[Tweeters] Wiley Slough Report

[Jim Betz via Tweeters]

Hi all,

   The last time I was out to Wiley Slough - this Thursday - I noted the
following:

   1) The Bald Eagle nest is still ACTIVE - the chick is on the nest.  I 
talked to one
        person who said he -might- have seen the chick in the tree above the
        nest but he wasn't certain due to the lighting at the time. This 
chick is
        very late to 'leave the nest' according to what I understand.  
The family is
        likely to move up the Skagit River whenever the fish (steelhead 
and/or
        salmon) are there.  So get out soon!  I'm hoping to go today 
(Saturday).

   2) There are still Marsh Wrens in the cattails - you hear them but 
getting to
        see them this time of year is difficult.  They tend to be 
further out in the
        marsh and are especially heard after you go out past the metal 
bench.

   3) There are -significantly- more Red-winged Blackbirds this year 
compared to
        any prior year (in my experience).  Check out the field across 
the slough
        where the blind is (quite near the parking lot).  As in 
"hundreds" not tens.

   4) There were many less swallows this trip than before/typical. But 
we went
        out late (*Beautiful* sunset as we were coming back!) so perhaps 
they
        were already roosting for the night?

   5) The numbers of ducks (mostly Mallards with a few Teal) were 
"typical and
        the same" as the last time I was out (just a week prior). There 
was a
        large group of ducklings near the blind (20 or more) with the adults
        a bit further away than normal (attentive but not hovering).

   6) There are probably twice as many GBH this year as prior years - 
meaning
        more than 6 on my checklists.  Did not see the typical 
Kingfisher (too late in
        the day?).  Did not see any Killdeer and only a few Yellowlegs 
(time of day
        and or state of the tide?).  Typical number of robins and 
sparrows.  Very
        few gulls!
       - Jim in Skagit