Sunny Walter's
Washington Nature Weekends

Tweeters Bird Sightings - January

Sightings on this page are extracted from the Tweeters sightings.
This list is to help casual birders find out where they can reliably see birds
so most rare bird sightings are omitted.

(Note: Items in red are of special interest to Sunny.
As a photographer I'm partial to large birds or large flocks of small birds)

Sunny's Selections from Recent Tweeters NW Bird Sightings:
January
1/1/04
Arboretum

Lots of hummingbirds on the yellow blooms of the mahonia in the Arboretum today - kinda have a 'szzzng' call.  And I managed to flush a lot of thrush - varied, I believe - from fluffing up the fallen leaves.  The winter garden's witch hazels are all in bloom and smell so sweet!  Nice place to be this morning.

Fran Joy     Seattle     edfran@juno.com

1/1/04
Nisqually NWR
 
Today my mother and I spent a few hours between 10:30am-1pm at the Nisqually NWR in northern Thurston Co.,as conditions remained cold and windy at times with increasing rain showers during the mid afternoon. We encountered several noteworthy species (as we walked the entire McAllister Creek trail and to the Twin Barns from the main parking lot), including the 2 lingering Ross' Geese that were easily observed in the large open field at the entrance to the refuge from I-5 amongst a very large flock of grazing "Cackling" Canada Geese. Overall birding conditions were quite slow, but we were able to locate a few additional species of note including the following:
  • 2 Pied-billed Grebes
  • 8 male Eurasian Wigeons, 1 male Eurasian/Am.Wigeon intergrade, 9 Ring-necked Ducks
  • 7 Northern Harriers, 6 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Merlin, 1 adult Peregrine Falcon
  • 3 Virginia Rails
  • 12 Am.Coots
  • 1 Black-bellied Plover, 7 Least Sandpipers, 450+ Dunlin, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers, 1 Wilson's Snipe
  • 87 Ring-billed Gulls, 2 adult Western Gulls
  • 2 Downy Woodpeckers
  • 1 Brown Creeper, 13 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
  • 1 adult Northern Shrike
  • 42 Golden-crowned Sparrows, 25 White-crowned Sparrows
  • 10 Western Meadowlarks
After birding the Nisqually NWR we briefly checked the offshore waters off of nearby Luhr Beach and located the following notable species,despite fairly rough water conditions:
  • 2 Red-throated Loons, 1 Red-necked Grebe
  • 45 "Black" Brant
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net


1/2/04
Pierce County

Today my mother and I birded the Dash Point area to Ruston Way area of Pierce Co. Our first highlight of the day was Hermit Thrush in three separate locations along Marine View Drive(S.R.509).
  • Best location was a brushy hillside immediately south of the Chinook Landing Marina at 2pm, where we located up to 25 birds that were actively heard calling,as we "pished" and imitated a Northern Pygmy Owl that really excited the birds to be even visible. The specific location hosted primarily Hermit Thrushes and up to 34 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Anna's Hummingbird with just a few Song and Fox Sparrows and Spotted Towhees that were noted.
Our second main highlight of the day was the albino Yellow-billed Loon that was observed at fairly close range along Ruston Way just north of the Lobster Shop(south of Asarco)at 4pm,as it mainly loafed on the surface of the water while surface feeding.
 
Gog-le-hi-te Wetland area and additional areas bordering the Puyallup River, including the rendering plant immediately east of the Gog-le-hi-te, which produced our highest concentrations of gulls for the day.
  • Thayer's Gulls with approxiatemetly 1,200+ birds
  • A new area has been cleared at the Gog-le-hi-te wetland, which may be possibly set aside for shorebird habitat or of additional purposes, as we located 8 Killdeer and 14 Dunlin at this location, which lies immediately east of the sheltered cove.
Additional noteworthy species of note:
 
Dash Point public fishing pier
  • 1 Red-throated Loon, 6 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 25 Rhinceros Auklet, 12 Common Murre
  • 1 Band-tailed Pigeon
Browns Point Lighthouse
  • 3 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 5 Common Murre, 1 Marbled Murrelet, 8 Rhinceros Auklet
  • 8 Am.Goldfinch at a Browns Point feeder
Marine View Drive
  • 135 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 15 Northern Pintail at the south end of the Hylebos waterway along Marine View Drive
  • 3 Spotted Sandpiper along Marine View Drive (north of the Chinook Landing Marina)
  • 17 Least Sandpiper observed foraging on logbooms with up to 3 Black Turnstones
  • 30 Cedar Waxwing, 35 Yellow-rumped Warbler
 Miscelaaneous Locations:
  • 14 Red-tailed Hawk at various points during the day(including an adult dark-morph bird along Marine View Drive between Browns Point and Dash Point)
  • 5 Rhinceros Auklet along Ruston Way
  • 1 Mourning Dove along S.R.509 (west of Taylor Way)
  • 7 Purple Finch at the intersection of S.R.509 at Taylor Way
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net


