[Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - February 2022

[Carol Riddell]

Hi Tweets,

Our Edmonds year list is now at 107 species. We added 8 species in February. They are:

1. Tundra Swans (code 4), a family of 2 adults and 4 immature birds actually in the marsh, 2-2-22.

2. Northern Pintail (code 3), 1 male at the waterfront, 2-1-22; 1 male at the marsh, 2-12-22, with multiple reports through 2-27-22.

3. Eurasian Collared-Dove (code 3), 1 at a Puget Drive yard, 2-14-22.

4. Wood Duck (code 3), a pair at Pine Ridge Park, 2-17-22.

5. Great Horned Owl (code 4), 1 calling in the Seaview neighborhood, 2-17-22.

6. Cedar Waxwing (code 1), 4 birds seen in the Edmonds Lake Ballinger neighborhood, 2-13-22, and a flock of about 30 birds roving through a Maplewood neighborhood, feeding on cotoneaster berries, 2-22-22.

7. Brown-headed Cowbird (code 2), 1 male at Haines Wharf Park, 2-18-22. This is an unusual winter sighting for Edmonds.

8. Turkey Vulture (code 3), 1 flying over a home near Pine Ridge Park, 2-25-22.

We are not yet adding several species that are rarely seen in winter in Edmonds as there are no reports that contain photos or descriptions of the birds. They are Marbled Murrelet, California Gull, and Ring-billed Gull. The most reliable Snohomish County sites for Marbled Murrelet in winter are the waters of Mukilteo and south Everett.

There have been February reports of birds already on the 2022 list that are of interest. Four Trumpeter Swans (code 4) 4 flew over the marsh 2-16-22. A second Merlin (code 2) sighting of the year was at Sunset Avenue, 2-11-22. There were several reports of Peregrine Falcon (code 3) in February. The highlight was 2 adults at Haines Wharf, 2-28-22. This is the first report of more than one in Edmonds by review of eBird records. White-throated Sparrows (code 3) continued to be seen in three central Edmonds yards throughout February.

This month’s honorable mention goes to a Green-winged Teal (Eurasian) at Chase Lake in unincorporated Edmonds, 2-6-22, with several followup sightings through 3-3-22.

As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or audio. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2022 city checklist, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2022 checklist is posted in the bird information box at the Visitor Station at the base of the public pier by Tuesday.

Good birding,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA

Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records