Trip Report: Fir Island

Photo: Yellow-rumped Warbler by Rex Guichard

September 7, 2021

Sixteen birders welcomed back the Tuesday day trips after an 18-month hiatus. A shortage of shorebirds at Wylie Slough, Hayton Reserve and Channel Drive did not take away the enjoyment of seeing friends and glorious weather. Birds of the day undoubtedly were a pair of Townsend’s Warblers and interacting Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks at Wylie Slough, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird along Wylie Rd.

61 Species (Approx. Qty.)

Attendees: Virginia, Phil, Valerie, Judy, Frank, Melinda, Terri, Ken, Rick, Scott, Ray, Lauren, Pam, John, Sue, Diane

CHECKLIST:

WATERFOWL: Canada Goose (5), Wood Duck (4), Mallard (300), Northern Shoveler (12), Northern Pintail (3), Green-winged Teal (100), Hooded Merganser (2)

LOONS, GREBES: Pied-billed Grebe (1)

PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Great Blue Heron (8)

VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (4)

RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (1), Northern Harrier (2), Sharp-shinned Hawk (1), Cooper’s Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2), Peregrine Falcon (1)

RAILS, CRANES: American Coot (2)

SHOREBIRDS: Black-bellied Plover (3), Semipalmated Plover (1), Killdeer (12), Spotted Sandpiper (1), Greater Yellowlegs (12), Lesser Yellowlegs (2), Short-billed Dowitcher (4), Wilson’s Snipe (2)

GULLS: Short-billed Gull (1), Ring-billed Gull (6)

DOVES, PIGEONS: Band-tailed Pigeon (2), Eurasian Collared-Dove (2)

NIGHTHAWKS, SWIFTS: Vaux’s Swift (12)

HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (1)

KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (1)

FLYCATCHERS: Western Wood-Pewee (1)

CORVIDS: Steller’s Jay (2), American Crow (36), Common Raven (7)

LARKS, SWALLOWS: Tree Swallow (3), Barn Swallow (75)

NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS: Brown Creeper (1)

WRENS: Bewick’s Wren (1), Marsh Wren (1)

THRUSHES: American Robin (8)

STARLINGS: European Starling (1000)

PIPITS: American Pipit (1)

LONGSPURS, WARBLERS: Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Common Yellowthroat (1) Yellow Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (3), Townsend’s Warbler (2)

SPARROWS, TANAGERS: Spotted Towhee (1), Savannah Sparrow (30), Song Sparrow (8), White-crowned Sparrow (2), Black-headed Grosbeak (1)

BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (300), Yellow-headed Blackbird (1), Brewer’s Blackbird (26)

FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (3), American Goldfinch (1)