1/1-2/04
Kitsap Peninsula west to Port Townsend
Grays Harbor

HOOD CANAL
  • 2 YELLOW-BILLED LOON from pulloff on hwy, S side of the bridge.
  • 10 Marbled Murrelet
POINT NO POINT
  • 15 Red-throated Loon
  • 360+ Brandt's Cormorant, 20 Pelagic Cormorant
PORT GAMBLE AREA
  • 5 Brant, 40 White-winged Scoter, 2 Long-tailed Duck
  • 20 Red-throated Loon
  • 20 Horned Grebe, 25 Red-necked Grebe, 50 Western Grebe
  • 2 Lincoln's Sparrow
PORT LUDLOW
  • 1 Barrow's Goldeneye
  • 35 Red-throated Loon incl. one w/ radio transmitter, 4 Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon
  • 20 Horned Grebe, 10 Red-necked Grebe
  • 2 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 10 Pigeon Guillemot, 8 Marbled Murrelet, 1 Rhinoceros Auklet -alternate plumage.
INDIAN ISLAND
  • 30 Brant
  • 2 Harlequin Duck, 15 Surf Scoter, 70 White-winged Scoter, 5 Long-tailed Duck
  • 5 Pacific Loon
  • 1 Canada Goose -only one of day.
FORT FLAGLER STATE PARK
  • 65 Brant
  • 16 Harlequin Duck, 12 Long-tailed Duck, 25 Red-breasted Merganser
  • 10 Red-throated Loon, 8 Pacific Loon
  • 50 Black-bellied Plover, 120 Dunlin, 25 Sanderling
  • 4+ Thayer's Gull
  • 4 Marbled Murrelet
  • 1 Hairy Woodpecker
OAK BAY COUNTY PARK
  • 6 Harlequin Duck
  • 3 Eared Grebe
  • 1 Thayer's Gull
  • 2 Marbled Murrelet
PORT TOWNSEND WATERFRONT
  • 2 Black Turnstone, 20 Dunlin
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 Lincoln's Sparrow
KAH TAI LAGOON
  • 1 Snow Goose
  • 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
POINT HUDSON
  • 10 Red-throated Loon, 25 Pacific Loon, 2 Common Loon
  • 5 Brant
POINT WILSON
  • 5 Harlequin Duck
  • 12 Pacific Loon
  • 20 Brandt's Cormorant
----------------

1/2/04 - coast, between Hoquiam and Raymond.

Nisqually NWR, Thurston Co (8:00-8:25)
  • 2 ROSS'S GOOSE -along entrance road w/ 500 Cackling.
  • 12 Black-bellied Plover
  • 1 Red-breasted Sapsucker, 1 Northern Shrike
  • 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT-marsh behind visitors center.
Capitol Lake (8:45-9:10)
  • 3 Ring-necked Duck, 60 Greater Scaup, 80 Lesser Scaup
Wakefield Rd, S of Elma, Gray Harbor Co (9:45-10:20)
  • 3 Trumpeter Swan
  • 1 Northern Harrier, 2 Hairy Woodpecker
  • 30 Song Sparrow, 4 Lincoln's Sparrow
'K' Street field, Hoquiam (10:45-11:40)
  • 2 Greater White-fronted Goose -one seemed to be injured, 2 Pink-footed Goose -foraging busily
  • 10 Dusky Canada Goose plus 2 Vancouver-types
  • 6 Western Meadowlark
Hoquiam STP (11:50-12:00)
  • 35 Canvasback, 8 Hooded Merganser
  • 1 Rough-legged Hawk
  • 20 Least Sandpiper
Midway Beach/Warrenton Cannery Rd, Pacific Co (1:00-1:40)
  • 5 Semipalmated Plover, 30 Sanderling
Tokeland Marina (2:00-2:20), somewhat low tide.
  • 6 Red-breasted Merganser
  • 1 Common Loon
  • 8 Willet, 1 Long-billed Curlew, 12 Western Sandpiper
Hwy 105, milepost 13 near Tokeland (2:35)
  • 650 Marbled Godwit
Hwy 105 just N of Raymond (3:00)
  • 700 Glaucous-winged Gull, 300 Western Gull, 200 Gl-winged x Western, 10+ Herring Gull, 6 Thayer's Gull
Raymond Sewage Treatment Plant (3:10-3:30)
  • 6 Greater Scaup, 80 Lesser Scaup
  • 1 NELSON'S GULL
  • 40 Pine Siskin
Hwy 101 S of Artic (3:45)
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon
Brady Loop Road (4:00-4:25)
  • 12 Tundra Swan
  • 4 Northern Harrier, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 American Kestrel
  • 25 American Pipit
  • 1 Spotted Towhee
Charlie Wright     Sumner WA     charlie@birdwright.com


1/2/04
Washington BirdBox

 This is Steve Mlodinow.  We birded from Point No Point to Port Townsend.  The main highlight were two YELLLOW-BILLED LOONS. These were on the south side of the Hood Canal Bridge on the west side of
the Hood Canal.

Bob Norton     Joyce (near Port Angeles), WA     norton36@olypen.com


1/4/04
Midway Beach Rd.,Pacific Co.

Despite the rather icy and cold weather conditions my mother and I ventured over to the coast in both Grays Harbor and Pacific Cos. We arrived at Midway Beach Rd. at 1:15pm and remained until 3:15pm.
  • Our first highlight being the immature gray-morph Gyrfalcon. The bird was immediately located just north of the end of the road at Midway Beach Rd. resting on the ground next to a stand of driftwood,where it was photographed at relatively close range. We were surprised at how close the bird allowed us to approach it,although a couple planes flying low over the beaches then landing nearby kept the bird alert. We watched the Gyrfalcon for 45 minutes,as it would fly to 3 separate low  perches along the upper beach,before finally flying to the south to an unknown location.
  • Our main highlight of the day was 6 Western Bluebirds foraging in dune grass and vegetation and scattered Scot's Broom observed south of the end of Midway Beach Rd. at 2:30pm. We received a report of 3 Western Bluebirds near North Cove on January 2nd from an active birder,so there could be a small winter population of this species in the general area.
Additional highlights noted from this location include the following:
  • 5 Pacific Loons
  • 1 Northern Harrier, 1 immature Northern Goshawk(observed circling over the stands of trees immediately east of the sand dunes north of end of Midway Beach Rd.)
  • 15 Killdeer
  • 45 Sanderlings, 2 Western Sandpipers, 35 Least Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 5 Wilson's Snipes
  • 5 "Streaked"Horned Larks, 4 Marsh Wrens
  • 3 Hermit Thrushes, 18 Varied Thrushes, 3 Am.Pipits
  • 18 "Sooty"Fox Sparrows, 15 Golden-crowned Sparrows, 17 Western Meadowlarks
 Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net


