[Tweeters] Samish Flats - today (jimbetz@jimbetz.com)

[dcsimonsen at comcast.net]

Jim, I would not be at all surprised at your seeing American Kestrels on the
Samish Flats.  
My wife and I are fortunate enough to live nearby, and we see them there
quite often.  Not in large numbers, for sure, but one or two per trip is not
unusual.
They often can be found perching on utility wires.  Look for single small
birds that are not obviously blackbirds, starlings or doves.
We see them less often on days when lots of birders are out, so I suspect
they are averse to disturbance.  But they are definitely out there.
Doug Simonsen

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:12:40 -0700
From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Samish Flats - today (jimbetz at jimbetz.com)

Halllooow,

   In response to comments and questions ...

   1) The small raptors were definitely NOT SEOW, wrong shape to the
      wings and wrong flight pattern/flap speed.  I'm still thinking
      "Kestrels" since they were so small - wing spread of at most 12".
      Pointed ends to the wings rather than broad sweeping rounded
      wingtips, no white rump patch on any of them.  And definitely
      raptors - not some other type.

   2) The "other" Bald Eagle nest is near the West 90, in the trees NW of
      the parking lot.  You can not see the nest from the parking lot but it
      easily spotted as you go towards Samish Island on the road.  Hard to
      spot coming the other way unless you have a spotter riding with you.

   3) I checked eBird and others reported Snows in Skagit County yesterday.
      And I posted a picture of snows at essentially the same location -
      last year on 6 May 22.  So perhaps this won't be my LOS!
                                                                    - Jim