Bird Sightings for December 2018

Details

Last Updated: December 20, 2018

By Pam Pritzl

This column reports submitted sightings. Any rare sightings should be accompanied by detailed written documentation and if possible a photograph. A second person to verify rare sightings is extremely helpful. Do not hesitate to call any observer to help document unusual sightings. Also do not hesitate to call if you need clarification on locations.

Please submit your sightings to Pam Pritzl birdsightings@skagitaudubon.org or 360-387-7024.

    Here is the ABA Tweeters :  WEB Site

    Ebird for Skagit County  : Ebird List

    To download the Audubon Bird Guide, go to: www.audubon.org/apps

WATERFOWL

Snow Goose 2 “blue morph” in flock on Fir Island on 11-30 (JB); 4 “blue morph” on Polson Road on 12-5 (AW)

Brant 2 at Weaverling Spit on 12-8 (SAS)

Cackling Goose 10 on Fir Island on 11-30 (JB); 3 at Polson Road on 12-5 (AW)

White-winged Scoter 2 at Weaverling Spit on 12-8 (SAS)

Long-tailed Duck 3 at Samish Island Public Beach on 11-24 (NOH); 8 at Swantown on 11-29 (NOH); 6 at Weaverling Spit on 12-8 (SAS)

Barrow's Goldeneye 5 at Samish Island Public Beach on 11-24 (NOH)

Hooded Merganser 6 at Dugualla Bay on 11-29 (NOH)

Ruddy Duck 100 at Swantown on 11-29 (NOH)

GREBES

Western Grebe 2 at Samish Island Public Beach on 11-24 (NOH)

RAILS and COOTS

Virginia Rail 1 at Dugualla Bay on 11-29 (NOH)

SANDPIPERS and ALLIES

Surfbird 5 at Rosario Head on 11-25 (GB)

Dowitcher sp. 8 at Hayton Reserve on 11-30 (JB)

Greater Yellowlegs 5 at Hayton Reserve on 11-30 (JB)

ALCIDS

Marbled Murrelet 2 at Samish Island Public Beach on 11-24 (NOH)

Ancient Murrelet 2 at Rosario Head on 11-25 (GB)

HERONS and ALLIES

Great Egret 1 at Rosario Head on 12-8 (JO)

HAWKS, EAGLES and ALLIES

Bald Eagle  1 dilute plumage on Fir Island on 11-23 (AW); 18 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 at Swantown on 11-29 (NOH); 12 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 17 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH) 

Northern Harrier 12 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 12 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 8 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH)

Cooper's Hawk 1 seen regularly at east Fidalgo home (RW)

Northern Goshawk juvenile seen on 11/28 and 11/30 at east Stanwood property (MS) UNUSUAL

Red-tailed Hawk 8 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 “Harlan’s” on pole on Field Road and 1 “Harlan’s ” in tree line on Field Road (2 separate birds) on 11-29 (AW); 8 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 6 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH) 

Rough-legged Hawk 4 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 light morph near Padilla Bay Interpretive Center on 11-28 (KR); 6 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH; 3 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH) 

OWLS

Great Horned Owl pair dueting regularly and 1 seen on 12-10 at east Fidalgo home (RW); pair dueting regularly at Bow property (KR)

Short-eared Owl 1 at the East 90 on 11-20 (TM & JP); 4 at the East 90, Samish Flats on 11-24 (KR); 6 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 at the West 90, Samish Flats on 11-24 (KR); 6 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 7 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH)  

KINGFISHER

Belted Kingfisher 2 at Dugualla Bay on 11-29 (NOH)

WOODPECKERS

Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 seen regularly at east Fidalgo home (RW)

Downy Woodpecker 1 at Burlington home on 12-9 (LE)

FALCONS

American Kestrel 2 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 1 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH); 1 at Persons Road, Samish Flats on 11-30 (JB); 4 at Sullivan Road and vicinity on 11-30 (JB)

Merlin 1 at the West 90 on 11-29 (AW); 1 at the West 90 on 11-30 (JB)

Peregrine Falcon 1 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 at Samish Island Public Beach on 11-24 (NOH); 1 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 1 perched at Hayton Reserve on 11-30 (JB); 1 near Sunset/Farm to Market intersection on 12-7 (AW)

FLYCATCHERS

Black Phoebe 1 at Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 11-30 (JB)

Vermilion Flycatcher 1 at Stanwood water treatment plant on 12-5 (JO)

CORVIDS

California Scrub-Jay 1 at Burlington home on 12-9 (LE)

WRENS

Bewick's Wren 1 at Burlington home on 12-9 (LE)

KINGLETS

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 at Bow home on 12-2 (KR); 3 at the Padilla Bay Interpretive Center on 12-3 (KR)

LONGSPURS and BUNTINGS

Lapland Longspur 9 at the West 90, Samish Flats on 11-20 (TM & JP)

Snow Bunting 2 flew up in front of car on the Samish Flats on 11-27 (KR)

SPARROWS and ALLIES

American Tree Sparrow 1 at Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 11-30 (JB)

Lincoln's Sparrow 1 at Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 11-30 (JB)

Swamp Sparrow 1 at Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 11-29 (JO); 1 at Thillberg Road on 12-9 (GB)

White-throated Sparrow 1 at Camano Island home since 11-25 (PP)

Dark-eyed Junco 1 “slate-colored” seen regularly at east Fidalgo home (RW)

BLACKBIRDS and ORIOLES

Western Meadowlark 4 on the Samish Flats on 11-24 (NOH); 1 at Dugualla Bay on 11-29 (NOH); 4 on the Samish Flats on 12-2 (NOH); 1 on the Samish Flats on 12-6 (NOH)  

WARBLERS

Northern Waterthrush 1 at the Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 11-17 and 12-2 (GB); 1 at the Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 12-5 (AW); 1 at the Skagit Wildlife Refuge, Wylie Slough on 12-6 (AT)

MAMMALS

Coyote 1 in Samish Flats south of Sullivan Road on 12-6 (NOH)

River Otter 1 in Burrows Bay on 12-7 (NOH)

(JB) Joan Bird; (GB) Gary Bletsch; (LE) Larry Edwards; (TM) Tim Manns; (NOH) Neil O’Hara; (JO) Jeff Osmundson; (JP) Joshua Parrott; (PP) Pam Pritzl; (KR) Kerry Rye; (MS) Mary Sinker; (SAS) Skagit Audubon Society Field Trip; (AT) Alice Turner; (AW) Andrea Warner; (RW) Regan Weeks