1/5/04
Juanita Bay Park
  • This afternoon at 3:00 there were 2 Trumpeter Swans that flew into the bay at Juanita Bay Park.  There was also a Wilson's Snipe feeding on the beaver dam, and a Western Gull in the bay.
  • Yesterday there were 4 Dunlin and a Least Sandpiper feeding along the mud on the far end of the bridge.  Today that whole area is completely frozen with no sign of them.
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu

1/5/04
Capitol Lake waterfowl

I think the freezing conditions forced some waterfowl out of shallow waters and into large lake and marine areas. Capitol Lake had more wigeons than I've seen before. Here's my count from this afternoon:
  • 230 Gadwall. 140 Bufflehead, 87 Coot
  • 418 Greater Scaup, 63 Ring-necked Duck, 1065 American Wigeon, 4 Eurasian Wigeon
  • 42 Ruddy Duck, 6 Redhead, 1 Canvasback, 93 Mallard
  • 6 Shoveler, 22 Green-winged Teal, 4 Northern Pintail
  • 12 Hooded Merganser, 7 Common Merganser, 5 Common Goldeneye
  • 57 Canada Goose
Included in this tally is everything on the north and south basins of Capitol Lake, plus Percival Cove and the area above Interstate 5, including the lower river at the old brewery.

As I worked my way from north to south, I was closing in on large numbers of waterfowl at the south end of the lake when an adult Bald Eagle decided it was time to do some hunting and the air was alive with ducks for a minute or two. I estimated about 800 wigeon (and fewer of other species) were flying from the eagle.

Kelly McAllister     Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife     Olympia     mcallkrm@dfw.wa.gov


Interesting Natural History Note
1/9/04
Hummingbird Lek

Eugene and Nancy Hunn wrote:
When does a group of males on adjacent territories become a "lek"?

This is really the question.  I use the term lek, because the adjacent territories are literally only a few meters in area with lots of territorial displays, whisking displays  over females and lots of chasing.  I just don't know what else to call it.  Male mist-net captures are concentrated an open area, which is where we see most of the displaying chasing and whisking.  Female captures split between the areas where males concentrate and areas with plenty of cover consistant with nesting habitat.  This activity goes on from late-March through mid-April, then abruptly stops. Late-May and early-June we start catching hatch-years.

Rufous Hummingbirds have been reported to nest in colonies of up to 20 with nests only a few meters apart.  This, of course, is not lekking but it is interesting, especially since the behavior appears to have been reported at Cape Disappointment.

Mike Patterson       Astoria, OR      celata@pacifier.com 


1/9/04
Renton area gulls

Ryan Shaw, Tracey Norris, and I briefly checked two areas on the south end of Lake Washington this afternoon.  The highlight was definitely two Glaucous Gulls on the sandbar at Cedar River estuary. 
There is still plenty of rare gull potential in this area.

South Lake Washington, Renton (3:30-4:30pm):
  • 14 Canvasback
  • 10 Mew Gull, 20 Ring-billed Gull, 5 California Gull, 20 Thayer’s Gull, 60+ Herring Gull (60+)
  • 2 Glaucous Gull (1-1W, 1-2W)
  • 16 Western Gull, ~8000 Glaucous-winged Gull, 500 Gl.-winged x Western Gull, ~10 Gl.-winged x Herring Gull
  • 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (1)
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park
To get to the park, take I-405 to exit 5.  Drop down the hill on Park Drive to the light at the bottom of the hill. Turn right on Lk Washington Blvd, go approx. one block, and turn left into Coulon Park.  Stay to the left and continue to the tennis court/big toy area where you can park.  From there you can walk out on Duck Island to view thousands of gulls and various waterfowl on the lake and on logs in the area.

Cedar River
The Cedar River enters Lake Washington between Renton Airfield and Gene Coulon Park.  From the park, return to Park Avenue and turn right (south).  Continue about 1/2 mile to 6th Street. Turn right and continue to the Cedar River.  Follow the road along the river to the end where there is a parking lot.  If the gate is open (it sometimes is closed in adverse weather), walk through to the Cascade Canoe & Kayak center.  There’s excellent viewing of thousands of gulls loafing on the sand spit from the deck around the building.

Charlie Wright     Sumner, WA     charlie@birdwright.com

1/9/04
RBA Vancouver, BC -- Jan. 9/04
 
Sightings for Friday, January 9,
  • A ROCK SANDPIPER was seen in the company of 3,000  to 4,000 Dunlin along the north shoreline at the foot of the Robert's Bank Jetty.  Also seen here was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER.
  • At the Tsawwassen Jetty's compensation lagoon were 2 MARBLED GODWIT.
Tuesday, January 6
  • Reported from the Reifel Refuge were 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS.
  • Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen at Brunswick Point.
Larry Cowan     Port Coquitlam, BC     lawrencecowan@shaw.ca


