From blythe.horman at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 01:34:53 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off subject: help identifying cast-off pupae fragments In-Reply-To: References: <954c66a-8a1c-c6c-6266-c389851c56a4@zipcon.net> Message-ID: > > Hi Ian, > > Thank you for the recommendation. It looks fascinating. > > Best regards, > Blythe Horman, Lynnwood > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 10:14?PM Ian Paulsen > wrote: > >> HI Blythe et al.: >> Most standard insect guides will show larvae to varying degrees, but >> for >> what insects leave behind I recommend this book: >> >> >> https://www.amazon.com/Tracks-Sign-Insects-Other-Invertebrates/dp/0811736245/ref=sr_1_1?crid=193P2VH7J5H6N&keywords=insects+tracks&qid=1706767784&s=books&sprefix=insects+tracks%2Cstripbooks%2C218&sr=1-1 >> >> It's from 2010 so it's a bit dated, but still useful. >> >> sincerely >> Ian Paulsen >> Bainbridge Island, WA, USA >> Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: >> https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ >> >> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 08:01:25 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Endangered seabird shows surprising individual flexibility to adapt to climate change | ScienceDaily Message-ID: <9000D5F9-F1C0-45C6-B855-BB9D86FB9CF7@gmail.com> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129182343.htm Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 08:07:32 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] 4 never-before-seen emperor penguin colonies discovered in Antarctica, thanks to poop smears spotted from space | Live Science Message-ID: <4BA2DA2E-5F4E-4948-954D-AA4603B46329@gmail.com> https://www.livescience.com/animals/penguins/4-never-before-seen-emperor-penguin-colonies-discovered-in-antarctica-thanks-to-poop-smears-spotted-from-space Sent from my iPhone From bobr3531 at yahoo.com Thu Feb 1 12:35:46 2024 From: bobr3531 at yahoo.com (rrowland) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birds of a Fiber exhibit at PNQ & FAM References: <463D3252-1179-4C2B-97CC-E3EE98475AF0.ref@yahoo.com> Message-ID: <463D3252-1179-4C2B-97CC-E3EE98475AF0@yahoo.com> ? Thanks Joan! In case you didn't get all the information and details here's the post: ---------------- Hello Tweets! I?d like to announce the 6th annual wonderful bird themed fiber art exhibit at the La Conner Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum. ?Birds Of A Fiber? runs Jan 24 - March 24. With 64 pieces from a jury selected international call, this exhibit is one of the best yet! My spouse has a piece in the show, but I am completely objective when I say this show is not to be missed! :-) It takes place at the historic Victorian Ganches mansion, the home of the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, in La Conner, Wa, in the heart of the Skagit Valley. This Saturday, Feb., 3rd from 2:30-4pmthere is a free reception! Directions and details can be found at their website. https://www.qfamuseum.org/ ALSO! This weekend Feb 3-4th is La Conner?s Birding Festival taking place at Maple Hall in La Conner. Featuring a special guest speaker, Saturday 6pm, Tony Angell. "Join us on Saturday evening at 6:00 PM for a captivating presentation by renowned author and artist Tony Angell, titled ?For Ravens, Crows, and Other Birds, Timing is Crucial.? More details about the Birding Festival here: https://members.lovelaconner.com/events/details/birding-festival-11136 Happy Birding! Robert Rowland --------------------- Hi Tweets, I just want to echo Robert's post about this incredible show! I saw their birds show a couple years ago and it blew me away. Even if you aren't a fiber arts fan, the art these artists create is the highest level of creativity and skill! Can't wait to see this. Support this little gem of a museum! Joan -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 12:59:39 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr NWR Wednesday Walk for 1/31/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, 26 of us enjoyed a fairly dry Wednesday at the Refuge with temperatures in the 50's degrees Fahrenheit and intermittent light rain. There was a High 14'2" Tide at 9:05am. Highlights included a dark MERLIN in the Peregrine Tree (Douglas Fir in the Visitor Center Pond), good numbers of BROWN CREEPER along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and DUNLIN and WILSON'S SNIPE seen in the flooded field from the Twin Barns Overlook, WESTERN GULL and GREATER SCAUP scoped from the closure gate at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, 17 plus COMMON MERGANSER at the Nisqually River Overlook, and both SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and COOPER'S HAWK in the forest at the Riparian Forest Overlook. Rare sightings included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER in the right corner of the surge plain, WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a large flock of DUNLIN, and upwards of 6 BARN SWALLOW foraging over the freshwater marsh. The weather was spring-like, numerous species were displaying and singing. The PACIFIC WREN and various frogs were very vocal. We observed 71 species for the day. With FOY Western Gull and Greater Scaup we have seen 91 species this year. Our eBird List is pasted below with photos embedded. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Overlook, happy birding! Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jan 31, 2024 7:57 AM - 4:27 PM Protocol: Traveling 5.26 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. The skies were overcast with occasional light rain and mist, with temperatures 50-54? F. A High 14.2-foot tide at 9:05 a.m. ebbed to a 3.75-foot Low water at 3:48 p.m. