Hi all, just getting a chance to report on a Seattle Audubon Society field
trip I led on Wednesday around Vashon Island, going to my usual run of
places. We had a good half day with 58 species and we could have racked up
more if I had really tried to bump the numbers up because I'm not counting
several birds like both chickadees and kinglets.
Highlights:
A Rhinocerous Auklet swam in front of the ferry about half way across from
Fauntleroy.
Brandt's Cormorants are in breeding plumage and easy to see fairly close up
at the north end dock. The bright blue on the face and the white plumes
were readily seen. All three cormorant species perch together here for
comparison. We also had a Spotted Sandpiper on the shore on the north side
of the dock and Harlequins popping up and down in front of the new Wild
Mermaid restaurant.
We missed the Eurasian Collared-Doves and White-throated Sparrow by
Pandora's in town but did get some nice looks at a flock of Golden-crowned
Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Fisher Pond was pretty quiet with no Wood Ducks and partially frozen over.
But we got a brief glimpse of a Hermit Thrush and some Ring-necked Ducks
were present. We did get to hear Red-winged Blackbirds beginning to call on
territory.
A kestrel at the Matsuda Preserve stooped on a flicker and unsuccessfully
chased it.
Tramp Harbor had a variety of the usual suspects including a number of Eared
Grebes.
Monument Road was productive with a pair of bright Red-breasted Sapsuckers
foraging and drumming close to the road. A Virginia Rail called and was
briefly visible in the cattails. At least six Wilson's Snipe were on the
east side of the road in the wet field.
Outer Quartermaster Harbor had at least half a dozen Red-throated Loons seen
from the pulloff close to Shawnee. An otter ran along the beach toward us
and then swam visible under the very clear water.
The landing strip at Wax Orchards had a light morph juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
and another kestrel.
We heard Pine Siskins at almost every stop. A large group flitted around
the tree tops at the Meadowlake viewpoint.
Full list below. We'll be going again on Wednesday, March 27.
Ed
Ed Swan
Nature writer and guide
edswan2 at comcast.net <mailto:
edswan2 at comcast.net>
206.949.3545
www.theswancompany.com <
http://www.theswancompany.com>
Vashon Field Trip List
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-throated Grebe
Eared Grebe
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Rhinocerous Auklet
Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Otter
Harbor Seal
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <
http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20190302/6dbd6564/attachment.html>