1/11/04
Ocean Shores birding and beyond
 
We began our day along Wenzel Slough Rd. west of Vance Creek Co. Park near Elma, where the previously reported White-tailed Kite was immediately observed perched atop a large deciduous tree upon our arrival to the location east of the Elma Airport at 8:30am. Other species noted at this location included:
  • 68 Tundra Swans, 7 Trumpeter Swans
  • 2 Wilson's Snipes
  • 1  Hairy Woodpecker.
Continuing west our next stop was the large, open fields at the south end of "K" Street in Hoquiam from 9:30am-10:15am, where we located only 1 Pink-footed Goose and 1 Greater White-fronted Goose amongst a small gathering of Canada Geese that were all observed at close range, but remained wary.  Also:
  • 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin
  • 900+ Dunlin along the Hoquiam River at "K" Street
  • 8 Western Meadowlark
Hoquiam STP
  • 23 Canvasback, 9 Ruddy Duck
  • 5 Least Sandpiper
We arrived at Ocean Shores at 10:20am
Ocean Shores Golf Course
  • Flock of 13 Greater White-fronted Geese.
Ocean Shores Jetty - conditions were quite calm and somewhat slow.  
  • Highlights were a single dark-morph Northern Fulmar, 48+ Black-legged Kittiwakes, and up to 14 dominant race Rock Sandpipers.
  • 7 Surfbirds, 22 Black Turnstone
  • Off the Ocean Shores Jetty
    • 35+ Red-throated Loon, 20 Pacific Loon
    • 28 Black Scoter, 2 Common Murre
Oyhut Wildlife Area
  • 2 Northern Harrier, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon
  • 450+ Dunlin
Lake Minard
  • 2 Eared Grebe (observed from Tonquin Ave.)
  • 14 Ruddy Duck
  • 1 immature Peregrine Falcon along Marine View Drive near Lake Minard
Ocosta Third Street was fairly productive during our visit between 3:15pm-4pm.
  • We observed 4 species of shorebirds actively foraging in the flooded fields south of S.R.105 during high tide:  5 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Long-billed Dowitchers, 8 Black-bellied Plover, 45 Dunlin 
  • We observed the Sora previously reported onto Tweeters along the partially flooded edges along Ocosta Third Street, as it actively foraged and called several times during our visit along with up to 4 Virginia Rails nearby. 
  • Our last species of the day was an Am.Bittern also noted at this location, as it allowed fairly close approach and views before retiring back into the thick marshy vegetation. 
  • Also saw 1 Peregrine Falcon
 Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net

1/11/04
Westport, Midway Beach, Tokeland 11Jan 04

I spent today making a few stops along the coast.  Some of the notables:

Westport jetty [Westport, Grays Harbor Co] 8:00-~10:30
  • 10-15 Black Turnstone, 1 Rock Sandpiper, 7 Surfbird
  • 5 Killdeer - near the parking lot
  • 1 Bonaparte's Gull
  • 2 Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon 1
Midway Beach [Midway, Pacific Co] 11:00 to ~2:30
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon [south of the road]
  • ~50 Snowy Plover!  [see below], 1 Semipalmated Plover!
  • ~ 1000 Dunlin, ~ 200 Sanderlings, 10-20 Western Sandpipers, ~5 Least Sandpipers
  • 1 Wilson's Snipe [south of the road, in the marshy area]
  • 4 American Pipits, 5 Western Meadowlarks
Most all of shorebirds were north from where the road comes in to the water [nb: You can get around the 'lake' at the end of the road and out to the beach by going north a ways along the edge of the water - south doesn't work as well...].  I spent a long time just enjoying the Sanderlings & Dunlin as well as the constant present of Snowy Plovers -- my only other luck with them here has been in little trickles, never even approaching 10.  Today, they were all over the place. The stayed mostly off the water a bit, but roughly parallel with the huge Dunlin flock -- not all the way back in the live grass, but rather wandering the beach and sitting amongst some of the 'drift-grass.'

Tokeland Marina [Tokeland, Pacific Co] 2:45 - 3:30
  • Marbled Godwit [1 flock, no good estimate today]
  • ~15 Willet, ~20 LB Dowitcher
  • 1 Black-bellied Plover [at Graveyard Spit, 7th St]
Matt Bartels     Seattle, WA     mattxyz@earthlink.net

1/11/04
Tacoma Birding

Gog-li-hi-ti wetland
  • Thayer's Gulls, 1 Western Gull,, 1  Herring Gull, 1 Mew Gull
  • 3 American Goldfinches
Marine Park on the waterfront
  • 10 Bonaparte's Gulls, 40+ Mew Gulls
  • 3 Rhinocerous Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots
  • Red Necked Grebes, Barrow's Goldeneyes
Further down by the old Asarco Plant
  • 16 Black Scoters (20 to 50 feet off shore)
  • 12 Black Turnstones
  • 4 Horned Grebes
  • 1 Common Merganser, Red Breasted Mergansers, 1 Hooded Merganser
Titlow Park + Beach
  • 12 Mew Gulls, 1 Ring Billed Gull
  • 50+ Western Grebes, 6 Pelagic Cormorants
David Hayden     Lakewood, WA     dtvhm@nwrain.com

1/11/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert (selections)

