Photo: Red-necked Phalarope by Philip Dickinson
August 22, 2023
We first stopped at the Fir Island (Hayton) Reserve on our way to the Samish Flats to look for s shorebirds. We found Least and Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, and Greater Yellowlegs. A Peregrine Falcon watched them, too. On the flats, highlights were several American Kestrel and Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Cooper’s Hawk. During lunch on Samish Island, we spied Common Loon and Yellow Warbler. Then we checked out the Brown Pelican roosting with 250-plus American White Pelican in Padilla Bay. We finished at the Channel Drive slough with nine Red-necked Phalarope and a Black Phoebe. Paul, a visitor from The Netherlands, really enjoyed seeing some of our birds.
50 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Phil, Wilma, Rex, Graham, Diane, Pat, Marcia, Judy Lo., Ken, Reg, Bev, Jane, Maureen T., Melinda, Carol, Lianne, Kathy, Barry, Arian, Paul
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Canada Goose (20), Gadwall (4), Mallard (340), Green-winged Teal (2 ), Surf Scoter (150)
LOONS, GREBES: Common Loon (1)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Double-crested Cormorant (8), Pelagic Cormorant (1), American White Pelican (200), Brown Pelican (1), Great Blue Heron (12)
VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (2)
RAPTORS: Osprey (2), Bald Eagle (3), Northern Harrier ( 5), Cooper’s Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (8 ), American Kestrel (4), Peregrine Falcon (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Semipalmated Plover (3), Killdeer (17), Greater Yellowlegs (1), Least Sandpiper (20), Western Sandpiper (500), Red-necked Phalarope (9)
GULLS, TERNS: Ring-billed Gull (300), Glaucous-winged Gull (82), Caspian Tern (3)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Eurasian Collared-Dove (3)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (3)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (1)
FLYCATCHERS: Willow Flycatcher (2), Black Phoebe (1)
CORVIDS: American Crow (3), Common Raven (19)
LARKS, SWALLOWS: Tree Swallow (3), Violet-green Swallow (2), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1), Cliff Swallow (1), Barn Swallow (119)
THRUSHES: American Robin (3)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (213)
WAXWINGS, PIPITS: Cedar Waxwing (1)
WARBLERS, CHATS: Yellow Warbler (1)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Savannah Sparrow (7), Song Sparrow (1 ), White-crowned Sparrow (4)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Brewer’s Blackbird (42)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (7), American Goldfinch (6)