Photo: Short-billed Dowitchers by Rex Guichard
October 19, 2021
What a glorious fall day in Skagit County with beautiful colors and lots of birds. After Clear Lake and the Samish Flats, we finished up at Hayton Reserve. Highlights included four grebe species on Clear Lake, three falcon species, energetic Bushtits, a very cooperative Lincoln’s Sparrow, Common Murres and Marbled Murrelets off Samish Island, and perhaps 10,000 Snow Geese at Hayton.
80 Species (Approx. Qty.)
Attendees: Virginia, Phil, Jim, Graham, Judy L., Teri, Ken, Pam, Amy, Dianne, Merilee, Rick, Melinda, Reg, Junelle, Susan, Jeff, Robin, Rex, Heidi, Lionel
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Snow Goose (10,000), Cackling Goose (25), Canada Goose (40), American Wigeon (500), Mallard (100), Northern Pintail (300), Green-winged Teal (3), Northern Shoveler (6), Ring-necked Duck (22), Greater Scaup (1), Surf Scoter (100), White-winged Scoter (35), Bufflehead (2), Barrow’s Goldeneye (3), Common Merganser (5), Ruddy Duck (1)
LOONS, GREBES: Pacific Loon (2), Common Loon (6), Pied-billed Grebe (7), Horned Grebe (125), Red-necked Grebe (1), Western Grebe (3)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Double-crested Cormorant (150), Pelagic Cormorant (6), Great Blue Heron (6)
VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (1)
RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (10), Northrn Harrier (7), Cooper’s Hawk (3), Red-tailed Hawk (5), American Kestrel (2), Merlin (1), Peregrine Falcon (1)
RAILS, CRANES: American Coot (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Greater Yellowlegs (10), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), Dunlin (50), Short-billed Dowitcher (2), Long-billed Dowitcher (125)
GULLS, TERNS: Short-billed Gull (2), California Gull (2), Glaucous-winged Gull (100)
ALCIDS, JAEGERS: Common Murre (13), Pigeon Guillemot (2), Marbled Murrelet (2)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (40), Eurasian Collared-Dove (2), Mourning Dove (4)
HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (4)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (3)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (7)
CORVIDS: Steller’s Jay (9), American Crow (350), Common Raven (2)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (8), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (6), Bushtit (35)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Red-breasted Nuthatch (1), Brown Creeper (2)
WRENS: Bewick’s Wren (2), Marsh Wren (1)
KINGLETS: Golden-crowned Kinglet (2)
THRUSHES: American Robin (6), Varied Thrush (1)
MIMIDS, STARLING: European Starling (300)
WARBLERS, CHAT: Yellow-rumped Warbler (2)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (6), Savannah Sparrow (6), Fox Sparrow (4), Song Sparrow (36), Lincoln’s Sparrow (1), White-crowned Sparrow (3), Golden-crowned Sparrow (8), Dark-eyed Junco (100)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (80), Western Meadowlark (2), Brewer’s Blackbird (225)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (7), Pine Siskin (25), House Sparrow (12)