Sightings for January 11
  • In Kelowna, the gray morph GYRFALCON continues at Marshall's Feedlot, which is located along the W. side of Hwy 97 at McCurdy Road (CC).
  • At the N. end of Osoyoos Lake were 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (LN,JS,JG)
  • Two GOLDEN EAGLES were also noted at the Vernon Dump on Birnie Road on Jan 10. 
  • Noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10 were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.
  • At Old Vernon Road and Lindley Road in Kelowna, 14 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were feeding in the horse pasture.
  • A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna.
Sightings for January 3
  • On Jan 2, the BARN OWL was again seen along Bulman Road at the S. end of the Kelowna Airport (TF). Watch for the bird at dusk and after dark near the SE. corner of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course as it hunts the fields on the S. side of Bulman Road.
  • On Kelowna's Westside, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was in Kalamoir Park near the Sunnyside Road entrance. Two additional NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were seen along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls, on Jan 2. The birds were seen at km 4.7 and km 8.
  • The boreal forest along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, while cold and snowy, produced good birds including a flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at km 20, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES between km 22 and 23, a flock of 18 PINE GROSBEAKS at km 12 and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at km 13 on the Venner Meadows Road.
  • A male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the N. end of Vaseux Lake on the 2nd, as were 53 TRUMPETER and 3 TUNDRA SWANS.
  • Along Meadowlark Road, off Black Sage Road, near Osoyoos, up to 15 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were foraging in the vineyard on the N. side of the road.
  • On Jan 3, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS were on Osoyoos Lake, on the N. side of Hwy 3 at the bridge.
Sightings for January 1
  • The gray-phase GYRFALCON put in his 2004 appearance at the Marshall's Feedlot on the W. side of Hwy 97, at McCurdy Road in Kelowna (CC,RM).
  • SE. of Kelowna, at the McCulloch Cross Country Ski Trails, the resident GREAT GRAY OWL was seen swooping over the Log Cabin Trail by a skiier (AB).
Chris Charlesworth     c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com


1/12/04
Nisqually NWR

Steve Nord and I did a bit of morning birding today at Luhr Beach and then Nisqually NWR in Olympia.  Very high tide at Luhr seemed to push many of the waterfowl flocks out further making it difficult to see much. 
  • We did see a long line of BRANT off to the west which was interesting since we usually get them over on the Nisqually River side.  
  • Large numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE with W/W and SURF SCOTERS thrown in.  
  • Had at least 5 EARED GREBES around.  2 WESTERN-looking GULLS and a couple of nice adult BALD EAGLES with scattered immatures around too.
Nisqually
  • The Wigeon numbers were phenomenal around the Twin Barns area at Nisqually.  We picked out 7 EURASIAN WIGEON drakes mixed in and later did a recount when the flock moved to the large ag field north of the Barns where we had 8 EURASIANS.  
  • Found the N. SHRIKE at the very end of the McAllister Creek trail.  
  • Also the ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was in closer today and had great looks at it from the Twin Barns and also McAllister trail.  We had a distant R/L HAWK seen along the dike from the Barns, so there may be two of these birds around.  
  • Had the adult PEREGRINE in the fir north of the refuge headquarters and later watched an immature PEREGRINE make some dives at the large Wigeon flock in the ag field.  
Many of the ponds at Nisqually are still frozen over.

Jason Paulios     Jpaulios@earthlink.net     Olympia, WA

1/12/04
Skagit Birding

Today I birded from Samish Island to Fir Island finding 73 species with the following highlights:

West 90:
  • 2 Barn Owl, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Gyrfalcon
  • 1 Ring-necked Pheasant (male)
Breazeale:
  • 2-3 Barn Owl
  • 1 Hutton's Vireo
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu


1/12/04
Spokane Co. (Liberty Lake) Grackle

Around the lake we found, American Kestrel, a Merlin, and flock of 20 Bohemian Waxwings.

Then  I decided to park in the Burger King parking lot and hopefully wait for the grackle to appear. After ten minutes, the COMMON GRACKLE flew up on a light pole and then alighted on the Burger King sign. The grackle flew behind the Burger King and began feeding on some pizza crust in front of a pizza parlor.
The location is just south of the I=90 exit for Liberty Lake (DL: Pg. 89, C8).

Gina Sheridan     Spokane, WA     gsherida8502@yahoo.com

1/12/04
RBA: N ID / E WA / NE OR -- 01/12/2004

LAPLAND LONGSPURS were reported from a couple of WA sites.
  • First, 2 or 3 longspurs were mixed with Horned Larks just west of Royal Lake on and near Columbia NWR and
  • on the Grant and Adams county line, according to Randy Hill. To get there, turn north on Road D SE, about 2 miles west of the Grant and Adams county line along WA 26. Go about 2 miles, then right on Road 15.1 SE. Watch for flocks in the next mile. WA DeLorme 53, B-5.
  • The second batch of 4 longspurs were seen by Mike and MerryLynn Denny mixed in among 1000s of  Horned Larks in Walla Walla Co WA. The birds were up on Eureka Flats, west of Clyde along Sheffler Road. WA DeLorme 41, A-5.
Kas Dumroese     dumroese@iglide.net


1/13/04
Skagit Flats Snow Geese

Today I went to the Skagit Flats (Stanwood, WA) to find thousands of Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens).  I took the rural route from the south (Marine Drive) and, upon driving down the slight grade before crossing the
Stillaguamish River, I scanned the fields, but didn't see any large patches of white.  Feeling a little disappointed, I continued on north.  And there they were!  I should have looked straight ahead instead of west towards the sound!  The majority were back in the field a ways to the west merging into a less dense population near the paved road where I was.  So I pulled off onto a two-track farm road just a few yards so I wouldn't be a traffic hazard, which put me between two large flat fields and south of the geese.  As I sat quietly in my vehicle the geese worked their way (they were munching grass at a pretty good clip) towards the corner of the field near me.  Soon, geese from the inner area started flying in, in groups of 6-10, to join those nearer the paved road (and my vehicle).   Before long the field by the main road on the north side of the two-track was filled with Snow Geese, causing quite a few travelers to slow down or even come to a stop.  

It wasn't long before geese were foraging within 8 feet of me.  After a while some of those flying in from the west edge of the mass decided to land in the field on the south side of the two-track (farm road) and geese already on the ground started moving, as a group, slowly across the two-track to join those to the south.  I was surrounded (well, almost....there were about 6-8 brave geese who wandered behind my car which was facing in towards the fields...so I was surrounded by hundreds of geese on three sides).  And I, despite the dampness of the off and on light rain, had all my windows down so I could enjoy the goose chatter...I was about to say cacophony, but the sounds were more enjoyable to my ears than that word might imply!

