Tag Archive for 'bald eagle'

February in the Pacific Northwest is a time when the seasons mingle like dandelion seeds twirling in a gentle breeze. Spring bumps into winter and together they land on the fertile ground of our minds eye. Taking advantage of the season’s wonder, a Ramblin Rose tour heads north to the river flats of the Stillaguamish, Skagit, and Samish. Here the birds and rich land spread their wealth for us to enjoy.

The early morning hours on the Stillaguamish river flats presented us with a vast mixed feeding flock in the scrubby growth of a cut over poplar plantation. This winter morning finds hundreds of these migrants feeding together – American Robins from Canada and Alaska, Dark-eyed Juncos from high altitudes, Lincoln and Fox Sparrows from distant habitats. Today they are frantically feeding and filling the air with their songs, practicing their chorus for a breeding season just moments away. Arriving at Port Susan, we are astonished and delighted to discover four Barn Swallows winging their way around the flat brown lands next to the tidal flats. Harbingers of spring, they have arrived in the rains and cruise through the air undisturbed by the winter landscape surrounding them.

As we wound our way through the farm lands of the Stillaguamish River we marveled at the huge numbers of waterfowl – countless parades of Mallards, Northern Pintail and American Widgeon. Deeper pockets of water revealed Bufflehead and an occasional Common Goldeneye.

Viewing the flooded landscape outside of Stanwood revealed a gathering of a dozen Bald Eagles hunched on the muddy field alongside no less than seventeen Great Blue Herons. The eagles have descended from their wintering grounds on the upper rivers where they had gorged on spawning salmon. Along the deltas, flood plains, and river flats, eagles had gathered for the last hunt before returning to their nesting grounds. The plethora of waterfowl attracted by the open fields would be enough sustenance for the eagles to complete the winter cycle. The Great Blue Herons were taking advantage of the receding winter flood waters to glean easy pickings of fish and voles concentrated in an easy dip bowl.As we watched the predators fill their winter needs in anticipation of spring, we were accompanied by the joyous fussing of competing Marsh Wrens. The wrens were staking out early territories; each male proclaiming his bit of dried grasses and sedges. Despite the limited cover these little brown “mice” were still difficult to see but lovely to listen to.

Arriving on Fir Island, we ventured to the Skagit Game Range. The sun had broken out and revealed a pair of Red-tailed Hawks perched together in courtship. Their bonds formed in anticipation of another nesting season. They were close together and their deep reds and browns blended with the red alder catkins drooping from the bare deciduous branches. High above, early Violet-green Swallows and more Barn Swallows danced across the blue sky. While Yellow-rumped Warblers – our wintering warblers – whitted below them in the barren trees. A Spotted Towhee trilled his first territorial cheeet cheeet song from the thorns of a blackberry bush.

We journeyed further north of the Skagit River where our picnic lunch was taken at the Padilla Bay Nature Reserve where despite the brief sun breaks, the wicked damp wind reminded us that winter clings on. But we enjoy our repast accompanied by several Bald Eagles, one scruffy coyote molting out of its winter coat, and a nearby singing Song Sparrow below a hunting Red-tailed Hawk. After lunch we continued to head north to the rich river flats of the Samish. Pausing at the West 90, we were overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of wintering raptors that abound in this area. Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks all in evidence throughout this confluence of Puget Sound, the Samish River and the rich delta. Was it 14 Harriers? or 18 Harriers? Certainly the Bald Eagles numbered in the 30s and the rarer Rough-legged Hawk numbers stopped at seven.

Exhausted by the wealth, we stopped at Edison to refresh at a bakery. But even coffee and pastry was no respite from raptors. Easily visible from the bakery’s deck was a Merlin perched high atop a conifer less than a block away. We watched his hunting exploits, scattering Eurasian Collared Doves to and fro as we preyed upon our cookies and brownies.

Before leaving the Samish Flats it would pay to stop and gaze closely at the abundance of Trumpeter Swans that had delighted us throughout all of the day – we listened with delight to their honking cries. Their glorious pristine white silhouetted against the gray sky. Landing by the dozens, the sharp contrast of brilliant new green grasses against the swan’s pale plumage, filled our binoculars with light. We panned the multitudes, enjoying the elegance of the white adults; noting the plumage change that was already occurring for the young of last year. Their drab gray was peppered with sparkling new white adult feathers. As we watched the elegant swans, the sound of Horned Larks twinkled through the air – foretelling of spring adventures in the mountains.

The afternoon was waning, so with one more long look at the winter gift of swans we headed out on to the highway – reaching 45 mph before skidding to an instant stop, for there amongst the next flock of swans was a singular Sand Hill Crane. The gray elegance reflected in the mass of white surrounding it. Was it overwintering with this flock or stopping by on its way north for breeding season?

We had time for one more stop on the way south. We made our way back to the North Fork of the Skagit River on Fir Island. Here, where the saltwater meets the mud of the river, a rich mixture of grasses and cover make an ideal hunting grounds for vole predators. As we exited the vehicle, the song of Western Meadowlarks rained down upon us. A quick scan with the scope revealed over twenty yellow-and-brown beauties feeding in the fields. A few meadowlarks winter in western Washington but their song reminds us of the warmth of their spring and summer homes in eastern Washington.

Climbing the dike as the sun sank low, our attention was captured by the barking of Northern Harriers. The agitated harriers swooped down on Short-eared Owls perched amongst the driftwood. Soon the Short-eared Owls took flight, floating moth-like against the backdrop of a pink and orange sunset reflecting from the fresh snow clad Olympic Mountains. Marsh Wrens continued to sing a spring duet with the Western Meadowlarks as the sky filled with the cacophony of thousands of Snow Geese flying from the fields to their night roost on Puget Sound. It truly had been a day of winter mixed with the hope and signs of spring.