Well.....They Weren't Dunlins

We searched our bird books and looked online to verify that the birds we saw were dunlins.  The only thing we were able to determine was that they are NOT dunlins.

Lydia had read an article in the paper that mentioned the President of the Skagit Audubon Society.  So I was dispatched to get some close-up photos of the birds.  Since they only appear just as the sun goes down, it's hard to get a decent shot of them.

But she e-mailed the photos that I was able to get and got this response:

Thanks for sending the link to your and David’s photos. You have wonderful footage of the swirling flocks of birds that reminded me of some I saw on You Tube taken in Europe. The birds on the wire are European Starlings; the ones with the gray heads and speckled bodies are juveniles (born this year) that are molting. I’ve seen flocks of starlings flying in big, synchronized flocks out on the flats west of Mount Vernon and Burlington but not in such big flocks as you captured in your video. Sometimes they do this type of flying when trying to elude a predator such as a Peregrine or other type of falcon. In one of your videos, I think I can see a larger bird flying by, but it doesn’t seem to be in pursuit.  Dunlins also engage in flying together in pretty big flocks, suddenly changing direction en masse, which gives a kind of flashing effect from the distance because their bellies are lighter than their backs. I’ve seen this out over the bays quite a few times, and while it’s impressive I don’t think I’ve seen Dunlin flocks making such elaborate aerial patterns as the starlings in your footage.  Where did you see these big flocks?

I hope this reply answers your questions. Let me know if I can be of further help. What a great experience you had that evening!

Tim Manns
Skagit Audubon Society

 
So there we have it -- European Starlings right here in Mount Vernon.