At this time of year you really could have any type of regularly occurring
goose species as a flyover in western Washington. I think Greater
White-Fronted have probably mostly passed through right now but migratory
Canada, Cackling and Snow should all be flying over in good numbers. I sat
out on my porch this evening and had flocks of all three pass over.

It was quite an active night here on the banks of the Snohomish. The Pink
Salmon run is on its last legs and birds are making the most of it. Good
numbers of gulls have been filling themselves with salmon and
Glaucous-Winged, Iceland (Thayer's), Ring-Billed, and Herring were all
present along with hoards of Olympic hybrids. Turkey Vultures crowded the
shoreline in previous weeks, but seem to have chosen warmer weather over
full stomachs and mostly moved on.

Overwhelming numbers of Violet-Green Swallows often fill the skies here in
October. I've rarely seen this species in other places in October so I'm
not sure what makes this spot so special. A pair of very vocal Peregrine
Falcons and a Merlin were both likely trying to reduce the swallow flock a
bit. As I was watching the swallows a Wilson's Snipe through my view.

The best animal of the day was not a bird at all. A loud crash in the
bushes beside my house called my attention to a Bobcat which had just
killed one of the Eastern Gray Squirrels.

Josh Adams
Cathcart, WA
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