Photo: Double-crested Cormorant by Brian Zinke
September 28, 2021
We escaped the rain at home for a mostly sunning morning and only some intermittent rain in the afternoon under the Sequim-area rain shadow. After stops along Gardiner Bay, we lunched at John Wayne Marina and headed out to Sequim and Dungeness Bay hotspots before a final stop at the Kitchen-Dick ponds. Thousands of American Wigeon, hundreds of Greater White-fronted Geese, and several Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons and Common Murres highlighted the day for our group of 13.
77 Species (Approx. Qty.)
Attendees: Virginia, Phil, Jim, Graham, Rex, Joe, Sandy, Judy B., Ken, Frank, Valerie, Merilee, Diane
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Greater White-fronted Goose (350), Cackling Goose (200), Canada Goose (200), Eurasian Wigeon (2), American Wigeon (10,000+), Mallard (100), Northern Shoveler (14), Northern Pintail (30), Green-winged Teal (30), Ring-necked Duck (1), Greater Scaup (32), Surf Scoter (35), Bufflehead (1), Hooded Merganser (15), Common Merganser (75), Red-breasted Merganser (8)
LOONS, GREBES: Pacific Loon (13), Common Loon (21)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Brandt’s Cormant (2), Double-crested Cormorant (20), Pelagic Cormorant (6), Great Blue Heron (4)
VULTURE: Turkey Vulture (1)
RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (2), Northern Harrier (2), Cooper’s Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2), American Kestrel (1), Peregrine Falcon (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Killdeer (3), Greater Yellowlegs (2), Western Sandpiper (50), Least Sandpiper (10)
GULLS: Heerman’s Gull (3), Short-billed Gull (6), Ring-billed Gull (1), California Gull (20), Western Gull (1), Glaucous-winged Gull (100)
TERNS, JAEGERS: Caspian Tern (2)
ALCIDS: Common Murre (15), Pigeon Guillemot (8), Rhinoceros Auklet (3)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (100), Eurasian Collared-Dove (6), Mourning Dove (3)
NIGHTHAWKS, SWIFTS: Vaux Swift (1)
HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (2)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (11)
CORVIDS: Steller’s Jay (5), American Crow (6), Common Raven (3)
LARKS, SWALLOWS: Violet-Green Swallow (8)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (1), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (2), Bushtit (4)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS: Red-breasted Nuthatch (1)
WRENS: Bewick’s Wren (1)
KINGLETS: Golden-crowned Kinglet (2)
THRUSHES: American Robin (4)
STARLINGS: European Starling (12)
WAXWINGS: Cedar Waxwing (1)
SPARROWS, TANAGERS: Spotted Towhee (3), Savannah Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (4), Lincoln’s Sparrow (2), White-crowned Sparrow (2), Golden-crowned Sparrow (10), Dark-eyed Junco (12)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (2)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: Purple Finch (1), House Finch (1), American Goldfinch (12)