Photo: Short-eared Owl by Mick Thompson
January 10, 2023
On a rare winter’s day with sunshine, 27 or us traveled to Skagit County’s Samish Flats in search of owls and raptors and found them. We saw at least ten Short-eared Owls, two Rough-legged Hawks, 38 Bald Eagles, 9 Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, and an American Kestrel. Other highlights were Long-tailed Ducks, White-winged Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers, Eurasian Wigeon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Black-bellied Plovers, and tens of thousands of Dunlin. The plovers and most of the Dunlin were at Fir Island’s Hayton Reserve on our way home.
54 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Phil, Rex, Dianna, Judy Lo., Ed, Sue P., Wilma, Pam P., Graham, Jane, Reg, Pam T., Bruce, Maureen T., Karen, Melinda, Frank, Rick, Maureen Z., Charlotte, Ray, Carlos, Denny, Jean, Cindy, Ginger, David
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Snow Goose (4000), Trumpeter Swan (500), Tundra Swan (1), Eurasian Wigeon (1), American Wigeon (422), Mallard (3000), Northern Shoveler (1), Northern Pintail (20), Greater Scaup (105), Lesser Scaup (4), White-winged Scoter (2), Long-tailed Duci (7), Bufflehead (38), Common Goldeneye (4), Barrow’s Goldeneye (2), Hooded Merganser (3), Red-breasted Merganser (8)
LOON, GREBES: Pacific Loon (1), Common Loon (1)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Double-crested Cormorant (1), Great Blue Heron (6)
RAPTORS: Northern Harrier (9), Bald Eagle (38), Rough-legged Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2), American Kestrel (1)
RAILS, CRANES: American Coot (2)
SHOREBIRDS: Black-bellied Plover (36), Dunlin (35,000)
GULLS, TERNS: Short-billed Gull (22), Glaucous-winged Gull (2100)
OWLS: Short-eared Owl (10)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Eurasian Collared-Dove (1)
HUMMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (1)
WOODPECKERS: Hairy Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (3)
CORVIDS: Steller’s Jay (1) American Crow (2), Common Raven (6)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (1), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (1)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Brown Creeper (1)
WRENS: Pacific Wren (3)
THRUSHES: American Robin (7), Varied Thrush (1)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (500)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Song Sparrow (3), Dark-eyed Junco (20)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (10), Western Meadowlark (8), Brewer’s Blackbird (100)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Sparrow (2)