fiznatty
Member
Late last week I led a two day workshop for a client up to Skagit Valley, Boundary Bay and Reifel Bird Sanctuary (the latter two are in BC, just across the border). I wanted to share what's going on for those that are interested.
Skagit: Not a lot happening yet. The Rawlins Road site where short-eared owls were so cooperative last winter is devoid of them at the moment. A couple harriers flying around, but that's about it. The West 90 area was a bit more active. Saw plenty of red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and bald eagles on the drive up there. One shorty and some more harriers at West 90. Note that it's hunting season right now, so wear bright colors and be careful. The West 90 lot does require a recreational use permit.
Boundary Bay: Snowy owls are back! I don't think any of us were expecting another irruption so soon, but there are some snowies returning to the Bay. We saw two during our visit. Someone saw 8 yesterday, so it's likely we'll get a few more coming in as winter nears. We'll see what this means for Ocean Shores. I know snowies have been seen in Washington already too.
Another big sighting at BB is two long-eared owls. We missed them, unfortunately, but others have seen them right along the dyke at the 72nd St. area. We did see one short-eared owl, plenty of harriers, a Cooper's hawk and a peregrine falcon. A great-horned owl has also been seen in the area.
Reifel Bird Sanctuary: Plenty of waterfowl, and the local sandhill cranes are there. Tons of snow geese flying overhead. My main hope was to see the saw-whet owl that folks have been spotting this last week, but no dice. A barred owl has also been seen.
For those keeping track, that's at least five owl species that can potentially be seen within a stretch of a few miles. It's a great spot for a day trip.
If you want an escort with a little knowledge of the area, or perhaps want photo instruction, I do lead tours and workshops up there. However, I hope this helps those who want to explore on their own too.
Max
Skagit: Not a lot happening yet. The Rawlins Road site where short-eared owls were so cooperative last winter is devoid of them at the moment. A couple harriers flying around, but that's about it. The West 90 area was a bit more active. Saw plenty of red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and bald eagles on the drive up there. One shorty and some more harriers at West 90. Note that it's hunting season right now, so wear bright colors and be careful. The West 90 lot does require a recreational use permit.
Boundary Bay: Snowy owls are back! I don't think any of us were expecting another irruption so soon, but there are some snowies returning to the Bay. We saw two during our visit. Someone saw 8 yesterday, so it's likely we'll get a few more coming in as winter nears. We'll see what this means for Ocean Shores. I know snowies have been seen in Washington already too.
Another big sighting at BB is two long-eared owls. We missed them, unfortunately, but others have seen them right along the dyke at the 72nd St. area. We did see one short-eared owl, plenty of harriers, a Cooper's hawk and a peregrine falcon. A great-horned owl has also been seen in the area.
Reifel Bird Sanctuary: Plenty of waterfowl, and the local sandhill cranes are there. Tons of snow geese flying overhead. My main hope was to see the saw-whet owl that folks have been spotting this last week, but no dice. A barred owl has also been seen.
For those keeping track, that's at least five owl species that can potentially be seen within a stretch of a few miles. It's a great spot for a day trip.
If you want an escort with a little knowledge of the area, or perhaps want photo instruction, I do lead tours and workshops up there. However, I hope this helps those who want to explore on their own too.
Max