Hi Tweets



WOS took a trip to Whidbey Island today. The day dawned with us just north
of the mist zone and got better as the day went on. Lots of sun and good
temperatures, but some wind mid-day.



We started out at the ferry terminal in Mukilteo with a breeding plumage
MARBLED MURRELET. Several CASPEAN TERNs flew overhead. It was pretty quiet
as the ferry pulled out with a PIGEON GUILLEMOT and part way across toward
Whidbey we had two COMMON TERNs flew south down the channel.



At Clinton Beach park (base of the ferry terminal), we saw lots of
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, SONG SPARROW, and HOUSE SPARROW.



We made a stop at Deer Lake and saw CANADA GOOSE (lots), RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, SONG SPARROW, STELLER'S JAY, NORTHERN FLICKER, CLIFF SWALLOW,
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and MOURNING DOVE. At Rolling Hill Rd. we saw SONG
SPARROW, SPOTTED TOWHEE, BARN SWALLOW, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN CROW,
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, WILSON'S WARBLER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, AMERICAN
ROBIN, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, BEWICK'S WREN, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, DOWNY WOODPECKER, SWANISON'S THRUSH, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.



We swung down to Dave Mackie Park and picked up AMERICAN ROBIN, BREWER'S
BLACKBIRD, OSPREY (4), CASPIAN TERN, BARN SWALLOW, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL,
RHINOCEROUS AUKLET, BELTED KINGFISHER, KILLDEER, NORTHERN FLICKER, HOUSE
SPARROW, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, HOUSE FINCH, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, EUROPEAN
STARLING, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, MOURNING DOVE, GREAT BLUE HERON, and
AMERICAN CROW.



At the South Whidbey School District Outdoor Classroom we saw or heard SONG
SPARROW, PACIFIC WREN, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, PURPLE
FINCH, PILEATED WOODPECKER, BEWICK'S WREN, OSPREY, CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEE, BROWNCREEPER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.
Along the more northern end of Maxwellton Rd., over the marsh we saw
NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK (overhead), BARN SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW.



At the wetlands on Ewing Road, there was less than usual water, but we did
manage to see AMERICAN KESTREL, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, MARSH WREN, BLACK SWIFT (a real surprise and
one of the best birds of the day), VIRGINIA RAIL, MOURNING DOVE, and OSPREY.



Around to Sunlight Beach Rd. and Deer Lagoon (the wind was now blowing
about 15 mph) where we saw RING-BILLED GULL, WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST
SANDPIPER, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, CALIFORNIA GULL, GREAT BLUE HERON (about
20), CASPIAN TERN, OSPREY, and on the Useless Bay side BONAPARTE'S GULL. At
the Deer Lagoon West dike (reached from the Useless Bay Colony) we saw WHITE
PELICAN (a most unusual bird for Whidbey), YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, YELLOW
WARBLER, BELTED KINGFISHER, SONG SPARROW, SPOTTED TOWHEE, KILLDEER, LEAST
SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, MALLARD,
NORTHERN SHOVELER, GADWALL, PIED-BILLED GREBE, CANADA GOOSE, GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, RING-NECKED DUCK (female), BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW, ANNA'L HUMMINBIRD, and BALD EAGLE.



At Earth Sanctuary we saw WOOD DUCK (imm), HOODED MERGANSER, VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE. We made a
lunch stop at Holmes Harbor and saw AMERICAN CROW, GLACOUS-WINGED GULL,
CASPIAN TERN, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, BALD EAGLE and RHINOCEROUS AUKLET. A walk on
the Wilberton Trail in South Whidbey State Park we picked up BROWN CREEPER,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE
(high in a deciduous tree in the forest - a seemingly unusual place), and
COMMON RAVEN.



We were introduced to the Trillium Community Forest and saw AMERICAN ROBIN.
This looks like a promising place for much more birding.



Down to the Crockett Lake area with a stop at the new Driftwood County Park
(the lot at the end of the road by the now gone old power switching
station). A PELAGIC CORMORANT, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, GLACOUS-WINGED GULL and
CASPIAN TERN. Around the corner we saw some shorebirds in Crockett Lake mud,
but they flew. Finally settled down (more or less) on a gravel bar in the
first pond. Scoping them we saw WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER (1), GREATER YELLOWLEGS, NORTHERN HARRIER, lots of SAVANNAH
SPARROWs, and a ton of CASPIAN TERNs. Down at the Keystone Terminal area we
had DOUBLE-CRESTED, BRANDT'S and PELAGIC CORMORANT on the old dock, with
PIGEON GUILLEMOT, RHINOCEROUS AUKLET, MARBLE MURRELET (all three difficult
because of the strong winds and chop), CALIFORNIA GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL
and on the jetty many HEERMANN'S GULLs. On the way south home we added
TURKEY VULTURE along SR525).



All in all a really excellent day with good companions, generally decent
weather and nice total of 88 species.



Good Birding



Brian H. Bell

Woodinville WA

mail to bell asoc a t iso media dot com