On Saturday, February 16, 2008 I led a Grays Harbor Audubon field trip to the southern portion of Hood Canal. Four chapter members including myself and 4 guests attended the trip. We covered areas including the lower Skokomish River valley, Potlatch State Park, Hoodsport, Lilliwaup, Union, Twanoah State Park, and a brief side trip to the Lake Cushman area. We ended with 60 species for the day and enjoyed some close looks at a lot of different birds and a few unexpected birds. Here's the recap by location:

George Adams Fish Hatchery (intersection of Highway 101 and Skokomish Valley Rd.):

1 American Dipper - located by the small bridge that crosses Skokomish Valley Rd. This bird allowed great close views and even was singing as it hid under the bridge at times.

Lower Skokomish River valley (in and around the Hunter's Farms):

8 Trumpeter Swans (seen flying to west up the valley)
Mew Gull - most abundant gull species
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
1 American Kestrel - perched on a sna
Bald Eagle - they seemed to be everywhere

Eells Creek Trout Hatchery:

1 American Dipper - seen in a small stream just before the hatchery entrance
1 Green Heron - flushed out of the creek at the hatchery, it called twice while flying

Potlatch State Park, Saltwater Park (Tacoma Power park):

Awesome close views of several water bird species at both parks!

American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck - 2 males
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe - large raft seen closer to Skokomish River estuary

Hoodsport:

Western Gull - at least 2 on the dock
Dunlin - a flock of 150 flying near the shore
Merlin - 1 that grabbed one of the Dunlin

Lilliwaup: the tide was in here so not many new birds seen

Lake Cushman: (we only made one stop near the dam overlook due other roads being closed by snow)

Ring-necked Duck - 1 female seen just before the dam overlook Pine Siskin - small flock of 6 seen just before the dam overlook

Union: (the actual stop was before Union where we looked into the Skokomish estuary)

Canada Goose
1 possible domestic Chinese x Greylag Goose hybrid - bird had the body coloration of a Chinese Goose with the dark stripe going up the back of its neck to the top of its head, however it showed white at the base of its bill and the bill was orange, orange legs as well Northern Pintail - good numbers present here

Twanoah State Park:

2 Red-throated Loons
25 Dunlin

Good birding,

Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
kertim7179@yahoo.com