Birders,
This afternoon, I checked my mailbox in Blaine and planned to do some birding in the area, based on a weather report that it was sunny with a temperature of 61 degrees. However, by the time I got there, it was only 51 degrees and fogged in! So I decided to check out Willeys Lake, a small pond between Birch Bay and Lynden, and Wiser Lake to see what was there-- the fog didn’t extend very far inland.
Willeys Lake, though it’s not very big, has usually had some interesting birds when I checked it in the past. This time, there were few waterfowl other than 30 CANADA GEESE, but there were three species of shorebirds along the edge: 22 KILLDEER, 3 WILSON’S SNIPES, and 5 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS.
I then stopped at Wiser Lake, at the WDFW access point just east of Highway 539. Wiser Lake (or the east half of it) was covered with birds! I estimated at least 500 AMERICAN COOTS, 400 AMERICAN WIGEON, and 200 RING-NECKED DUCKS. With them were small numbers of several other waterfowl species, including 8 CANVASBACKS and 2 male REDHEADS, probably newly-arrived. Wiser Lake is a good place for the latter two species in winter. It may be worth checking occasionally over the next few months. (I’m still looking for my first Tufted Duck in Whatcom County, although I’ve seen them twice in Skagit County!)
Good luck and good birding,
Wayne C. Weber
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