Photo: Harlequin Duck by Philip Dickinson
August 15, 2023
Our group enjoyed a respite from the heat at home with gorgeous day along the northern Salish Sea. In Blaine, Surf and White-winged Scoter were numerous albeit distant, while Black Oystercatcher, Western Sandpiper and Common Loon were not so hard to see. Several people also had good looks at a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. At Semiahmoo, we enjoyed even closer views of Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye and Spotted Sandpiper. Then it was time for a relaxing lunch and a walk on the beach at Wilma Bayes’s cottage on beautiful Birch Bay. On the way home, we stopped at Sandy Point and were pleased to find American Kestrel, Brant, Black Turnstone, Long-billed Dowitcher and Black-bellied Plover, the latter still in breeding plumage.
46 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Phil, Wilma, Rex, John H., Graham, Diane, Pat, Marcia, Judy Lo., Val, Ken, Reg, Jane, Pam T., Rick, Carlos, Doug, Carol, Kathy
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Brant (1), Canada Goose (413), Mallard (100), Harlequin Duck (5), Surf Scoter (540), White-winged Scoter (150), Common Goldeneye (4)
LOONS, GREBES: Common Loon (2), Horned Grebe (3), Red-necked Grebe (1)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Brandt’s Cormorant (1), Double-crested Cormorant (520), Pelagic Cormorant (6), Great Blue Heron (64)
VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (1)
RAPTORS: Cooper’s Hawk (1), American Kestrel (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Black-bellied Plover (2), Killdeer (5), Black Oystercatcher (5), Spotted Sandpiper (3), Greater Yellowlegs (4), Black Turnstone (1), Western Sandpiper (82), Long-billed Dowitcher (2)
GULLS, TERNS: Bonaparte’s Gull (1), Short-billed Gull (8), Ring-billed Gull (152), California Gull (4), Glaucous-winged Gull (135), Caspian Tern (38)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (10), Eurasian Collared-Dove (2)
ALCIDS, JAEGERS: Rhinoceros Auklet (1)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (1)
FLYCATCHERS: Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1)
CORVIDS: American Crow (29)
LARKS, SWALLOWS: Purple Martin (5), Barn Swallow (22)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (5)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (97)
WAXWINGS, PIPITS: Cedar Waxwing (1)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (1), White-crowned Sparrow (1)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Brewer’s Blackbird (20)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (3), House Sparrow (3)