Date: 11/22/19 6:01 pm From: B P Bell <bellasoc...> Subject: [Tweeters] WOS Samish/Skagit Flats trip
Hi Tweets
WOS took a trip today to the Samish/Skagit Flats. We started early with dense foggy conditions (37F), so we didn't see much for most of the way up. North of Everett we broke out into clear weather (and the temperature dropped to 30F). A quick stop at the Smokey Point Rest Area and we picked up AMERICAN ROBIN, AMERICAN CROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO and a gull species. North of there along I-5 we added RED-TAILED HAWK, BALD EAGLE and COMMON RAVEN. In Conway we saw lots of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDs and EUROPEAN STARLINGS, and ROCK PIGEON. We made an early stop at the Hayton Reserve - got there about 8:30. No Gyr and very low tide. We did see (and hear) several hundred SNOW GEESE a COMMON RAVEN. NORTHERN HARRIER, BALD EAGLE, MALLARD, TRUMPETER SWANs, two GREATER YELLOWLEGS, a tree full of WESTERN MEADOWLARKS (about 13), GREAT BLUE HERON and GLACOUS-WINGED GULL. On the way back on Fir Island we saw BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and EURASIAN COLLARD-DOVE (in Conway).
We rejoined I-5 (nice clear skies and cold) and went up to Pomona Grange Park on Old 99 and saw VARIED THRUSH, COMMON RAVEN, BALD EAGLE, STELLER'S JAY, GREAT BLUE HERON (flying up the creek), PACIFIC WREN. Across the ridge and at feeders along Bow Cemetary Rd. we had SPOTTED TOWHEE, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, HOUSE SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, EUROPEAN STARLING, DOWNY WOODPECKER and AMERICAN CROW. Back on Bow Hill Rd. we saw AMERICAN ROBIN.
Turning up Chuckanut Drive we saw RED-TAILED HAWK, AMERICAN CROW, EUROPEAN STARLING, SNOW GOOSE, NORTHERN HARRIER (4-5), HOUSE FINCH, KILLDEER, GREAT BLUE HERON, MALLARD, ROCK PIGEON, COOPER'S HAWK, and at least 30 BALD EAGLEs. At Colony Creek lagoon there was a single BUFFLEHEAD and a GLACOUS-WINGED GULL. Along Blanchard Rd. there were Steller's Jay, Song Sparrow and AMERICAN KESTREL. We made a yummy stop at Farm to Market Bakery.
On E. Edison Rd. there were BALD EAGLE. EUROPEAN STARLING and RED-TAILED HAWK. Smith Rd. yielded it's usual GREEN-WINGED TEAL and MALLARDS. There was a NORTHERN FLICKER in Edison. On Bayview-Edison Rd. there were another 25 BALD EAGLEs, a RING-NECKED PHEASANT, COOPERS' HAWK, COMMON RAVEN, a nice ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (with a second even prettier further along), NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, several EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVEs in the Eagle tree as well as a PEREGRINE FALCON. An AMERICAN KESTREL, and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. Along Samish Island Rd. we saw GREAT BLUE HERON, RED-TAILED HAWK, TRUMPETER SWAN.
At the W 90 it was fairly quiet, but we did have SONG SPARROW, RED-TAILED HAWK, EUROPEAN STARLING, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, BALD EAGLE. North along Samish Island Rd. we picked up NORTHERN SHRIKE, GREAT BLUE HERON, and AMERICAN KESTREL. There were no ducks on the inland bay - guess they were all elsewhere to avoid the hunters.
Up at the access on Wharf Rd. we were back in fog with limited visibility on the Bay, but we did see SONG SPARROW, BUFFLEHEAD, RES-BREASTED MERGANSER (about 20+), COMMON LOON, SURFSCOTER, COMMON GOLDENEYE, MARBLED MURRELET, RED-NECKED GREBE, HORNED GREBE, CALIFORNIA GULL, LONG-TAILED DUCK, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, a scaup species, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE and DOWNY WOODPECKER.
After lunch the fog was coming back in on the Samish Flats so we went south and along Dodge Valley Rd. we saw EUROPEAN STARLING, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, AMERICAN KESTREL, TRUMPETER SWAN, RED-TAILED HAWK.
Back to Hayton Preserve, with clear skies and temperature up to 40F, we saw BALD EAGLES (two in the tree), no Gyrfalcon, several hundred (at least) DUNLIN, BEWICK'S WREN, AMERICAN WIGEON, PEREGRINE FALCON, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RED-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (a flock of about 30), BELTED KINGFISHER, HOODED MERGANSER, MALLARD, GREAT BLUE HERON, MARSH WREN, and PIED-BILLED GREBE.
Along Rawlins Rd. we had a flock of swans that were mostly TUNDRA SWAN with a few TRUMPETER. RED-TAILED HAW, AMERICAN KESTREL, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, MARSH WREN, HOUSE FINCH, an AMERICAN BITTERN flying over and landing, SHORT-EARED OWL cruising along the dike, a single WILSON'S SNIPE that flushed, and a VIRGINIA RAIL was heard.
Even with the fog for much of the day we saw lots of nice birds, had good friend along. We finished with 72 species for the day!
