audubon type).



It was fairly slow at Rollinghill Rd. but we managed to see or hear
RUFOUS-HUMMINGBIRD, SONG SPARROW, MARSH WREN, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. Weather was near perfect, clear and great temperature.



Back up to Deer Lake Rd and over to Cultus Bay Rd. and on to Maxwellton Rd.
The slough had MALLARD. From Dave Mackie Park there were a couple of hundred
BRANT just offshore - they flew and then settled down east of us. Out on the
south end of Useless Bay we picked out HORNED GREBE, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON
LOON, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, SURF SCOTER, MARBLED MURRELET (a pair), CANADA
GOOSE, AMERICAN WIGEON, BALD EAGLE, OSPREY, a nice male PURPLE FINCH,
KILLDEER, AMERICAN ROBIN, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, RUFUOUS HUMMINGBIRD, EUROPEAN
STARLING, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, a single BARN SWALLOW
and a single BONAPARTE'S GULL.



We stopped and took a walk at the South Whidbey School District Outdoor
Classroom - heard BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, saw BUSHTIT,
SPOTTED TOWHEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, PACIFIC WREN, BEWICK'S WREN, and had a
GREAT HORNED OWL fly in and perch with outstanding looks.



We stopped at the Ewing Road wetlands and saw OSPREY (a pair), NORTHERN
SHOVELER, MALLARD, CINNAMON TEAL, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, CANADA GOOSE,
NORTHERN PINTAIL, heard SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL, BALD EAGLE MOURNING DOVE,
GREAT BLUE HERON and PIED-BILLED GREBE. We got a nice look at a SAVANNAH
SPARROW on a fence post.



Next we ran around to Deer Lagoon (off Sunlight Beach Rd.) and picked up
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (in gorgeous breeding plumage), DUNLIN, WESTERN
SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED CURLEW, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, KILLDEER, GREAT BLUE
HERON, MEW GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, WESTERN GULL, VIOLET-GREEN, BARN and
CLIFF SWALLOWs. A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE flew in and promptly flew back out.



We made a lunch stop at the park at Holmes Harbor in Freeland and saw HORNED
GREBE, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and CASPIAN TERN. As we left the Harbor area by
the boatyard we had WHIMBREL.



We stopped at Bush Point and managed to see ROCK PIGEON, SURF SCOTER, PIGEON
GUILLEMOT.



At Crockett Lake (with relatively high water and little mud) we saw
GREEN-WINGED TEAL, DUNLIN, WESTERN SANDPIPER, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN
PINTAIL, NORTHERN HARRIER (female). At the nest boxes we saw TREE SWALLOW
and a pair of PURPLE MARTIN. Down next to the ferry terminal the old
platform had all three cormorants (DOUBLE-CROWNED, BRANDT'S and PELAGIC) and
lots of PIGEON GUILLEMOTs.



At the lighthouse in Fort Casey, we walked the forest and picked up BEWICK'S
and PACIFIC WREN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, HAIRY WOODPECKER.



The Kennedy Lagoon area west of Coupeville had NORTHERN PINTAIL, COMMON
GOLDENEYE, GADWALL. Out to Libbey Beach and more SURF SCOTERs, HORNED
GREBEs, HARLEQUIN DUCK. There was a distant PACIFIC LOON, more PIGEON
GUILLEMOTs and HORNED GREBES.



Hastie Lake Rd. access point repeated the Scoters and Harlequins.



Bos Lake had lots of NORTHERN PINTAIL, MALLARD, both GREATER and LESSER
SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN WIGEON, a CANVASBACK and a single RUDDY DUCK.



The Oak Harbor Marina managed to turn up it's fairly consistent BLACK
TURNSTONEs and SURFBIRDs and a single BELTED KINGFISHER.



Dugualla Bay was really slow, but there were some CANADA GOOSE and a
surprising TRUMPETER SWAN.



Rosario Beach had a couple of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERs and some HARLEQUIN DUCK.



On the way home we had a PEREGRINE FALCON off LaConner Rd.



At various spots during the day we also picked up CALIFORNIA QUAIL,
RED-NECKED GREBE, RED-TAILED HAWK, AMERICAN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, CLIFF
SWALLOW, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, WHITE- CROWNED SPARROW, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD,
HOUSE FINCH.



A great day with a super bunch of folks and ideal weather, we ended up with
98 species!



Good Birding!



Brian H. Bell

Woodinville WA



Mail to bell asoc a t iso media dot com