Mindful Birding Summary for 21 October 2025
 
Watching ducks at Spencer Spit State Park
 
...and then a rainbow!
 
Dear Mindful Birders,

Eight birders experienced a wonderful morning of mist, calm, a rainbow and diverse bird observations at Spencer Spit State Park. In the forest on the way down to the lagoon, mixed flocks of winter residents called and foraged from mid to high canopy: Golden-crowned & Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and one Brown Creeper spotted by our newest birder. 
 
At the lagoon, many ducks were still in brown eclipse plumage, but male Mallards, one Northern Pintail, and two American Wigeon have molted back into their lovely colors. Two Long-billed Dowitchers probed continuously in the mudflats and Killdeer called and ran about. One lone Bonaparte's Gull foraged among the ducks. Across the spit on the rocky beach, a Great Blue Heron caught two small, wriggling fish. On distant Flower Island, one adult Bald Eagle perched. 
 
Other birds observed: American Robin, Song Sparrow, Green-winged Teal, Double-crested Cormorant, Belted Kingfisher, Spotted Towhee, and Northern Flicker. 
 
Consult your favorite field guide or visit Cornell's All About Birds website to see photos and an abundance of information on all the species we observed.
 
The next walks will be on Tuesdays, November 4 & 18. Bird walks are limited to 6 people to ensure a quality experience, so please sign up early to reserve your spot. Contact: Beth@LopezLibrary.org, 360-468-2265 or stop by the library. 
 
Thanks for birding with me,
Beth

Recommended Resources
National Geographic field guide to the birds of Western North America
by Jon L. Dunn

An up-to-date birding handbook provides identification tips, 3,500 full-color illustrations, six hundred locator and range maps, information on behavior and nesting, new plumage and species classification data, and other valuable facts about 750 North American birds found west of the Rocky Mountains. 
Peterson field guide to birds of western North America / : Includes Birds of Hawaii
by Roger Tory Peterson

"A new edition of the best-selling field guide, with 25 all-new plates covering the birds of Hawaii"
Sibley's Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast
by David Allen Sibley

53 waterbirds commonly found in the region; migratory birds and year-round residents; shorebirds, gulls and terns; wading birds; ducks. Waterproof, accordion-style.

 
Sibley's Backyard Birds of the Pacific Northwest
by David Allen Sibley

69 land birds commonly found in the region; migratory species and year-round residents; songbirds, hawks, woodpeckers and more. Waterproof, accordion-style.
 

Lopez Island Library
2225 Fisherman Bay Rd
Lopez Island, Washington 98261
360-468-2265
www.lopezlibrary.org