Trip Report: North Whidbey Island

Photo: Redhead by Mick Thompson

February 15, 2022

Mostly cloudy skies and calm winds made for great waterbirding, although the land-based passerines were scarce. Long-tailed Ducks at Hastie Lake Beach Access made for a great finish after a day that also included Redheads, Canvasbacks, Harlequins, Black Oystercatchers, Surfbirds, Black Turnstones, Virginia Rails, Wilson Snipe, numerous Red-throated Loons, Brandt’s Cormorants with white breeding feathers, a pair of Varied Thrush and a Merlin.

76 Species (Approx. Qty.)

Attendees: Virginia, Phil, Jim, Graham, Teri, Ken, Dianna, Rick, Victor, Rex, Merilee, Val, Junelle, Nancy, Charlotte, Reg, Jeff, Sue, Bev, Melinda, Doug, Steve, Barb, Bruce, Karen

CHECKLIST:

WATERFOWL: Snow Goose (52), Canada Goose (10), Trumpeter Swan (60), Gadwall (4), American Wigeon (12), Mallard (2), Northern Pintail (24), Green-winged Teal (6), Ring-necked Duck (1), Canvasback (75), Redhead (4), Greater Scaup (13), Lesser Scaup (12), Harlequin Duck (4), Surf Scoter (10), Long-tailed Duck (5), Bufflehead (37), Common Goldeneye (5), Barrow’s Goldeneye (4) Hooded Merganser (14), Common Merganser (12), Red-breasted Merganser (37), Ruddy Duck (20).

LOONS, GREBES: Red-throated Loon (102), Pacific Loon (1), Common Loon (8), Pied-billed Grebe (3), Horned Grebe (5), Red-necked Grebe (7), Western Grebe (29)

PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Brandt’s Cormorant (8), Double-crested Cormorant (24), Pelagic Cormorant (15), Great Blue Heron (7)

RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (5), Northern Harrier (1), Cooper’s Hawk (1), Red-tailed Hawk (9), American Kestrel (2), Merlin (1)

RAILS, CRANES: Virginia Rail (2), American Coot (23)

SHOREBIRDS: Black Oystercatcher (4), Greater Yellowlegs (3), Black Turnstone (2), Surfbird (4), Wilson’s Snipe (3)

GULLS, TERNS: Short-billed Gull (25), Glaucous-winged Gull (30)

ALCIDS, JAEGERS: Common Murre (4), Pigeon Guillemot (34), Marbled Murrelet (2)

DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (2), Eurasian Collared-Dove (1)

HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (1)

KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (2)

WOODPECKERS: Downy Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1)

CORVIDS: American Crow (16), Common Raven (1)

CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (4)

NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Red-breasted Nuthatch (1), Brown Creeper (1)

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

THRUSHES: American Robin (2), Varied Thrush (2)

MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (300)

LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (2), Song Sparrow (4), Dark-eyed Junco (6)

BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (15), Brewer’s Blackbird (4)