What I found really interesting, both visually and behaviorally, was that, as the geese moved from the north side of the farm road to the south side, many stopped and remained on the two-track.  As I looked forward through my windshield, they formed a dense carpet the width of the road for about a quarter of a mile ahead!  The field actually changed smoothly into the dirt track on the north side, but there was a low fence (just posts and a wire) and a ditch on the south edge of the track.  Some of the geese flew over these obstacles and landed a few yards away, but many of the others just stopped and filled up the farm road!  Is this typical goose behavior?  

Judy Rowe Taylor      Mukilteo, WA      caratfeathers@aol.com


1/13/04
Sacramento Valley

Your story reminds me of the time a number of years ago when I was doing a Christmas Count down in the Sacramento Valley. Our area was out west of Lodi and was predominantly open fields. We had a good day, and at the end had special permission to go into a California Dept of Fish & Game preserve area for Sandhill Cranes. We go there at dusk, and shortly after we arrived the cranes started to arrive. They were all calling as they came in, and the numbers kept building and building. By the time the spectacle ended we estimated that we had at least 14,000 Sandhills in that small area. I can still hear the wonderful sounds of that evening.

Brian Bell     Woodinville WA     bellasoc@isomedia.com

1/13/04
West 90 & Samish Flats

Today I ventured to the West 90, primarily to see the Gyrfalcon.  No such luck, but I was amazed to see no less than 8 Short-eared Owls fluttering around the fields hunting.  I've never had such great looks at them.  It definitely made the trip from Bellevue worthwhile.

Also seen were one male Northern Harrier, eight female Harriers, one Peregrine Falcon, four Bald Eagles, two Rough-legged Hawks and numerous Red-tailed Hawks  -  all by simply panning my scope 360 degrees!

Lou Ann Harris      Bellevue, WA     montlou@earthlink.net


1/14/04
Geese and Cranes

Caratfeathers@aol.com wrote:
Does any one else from around the world have a story about a favorite place for watching thousands of geese, cranes, etc.? 
_____________

Without a doubt my favourite goose place is Beaverhill Lake in Tofield, Alberta (outside Edmonton).
In a good year the sky is filled with them (snow and white fronted geese, with occasional Ross as well).

Arthur Berman     North Vancouver, BC     aberman@telus.net
_____________

The Snow Geese are indeed absolutely brilliant right now--approachable and numerous!
 
I love going down to Fir Island and seeing them. Sometimes, however, the quixotic drive to count or estimate the flock intereferes with the pleasure of being surrounded by such an immense flock of white birds.
 
Not only were there ten thousand Snow Geese there on Fir Island, but over at Jensen Access there were at least an additional 70,000 or more ducks out on the bay.  A hundred thousand birds would not be any stretch at all, since there were big flocks of swans, rafts of gulls, Dunlin flocks flying here and there, etcetera!
 
As to places around the world, I cannot resist mentioning one--the Bosphorus in April. That's in European Turkey, just north and west of Istanbul. Thousands of White Storks fly across there, and if a birder can get up on the hills above this narrow strait, the flocks will fly so low that their wings can be heard!  Add in hundreds of Short-toed Eagles and a wonderful assortment of other raptors, plus goodly flocks of Black Storks, and you can see why it is considered such a world-class spot to observe big flocks of migrating birds!

Gary Bletsch      near Lyman (Skagit County)      garybletsch@yahoo.com
_____________

When I was the refuge biologist stationed at the Klamath Basin Complex of national wildlife refuges in 1955-56, I would see many thousands of Snow Geese. Among the first words my baby son said were geese, geese, geese as large flocks would fly over the biologist's house on the refuge.

Later in the fall and early winter when the waters at Tule Lake would freeze over, the geese would fly down into the Central Valley of California, especially the Sacramento Valley where they wintered. I was stationed at the Sacramento Valley Complex from 1956-60. We would make weekly aerial censuses of ducks and geese. I have aerial photos taken during one midwinter waterfowl count of 65,000 Snow Geese on one flooded rice field at the Colusa unit.  Many thousands were present on other units.  Incidentally, I have composite aerial photos of 1.5 million ducks on 560 acres called the Bean Patch.  We counted ducks on the photos using binocular microscopes and electric pencils under a sampling method.  We used to make special Ross Goose aerial censuses in the San Joaquin Valley in February and would come with a few thousand more of that species.

I was stationed at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge (now called Sonny Bono Refuge as assistant manager fron 1952-53, and we had lots of Snow Geese there, especially on the Sea itself, but nowhere near the numbers found in the Sacramento Valley.

Gene Kridler     Old Broken Down Retired Wildlife Biologist/Administrator     kridler@olypen.com

1/14/04
Cedar River Park, Renton
 
Gull flocks were most active and visible from the entire shoreline from Duck Island at Gene Coulon Park northward and from the mouth of the Cedar River,despite the shooting of fireworks made from a Renton Airport personnel to flush the gulls away from the area. Good numbers of gulls were noted at the mouth of the Cedar River, as the bathed, preened and loafed on the exposed sand spit, but would occasionally fly off to unknown areas such as possible roof tops, etc. The most noteworthy gull species noted during our visit and observed by other birders included up to 2 Glaucous Gulls (1st winter plumage) amongst good numbers of other Larus gulls, including good comparisons of Glaucous-winged, Herring, Thayer's, Western and various intergrades of different aged birds.

