Deception Pass State Park, West Beach
On February 8, about a dozen people met at the south end of West Beach parking lot of Deception Pass then walked the Dune Trail. They spotted birds including Surf Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers, Horned Grebes, and a Common Loon downing a flatfish during the two-hour walk. This was one of a series of bimonthly trips coordinated by the park’s AmeriCorps staff and led by Whidbey Audubon Volunteers.
Birding in Neighborhoods - South
At the end of January, we bundled up and rolled ourselves out into the sun on the dikes at Deer Lagoon, where we identified at least 39 species–a little of everything, including those beautiful and entertaining Hooded Mergansers at the edge in the slough foraging for tiny fishies, then gobbling them down with their adorable little serrated bills! A Killdeer and some Greater Yellowlegs were taking advantage of what little shore there was, along with the Crows and Mallards. Of course, the eagles and harriers were scaring up the ducks and Dunlin. While we were looking for the Snipe that Carlos had spied, a Lincoln’s Sparrow was a nice surprise….
Loons at Deception Pass
On January 25, more than 100 people participated in the annual Loon Field Trip to West Beach and Cranberry Lake led by Sarah and Steve Ellis. They spotted all three loon species, along with Surf Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Pigeon Guillemot and many other birds.