After several birding trips on San Juan Island didn't result in any new species to our year list efforts, it was time to head off island and take advantage of a sunny (if chilly) winter weekend day. Skagit County is always a pleasure to bird in the winter, and it did not disappoint! In six hours we turned up nearly 50 species.
Our second bird of the day was a peregrine falcon - no complaints there!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVTFcVkPO9IbAvGPbeAhysTPn8aSSNUnV6y9imR8_GbMZSsvA6G0KP8liCVsgxeQrzT5_fOJJXvqpEsWaKLmHoPbeLB7qM4pauvAZc0mouEHZypZ-1dAmz2SLOpyqczQmGHNvfyb1v3aS/s400/DSC_1798-1.jpg) |
64th bird species photographed this year - peregrine falcon |
As hoped for, the raptors were everywhere, and for a while it seemed as if there was a new species to stop and observe around every bend in the road....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWARJWnejFPUL60vlTp4QQJwp7mKzg3qSc-agUclZ_forUBGFtmO6gFhrHltBYB8aO-7jXbercw9ipQtyKOGMGIway5wb55o3SFB7ctPG1y_eXAR7Dbg_2gdbtvDEVDuu-B4rh6y2CjPZ/s400/DSC_1869-1.jpg) |
American kestrel (65) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDJf8i3AEwKWFAbQt8Ztw3pl8FwfH8VoH-Jx8F8GxaSsQrjJ_l5AVleLYifVFX9uS6zdF22ffjiY1TCKg36sNcc5ng0yREqTJOw34HYyDmFnpUwXSeLDvG4za7zz3BzVD2gHlnenrKnpI/s400/DSC_1905-1.jpg) |
Northern harrier (66) |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQn0og_fGSicFrdZf_oar_VRzcLB3Si8XoQLlFPgzQ3FvopUApFCR4WC8nnyNNodpnOmR5zopCa9tpmt1_-1OIxR2hOiOGMY6CxT9I9ydqyA223Xd4ECl6kv9dbMB5J4EfOdvD6sLSyaX/s400/DSC_1920-1.jpg) |
Rough-legged hawk (67) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86pSkAWKolJRUphiwxwDlqe3aIu-FVRxR6rPrS1S5Yf6xDSkymnLNE6omtCw3aSou2WK3RXj1wHuUou4F9EXSLHuIjIZQbpSUmDFClY3J0NSCiriCO3vR68mxMHvgPtIbTbwdAEq8PgVk/s400/DSC_1919-1.jpg) |
Taking flight! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8NDBFId6yti88W0uhneFBqIE7du8QQJtC2w3IiFT1ku17wr31kMyUX4ORLi9f7XhegXw5VAyhIh4dvCfdypca9jDHCoWx02OqxFaA4HMQeXumK-4LhrhhioCE9gNYIwok_ESfKe37Whx/s400/DSC_1843-1.jpg) |
Another rough-legged hawk |
One
species that was still a "big miss" on my photo year list was a
red-tailed hawk - it had become a bit of a running joke, as Jason added
it on day one and I always seemed to be on the wrong side of the car or
it would take flight as soon as I lifted my camera, etc. I thought I
might have to use this shot, which does at least show some field marks:
But luckily near the end of the day, after several others flew away before I could snap a photo, I finally came across this cooperative fella (or lady):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HROomPnH7xOl69YGIcqsbtH__UJlwYwTO071XTLji6pSys7nnP1tKUb0QS7VIuhjU2u59LldVNYuolopf2HNVktbzP46j3VLLED08x3cyv0PulEz6TpKwa_OoS95XCqu4Gv1Q2pobdS_/s400/DSC_2096-1.jpg) |
Red-tailed hawk (72) |
Most water was still frozen, which put a bit of a damper on the waterfowl and shorebird front, but sure made for some beautiful landscapes:
And there were still hundreds of trumpeter swans and thousands of snow geese in the flats:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5QJkyHfVKa-1-m_XjoKmaYrVqSK7DTLb4X84cF4E4atAMF3NHu4spbRJvvlPcaQGCehol7TyKOdvDB_UIAa0PB8eJBYMCMwmPCmyijXkND5xuOfmWm78PwSPOdCLf5mgk9riJkvMu5DD/s400/DSC_2097-1.jpg) |
Trumpeter swans in front of the Olympic mountains |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8elfyzTEeEFPq1r1RkuH39hei2xoxvhJZIo71iJ74a9AeUn9ssIzJyhYzwmveeVGCX7wwOdLNWsJcHxGv9WCM1mxjEbDvJEw8uB7RPD5N_GXHuSU_uXB60ypUy2lCJ_3xbv8gya54XQy/s400/DSC_2111-1.jpg) |
Snow goose (73) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3U1b1pnsm0z1AX_X96smzLi2159pU0WpAjwJViBeCZWj412SU_kntvFX1fTcz_c1l68IJhJ60fjsr8-QO-1BVP_i9W_XEPyRnlDfhc6eFwhsgZWuZTFSfCDH4daCuicbP87l8d0thFgXo/s400/DSC_2115-1.jpg) |
Snow geese in flight after a hunter fires a shot |
It was the bald eagles that stole the show, however. We started counting early and tallied over 100 for the day, including some fantastic looks...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDemqxM0u43c_voZquGwloomnyVgV7ZR27dSGzFJSE0v5aDTBEGulj_WFUqxqDscckpENT5wDbPhv5iB6H5vIj4YjVHzq7U-EoWHn24sPb4El2TDg3mf_CSq8ZV-Ag-mbSNHrpMDRlRKvK/s400/DSC_1930-1.jpg) |
A quick way to boost the count - more than 15 in one tree! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7sf_sPWtoVvxU1GM0liiRRtpoqaYteLm1GOzuzeMGp38nh-JOVdYVSnX2DO5TOXBqetnp8UWkrg3uEPCz0rmkAja93obLozbUmlpEHbBi3wB9DA3QtbhAw7QpQcGEtl_9CN67MR_i0_n/s400/DSC_1887-1.jpg) |
Lots of aerial acrobatics as an adult chased a juvenile out of its territory |
Even as daylight dwindled all too early, we kept snapping photos in the dusk...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqte-kf8yYys3MGm9jbNpxPNH3khDYy-daVFjn4VOiM0kng8Jrx-cyifMpyZxi-yKVYZTO8bNPvfgz2El0siuajLNIFUYtVJ6yR6OX-AaTTSleOskBkFJcupmb4ghVj9adFDZT0kJaM7vm/s400/DSC_2133-1.jpg) |
Killdeer |
At the Anacortes ferry landing I was hoping for a ring-billed gull, but was happy to take the photogenic mew gulls.
Surprisingly there were more than 10 great blue herons roosting with them on the dock pilings - haven't seen that in this location before!
By the day's end I had added 12 new species to my photo year list total, and more than that to my overall year list. We heard a Virginia rail, though weren't able to see it or photograph it, though a couple of our friendly competitors in Vancouver, BC have gotten great shots of this species this year! We also flushed an American bittern but I wasn't quite quick enough on the trigger to get a identifiable shot of one. Also, I was surprised not to see any short-eared owls! But I guess that's what keeps us going back, isn't it? :)
So as of today I've got 88 species on the year list and 76 species on the photo year list - still keeping that 85% ratio going! I just love how much I've been out taking photos as a result of this challenge so far, and seeing what everyone else is turning up has been just as fun!
1 comment:
Sounds and looks like a top dollar birding location. Just as good in summer for the migrants I assume.
Going to have to look to my photographic laurels this year I reckon.
Cheers
DaveyMan
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