We mostly confined our visit to the Cedar River Park. Other noted species included the following:
  • 3 Red-necked Grebes, 1 Eared Grebe, 500+ Western Grebes
  • 14 Greater White-fronted Geese
  • 35+ Canvasbacks, 9 Barrow's Goldeneyes(noted only along the Cedar River)
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan      godwit@worldnet.att.net

 
1/14/04
Waterville Plateau 01/14/2004
 
Matt Dufort and I had a very enjoyable day birding on the Waterville Plateau in Douglas County on Wednesday, January 14, 2004.  It was the first time birding there for both of us.  We found 49 species, highlights are listed below:
  • 1 American White Pelican in Columbia River from Grange Road on Bridgeport Bar
  • > 500 California Quail: 1 covey of about 200, 1 of 150, plus several smaller coveys
  • 70 Gray Partridge: ~50 in Lamoine at owl roost mentioned in ABA guide (p383), groups of 16 and 5 on SR-172
  • 3 Ring-necked Pheasant - males
  • 500+ Horned Lark throughout the day in small flocks
  • 20 Bohemian Waxwing in Bridgeport at Diagonal St & Arden Ave
  • 3 Northern Shrike 
  • 15 American Tree Sparrow with 45 WC Sparrows on Bridgeport Bar
  • 100 Snow Bunting on Central Ferry Road (w/GCRF)
  • 40 Western Meadowlark on Bridgeport Bar
  • 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch  on Central Ferry Road (w/SNBU)
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu

1/15/04
Samish-Skagit

A Seattle Audubon trip to the Samish and Skagit flats (Skagit County) today started out in the rain north of Stanwood.
  • As we worked our way out thru Edison we kept picking up more red-tails and bald eagles. Just north of the West 90 (DeLorme p. 108, d5) we had a nice dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.
  • We went out to the end of Samish Island to the little WDFW access point at the end of Wharf Road (DeLorme p. 108, D4). We picked up SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, COMMON LOON, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE and BRANT. As we were leaving we got nice looks at a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.
  • Back at the West 90 we saw SHORT-EARED OWLS everywhere. There were at least 12 flying, perching and generally giving us fantastic views. NORTHERN HARRIERS, male, female and immature were in plentiful supply. Almost all the raptors were spending time perched with wings out attempting to dry out after the rains. A MERLIN made a flyby while we were there.
  • As we made our way down toward the Brazeale Interpretive Center at the Padilla Bay Center we had a nice look at an immature PEREGRINE FALCON perched in the top of a large snag. 
  • After lunch, returning we stopped at the intersection of Bayview-Edison Rd and D'Arcy Rd to look at an interesting bird. It turned out to be a mature NORTHERN SHRIKE, a new bird for several folks.
  • We made one last pass out by the West 90, and on the way there we found the immature GYRFALCON perched on a crossarm of one of the power poles about half way from the "T" to the W90. Nice light and great looks at a life bird of many of the group.
  • We then turned south to work our way down to Fir Island. Along the way on Dodge Valley Road (DeLorme p. 95, D5) we had a nice female AMERICAN KESTREL. That completed a four falcon day for us - too bad that a prairie falcon has not been reported up that way this year.
  • As we came down off the bridge over the north fork of the Skagit River the fields to the east were covered with SNOW GEESE. We estimated that there were about 8000 birds packed tightly up by the road. We were able to study them for quite a while, when a BALD EAGLE came by and the whole group lifted off with much calling. After several circles by the eagle, it left to the west and the snowies settled down again.
Brian Bell     Woodinville Wa     bellasoc@isomedia.com

1/17/04
Eagles in Quinault

Just got back to Hoquiam from Lake Quinault.  We drove from the Lodge to where the Graves Creek Bridge is out.  Our count was 53 Bald eagles!  One way that is.  Did not count on the way back.  Spectacular!  We were up on the Skagit not quite a month ago and saw 43 before we left, running through a new snow fall, but were thrilled to hear from someone this week that there were eagles up the Quinault.  Worth the trip.

Karlene Lock       Hoquiam, WA       klock@techline.com

1/17/04
Eastern Grays Harbor Co.

Today I had the pleasure of leading a field trip for the Grays Harbor Audubon Society (GHAS) around the Elma/Satsop/Brady area.  We were treated to great views of a lot of raptors and waterfowl. 
  • Along the Brady Loop Rd., we encountered the following raptors:  Bald Eagle (immature), Red-tailed Hawk (at least 10), Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier (several females, one male), and one Cooper's Hawk. 
  • On Brady Loop Rd. near Willis St., there was a nice group of Tundra Swans right next to a group of about 20 "Dusky" Canada Geese.  
  • Also, on our way down Brady Loop Rd. back towards the highway, a flock of 15 Western Meadowlarks flew across the road in front of us.
  • There were a lot of swans and geese on the move as well.  At Vance Creek park on the pond closest to the airport, there were about 50 Trumpeter Swans there in the morning.  This group included the green neck-collared Trumpeter swan (31T) that has been in the area for over a month now.
  • Up at the former Satsop Nuclear plant, we had one Eurasian Wigeon mixed in with the hundreds of other ducks on the mitigation pond.  Other species on the pond here included Mallard, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Northern Shoveler, and Ring-necked Duck.
  • We saw the White-tailed kite in the afternoon far to the east of the Elma airport -- on the eastern side of the road on top of a lone fir tree out in the field.  It was best viewed from Wakefield Rd. just south of Wenzel Slough Rd.
Tim O'Brien       Elma, WA        kertim7179@centurytel.net


1/17/04
Coastal Birding
 
Today my mother and I led a TAS (Tahoma Audubon Society) field trip to the Tokeland area, covering several areas in addition such as Wenzel Slough Rd.,Ocosta Third Street,Westport,Midway Beach Rd.,and the Hoquiam area(including the Hoquiam STP).

