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.

 

WATERFOWL
Snow Goose 4 “dark phase” at the West 90 on 3-23 (AW)
Cackling Goose 20 at the West 90 on 3-23 (AW); 2 on Samish Flats on 3-29 (GB)
Canvasback 1 at Big Indian Slough on 3-29 (GB)

Canvasback Photo by Joe Halton

Harlequin Duck 1 in Skagit River near Thunderbird on 4-3 (GB)

GALLINACEOUS BIRDS
Ruffed Grouse 1 near Finney Creek on 4-3 (GB)

GREBES
Western Grebe 1 at Nichols Bar on 4-1 (GB)

HERONS and ALLIES
American Bittern 1 along Logan Creek, Mt. Vernon on 3-24 (TM)

VULTURES
Turkey Vulture 1 in Lyman on 3-27 (GB)

RAPTORS
Red-tailed Hawk 1 “light morph” juvenile Harlans on Josh Wilson Road on 3-23 (AW)
Golden Eagle 1 at Diablo on 3-12 (RM); 1 immature on Minkler Flats on 3-21 and 4-1; 1 immature (probably same bird) on Butler Flats on 4-1 (GB); 1 at Swamp Creek on 4-9 (RM)

SHOREBIRDS
Black-bellied Plover 2 on Wiley Road on 4-3 (JB)Semipalmated Plover 7 at March Point on 4-2 (GB)
Greater Yellowlegs 6 at Barney Lake, Mt. Vernon on 3-9 (TM)
Lesser Yellowlegs 1 at Minkler Flats on 4-10 (RM)
Long-billed Curlew 1 at March Point on 4-6 (WW)
Marbled Godwit 10 at March Point on 3-10 (RM); 3 at March Point on 3-28 (GB)
Wilson's Snipe 3 near Barney Lake, Mt. Vernon on 3-9 (TM)

GULLS
California Gull 12 on Minkler Flats on 3-21 (GB)
Thayer's Gull1 at March Point on 3-21 (GB)
Western Gull 1 on Skagit Flats on 3-21 (GB)

TERNS
Caspian Tern 4 at March Point on 4-11 (found by KK earlier) (GB)OWLS
Short-eared Owl 1on Samish Flats on 4-1 (PW)

FALCONS
Merlin 1 at Estes Road on 3-23 (AW)
Peregrine Falcon 1 adult on east end of Fidalgo Island on 3-28 (RW)SHRIKES
Northern Shrike 1 on Cockreham Island on 3-22 (GB); 1 on the Padilla Shore Trail on 3-27 (LM)

VIREOS
Hutton's Vireo 1 on Lincoln Hill, Mt. Vernon on 3-28 (TM)

CORVIDS
Western Scrub-Jay 1 in Mt. Vernon yard regularly since December, up to 3-24 (JV)

SWALLOWS
Horned Lark 12 in Dodge Valley on 3-21 (found by KK) (GB)
Cliff Swallow 2 at Sauk Valley on 4-13 (RM)

WRENS  
House Wren 1 at Bay View on 4-14 (LM)

THRUSHES  
Mountain Bluebird 3 near Marblemount on 3-30 (GB); 9 at Sauk Prairie on 4-13 (RM)
Townsend's Solitaire 1 in Hamilton on 3-22 (GB)
Hermit Thrush 2 at Pressentin Park on 3-30 (GB)

WARBLERS
Orange-crowned Warbler 1 heard at Bay View on 3-26 (LM)
Common Yellowthroat 1 at Bay View on 3-31 (LM); 2 near Barney Lake, Mt. Vernon on 3-31(TM); 1 at DeBay’s Slough on 4-1 (GB)

SPARROWS
Savannah Sparrow heard on the flats near Bay View on 3-26 (LM)
Fox Sparrow 1 “red” at Diablo on 4-13 (RM)
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 at Bay View on 4-14 (LM)

BLACKBIRDS
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 at Padilla Bay on 4-12 (LM)

FINCHES
Cassin's Finch 1 near Cockreham Island on 4-10 (GB)

 (JB) Joan Bird; (GB) Gary Bletsch; (KK) Kraig Kemper; (TM) Tim Manns; (RM) Ryan Merrill; (LM) Libby Mills; (JV) Jon Vanderhevden; (AW) Andrea Warner; (WW) Wayne Weber; (RW) Regan Weeks; (PW) Phil Wright