Date: 2/20/26 11:42 am From: Carol Riddell via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - January 2026
Hi Tweeters
There were 108 species that we could confirm in Edmonds in January 2026. To put this the context of recent years, we ended January 2025 with 99 species and January 2024 with 109.
Most expected waterfowl were reported in January. The rarer species were Greater White-fronted Goose (code 3), Cackling Goose (code 3), Trumpeter Swan (code 4), and Long-tailed Duck (code 3).
Among the pigeons and doves, Rock Pigeon and Band-tailed Pigeon were seen in January.
Among the rails and cranes, Virginia Rail (code 2) and American Coot (code 3) were reported in Edmonds marsh.
Shorebird sightings included Killdeer (code 1), Black Turnstone (code 3), and Surfbird (code 3). One Dunlin (code 3) was photographed in the marsh. The expected winter alcids were reported: Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillemot, and Common Murre.
Along with the expected species gulls (Bonaparte’s, Short-billed, California, and Glaucous-winged) and hybrid gulls, there was one adult Western Gull (code 4) photographed on the waterfront. A single Heermann’s Gull was reported and confirmed in eBird, likely due to multiple January reports with photographs of this species at Kingston.
The expected and reported grebes were Pied-billed, Horned, Red-necked, and Western.
All three expected loon species (Red-throated, Pacific, Common) were reported at various sites along the Edmonds shoreline. All three cormorant species (Brandt’s, Pelagic, Double-crested) were reported. Among the pelicans and herons, only Great Blue Heron was reported.
Birds of Prey included Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, Bald Eagle, and Red-tailed Hawk. Barred Owl (code 2) was reported at Hutt, Pine Ridge, and Yost Parks. Great Horned Owl (code 3) was reported in the neighborhoods of Yost Park and City Park. For the falcons, there were two Merlin (code 2) reports in neighborhoods near Yost and City Parks.
All of the expected woodpeckers were seen in January: Red-breasted Sapsucker (once in Yost Park), Hairy, Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, as well as many Northern Flickers.
Hutton’s Vireo was heard several times during the month at Yost Park and once at Edmonds marsh. Steller’s Jay, American Crow, and the rarer Common Raven (code 3) were all reported.
All of the expected smaller passerines were reported: chickadees, kinglets, nuthatch, creeper, and wrens. As expected, American Robin was the most frequently reported thrush in January. Varied and Hermit Thrushes were reported several times at Yost and Pine Ridge Parks and in the vicinity of the marsh. Cedar Waxwings were reported several times around the marsh and waterfront.
January reports of finches included House and Purple Finches, 1 Red Crossbill (code 3), Pine Siskin, and American Goldfinch. The adult male Lesser Goldfinch (code 5) continued intermittently at the feeders where it was first reported in late November 2024. All of the expected sparrows appeared, including White-throated Sparrow (code 3).
Between 1 and 3 Western Meadowlarks (code 3) were seen at the marsh five times and once at the waterfront in January. Red-winged Blackbirds were reported at Pine Ridge and Hickman Parks, the marsh and waterfront, and the Edmonds Lake Ballinger neighborhood. The high count was 35 birds. There were no reports of Brewer’s Blackbird or Brown-headed Cowbird.
Among the warblers, there were reports of Orange-crowned Warbler at the waterfront, marsh, and in birders’ yards in the Pine Ridge and Lake Ballinger neighborhoods. Yellow-rumped Warblers (code 1) were at multiple locations throughout January. Townsend’s Warbler (code 2) was reported at the marsh and in Hickman, Yost, Pine Ridge, and Mathay Ballinger Parks. There were also several yard reports of this warbler.
We declined to add a number of rarer species that lacked any details in eBird checklists: Canvasback (code 4), Wilson’s Snipe (code 3), Ancient Murrelet (code 3), Ring-billed Gull (code 3), American Herring Gull (code 4), and Lincoln’s Sparrow (code 3).
Please be careful with gulls. There continue to be some pretty high numbers of Glaucous-winged Gulls being reported in eBird, one as high as 66 birds. Most of these are probably the much more common Western x Glaucous-winged hybrids. As I have said before, I was once advised by an eBird reviewer that large white-headed gulls seen at a distance are best reported as Western/Glaucous-winged Gulls. These are situations in which it would be nearly impossible to separate Glaucous-winged from hybrid gulls. Ring-billed Gull is a challenging code 3 species in Edmonds, seen annually but sometimes only a single bird. This gull does not favor exposed shorelines such as exist in Edmonds, particularly in winter. The most promising winter location here is the Edmonds side of Lake Ballinger. Early cycle Short-billed and California Gulls get mistaken for Ring-billed Gulls when an observer only notes a ring on the bill. We wait for accurate ID photos or complete descriptions of critical field marks before adding rarer species, such as Ring-billed, Western, American Herring, and Iceland Gulls. Please remember that even though a species may be on eBird’s basic county checklist, that does not suggest even distribution throughout the county or even particularly high numbers. On the eBird Help page, you can click on a link called “How to Document Your Sightings” that provides helpful information on what to add to the details field in a checklist.
As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or recordings. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2026 Edmonds city checklist, please request it from this email address: checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2026 checklist, with January sightings on it, is in the bird information box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier.
Good birding,
Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA
cariddellwa at gmail dot com
Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records
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