Midway Beach Rd
  • The immature Gyrfalcon was observed as several of us walked along the beach to the south of the dead end of Midway Beach Rd. at 12pm. The bird was spotted perched atop a driftwood snag on the horizon, but we managed to get closer to it and get better observations.
  • We also obtained excellent looks at a group of 20 Snowy Plovers resting calmly along the upper tide line, as we watched the Gyrfalcon
  • Our third highlight at this location was 10 Semipalmated Plovers foraging along the shoreline amongst a small flock of Sanderlings.
  • 15 Sanderling, 18 Least Sandpiper, 5 Wilson's Snipe, 5 "Streaked" Horned Lark
  • 3 Black-tailed Deer
Tokeland
  • At Tokeland the "large" shorebird flock was easily noted at the Tokeland Marina during slowly outgoing tide at 11am, where 800+ Marbled Godwits were noted with up to 13 Willets, 2 Whimbrels, 48 Long-billed Dowitchers and 45 Dunlins amongst that entire flock.
  • 1 Red-throated Loon, 7 Red-necked Grebe
  • 450+ "Black" Brant at Tokeland (in Willapa Bay)
  • 2 Merlin
  • 48 Black-bellied Plover, 200+ Dunlin, 22 Sanderling
  • 4 Trumpeter Swan
Westport
  • 1 Red-necked Grebe, 2 Black Turnstone, 1 Sanderling
Wenzel Slough Rd 
  • 74 Trumpeter Swan near Vance Creek Co. Park (near Elma)
  • 20 Dunlin flying along Wenzel Slough Rd.
  • 1 Western Scrub Jay
  • 2 River Otters near Vance Creek Co. Park
  • 2 Coyotes
Other Locations
  • 1 Am.Kestrel along Hwy.12 at Keys. Rd. near Satsop
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon along S.R.105 west of the Elk River bridge
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon along S.R.105 at North Cove
  • 6 Greater Yellowlegs at Ocosta (Ocosta Third Street, S.R.105 at Bottle Beach)
  • 20 Dunlin along S.R.105 west of Aberdeen
  • 2 Western Scrub Jay along 3rd Street at Elma
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan       godwit@worldnet.att.net


1/16/04
A few crows at Montlake Fill
About 4 pm yesterday, Jan. 15, there were at least 2,540 crows, as counted by counting numbers of groups of about 10 crows, within 300 yards on either side or the Ravenna Creek slough. Less than half were in trees, with the dime lot parking lot and the baseball field and the field north of it covered with crows.

Bob Vandenbosch     Bobvanden@aol.com

1/18/04
Montlake Fill

The crows at the Montlake Fill stage there before flying across to their Foster Island roost. This roost at one time contained perhaps 10,000 crows, though that number appears to have dropped a bit in recent years to ca.
6000. We try to count them as they leave at dawn on the Christmas Bird Count. There's another roost of ca. 5000 on the Newport Beach shore of Lake Washington. They appear to spread out from these roost all over the city during the day. Prof. John Marzluff and students at the UW have been studying local crow populations and should have more precise information.

Gene Hunn     enhunn@comcast.net

1/18/04
Skagit/Samish

I birded the Skagit and Samish flats today with my wife Jeni, seeing 55 species with some notable highlights. 
  • At the Jensen access we observed several Eurasian wideon and 2 American X Eurasian hybrids among a large raft of mallard / pintail / Am. wideon / teal.  
  • Also at the Jensen access we had nice views of a merlin chasing down some shorebirds.  
  • A large flock of Snow Geese was located adjacent to Mauplin rd where they were being periodically agitated by passing eagles.
  • Dodge valley rd. produced another Merlin and an American Kestrel.
  • Arriving in the Samish flats we had a close view of a Peregrine falcon on a power pole along Bayview-edison rd.,  immediately north of Sullivan rd.  
  • The West 90 produced the usuall suspects, Harriers, Short Eared Owls, Red Tailed Hawks, but also yielded a Rough-legged hawk and the immature Gyrfalcon, making for a 4 falcon day.  The Gyrfalcon perched for a while along Sammish Is. rd stretching back toward Bayview-Edison before flying off to chase three separate Red-tailed hawks.  
  • Last of the highlights was a Barn owl located in the metal barn immediatly north of the West 90.
 Todd Pollard       (425) 430-0310       toddapollard@yahoo.com

1/18/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert

Sightings for January 18
  • On January 17 [and 11], the GYRFALCON was again observed at the Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna. The feedlot is along the W. side of Hwy 97, just S. of the intersection with McCurdy Road.
  • 3 GREAT HORNED OWLS were at the Ranch Park Mobile Home Park on Jan 17.  The birds can be seen and heard hooting on a nightly basis in the park.
Sightings for January 11
  • At Rose's Pond, on the Vernon Commonage, an imm. GOLDEN EAGLE was seen on Jan 10 (CC). Also noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10 were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.
  • A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna.
Sightings for January 3
  • On Jan 2, the BARN OWL was again seen along Bulman Road at the S. end of the Kelowna Airport (TF). Watch for the bird at dusk and after dark near the SE. corner of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course as it hunts the fields on the S. side of Bulman Road.
  • The boreal forest along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, while cold and snowy, produced good birds including a flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at km 20, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES between km 22 and 23, a flock of 18 PINE GROSBEAKS at km 12 and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at km 13 on the Venner Meadows Road.
  • A male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the N. end of Vaseux Lake on the 2nd, as were 53 TRUMPETER and 3 TUNDRA SWANS (CC,RT,RM,CS).
  • On Jan 3, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS were on Osoyoos Lake, on the N. side of Hwy 3 at the bridge.
Chris Charlesworth       c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com       KELOWNA, BC, CANADA V1X 2X5
WWW.AVOCETTOURS.COM