Lopez Island, 16 June 2012
A fine mist fell from overcast skies as we drove into the ferry lane for Lopez Island in Anacortes. Some Pelagic Cormorants carried beakfuls of reddish-brown algae to nests on the dock pilings, while others appeared to be incubating eggs.
When we arrived on the island at 13:25, rain sprinkled on our Trooper and the Foxglove flowers alongside the road to Odlin County Park. At the check-in booth, we were delighted to see our name, "St. George," on the reservation board and chalked onto a sign in front of our site #21. Trees and shrubs on two sides and the sea on the third helped to privatize our site, though across from us loomed a group site full of kids. As we set up our tent and screenhouse in the rain, we heard the songs and calls of Swainson's Thrush, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher and American Robin. A Townsend's Chipmunk scurried across a fallen log.
We left the park at 15:25 to mark the Breeding Bird Survey route David had mapped out for us. We tied orange flagging tape to vegetation at stops with no obvious landmark and wrote location notes about others. The route began at the Upright Head Preserve gate by the ferry landing and proceeded south along Ferry Road to Fisherman Bay Road. We had finished the first six stops and were about to turn east on Cross Road when we saw a fire truck parked across Cross road and a fireman directing traffic south! Surprised, we continued into the village for lunch. At Bucky's Island Grill, we overheard some customers talking about the "bomb threat" in a mailbox on Cross Road. No place, not even an island, is immune from the perils of society.
After our meal, we drove south on Fisherman Bay Road to Bayshore Drive, noting birds observed along the way. These included Northwestern Crow, White-crowned Sparrow, Bald Eagle, European Starling, Rufous Hummingbird, and House Finch.
We parked at Otis Perkins Day Park and scanned the Salish Sea with our binos, observed Pigeon Guillemots and one Rhinocerous Auklet with at least 5 small fish in its bill. How do they hold those fish while they dive to catch more? Song Sparrows called and Purple Martins and Barn Swallows swept by. The sea was glassy, as was Fisherman's Bay. Many Canada Geese loafed in the saltmarsh of The Tombolo, including large goslings, while Savannah Sparrows sang. We also observed Brown-headed Cowbird, Violet-green Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, and Great Blue Heron.
Out at Fisherman Bay - The Spit, a flock of American Goldfinches foraged in the tall grasses along the edge of the mown footpath, sending splashes of yellow into the gray light. White-crowned Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Savannah Sparrows, and American Robins sang and called from field and forest. Violet-green and Barn Swallows swept overhead and a Belted Kingfisher rattled from its perch on a derelict reefnetter. The old pear trees by the homestead were loaded with fruit. Mosquitos buzzed, but as long as we kept moving, we were fine. A Bigleaf Maple tree at the edge of the parking area attracted my attention, for they are not that common on this island; I took some photos.
Leaving the preserve at 19:02, we retraced our path along the road between the sea and the bay. Just off the sea shore, I saw a Harbor Seal floating, nostrils and back above the surface. Is this a resting position? Not a duck was to be found on the bay. On a fence along Bayshore Drive, a Wild Turkey loomed out of the dusk. She preened her feathers and only jumped off the fence when we slowed the car.
Returning to the Village, we took the "back way" onto Lopez Road, then to Military Road. A Turkey Vulture soared overhead, Red-winged Blackbirds and an Orange-crowned Warbler sang, and Pine Siskins called. Seven Scottish Highland Cows grazed in the pasture near the corner of Coho Lane. Their reddish coats were matted and wild-looking. Six were steers and one a larger bull.
When we returned to our campsite at 19:30, we were happy to see that both our tent and screenhouse "kitchen" were dry despite the rain, which had stopped earlier.
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