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, with active Pacific Chorus Frogs and the first bullfrog viewed this year. 71 species (+4 other taxa) Cackling Goose (minima) 445 Canada Goose 34 Northern Shoveler 155 Gadwall 60 Eurasian Wigeon 2 American Wigeon 475 Mallard 185 Northern Pintail 75 Green-winged Teal 115 Ring-necked Duck 29 Greater Scaup 22 Surf Scoter 45 Bufflehead 100 Common Goldeneye 60 Hooded Merganser 16 Most in surge plain at high tide Common Merganser 17 Nisqually River overlook Red-breasted Merganser 15 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Visitors' centre pond Horned Grebe 7 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Orchard American Coot 80 Killdeer 1 Semipalmated Plover 6 *Continuing; small plover with single breast band; seen in surge plain near low tide Long-billed Dowitcher 33 Seen from Twin Barns overlook Wilson's Snipe 2 Seen from Twin Barns overlook Spotted Sandpiper 1 McAllister Creek Greater Yellowlegs 30 Dunlin 875 Least Sandpiper 115 * Flagged for high count, flock of 115 counted by 5x Western Sandpiper 1 In with flock of Dunlin. Larger than least sandpiper; pale grey face and throat, grey-brown back rather than brown back; longer bill Short-billed Gull 100 Ring-billed Gull 120 Western Gull 1 Dark mantle, black primary tips, clear white head feathers Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 9 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 30 Larus sp. 200 Mouth of the river Common Loon 3 Brandt's Cormorant 4 Nisqually Reach channel marker. Pelagic Cormorant 1 Nisqually Reach channel marker. Double-crested Cormorant 26 Great Blue Heron 45 Northern Harrier 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Immature; both accipiters seen at riparian overlook boardwalk Bald Eagle 12 Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 McAllister Creek, captured large sculpin Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1 Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1 Northern Flicker 3 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Merlin 1 American Crow 345 Black-capped Chickadee 14 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 Barn Swallow 6 Dark-bellied and throated Hirundids, orange breast and swallow tails seen foraging high over the cattail marsh near McAllister Creek dike Ruby-crowned Kinglet 16 Golden-crowned Kinglet 20 Brown Creeper 7 Pacific Wren 3 Marsh Wren 4 Bewick's Wren 11 European Starling 40 Varied Thrush 3 Orchard American Robin 24 House Finch 2 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 2 Golden-crowned Sparrow 17 Song Sparrow 21 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 4 Western Meadowlark 1 Red-winged Blackbird 60 Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160336752 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Feb 1 15:00:21 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-01 References: <695370915.2249290.1706828421761.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <695370915.2249290.1706828421761@mail.yahoo.com> This year's Imbolc edition of the Marymoor Survey was pretty good.? A touch of mizzle now and then, and a little too overcast, but it was warm and calm and fairly birdy.? With the cross quarter day (half-way between the solstice and the equinox), there was suddenly a lot more singing, herons at the nests, big buds on the Indian Plum, and many calling Pacific Tree Frogs pre-dawn. Highlights:? ? ?Wood Duck - One beautiful male in the slough near the start of the boardwalk? ? ?Ruddy Duck - A pair, I believe, on the lake FAR OUT.? The male was barely recognizable; the probable female was sticking with him ? ? ?Anna's Hummingbirds - Several singing males, and the first displaying male of spring ? ? ?Cooper's Hawk - One across the slough below the weir.? First of Year (FOY) ? ? ?Merlin - One atop a fir NE of the mansion ? ? ?CEDAR WAXWING - Flock of about 30 in a berry-filled European Hawthorn in the northern part of the Dog Meadow.? (FOY) ? ? ?Pine Siskin - A couple of good-sized flocks ? ? ?White-throated Sparrow - One with Golden-crowns near the 2nd Dog Swim Beach bench ? ? ?Singing birds included Black-capped Chickadee, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren (many), American Robin, Song Sparrow, and Red-winged Blackbird. Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Short-billed Gull, Hairy Woodpecker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and White-crowned Sparrow. For the day, 52 species.? We are now at 66 species for the year. = Michael Hobbs= BirdMarymoor@gmail.com= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm? ? ? ? ? ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 16:28:11 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Female Northern Shoveler Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, We?re watching a female Northern Shoveler feeding in circles at Sprague?s Pond in Lynnwood. My first visit here. Too urban for my taste, but a nice species. There are also male and female bufflehead, Canada Geese, and the ubiquitous mallards. Best, Blythe Horman, Lynwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 16:33:06 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?More_at_Sprague=E2=80=99s_pond?= Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, How odd to see a Pacific Cormorant perched serenely across the pond on the cement verge. Behind it is a flock of American Widgeon feeding on the grass. Blythe Horman, Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 17:07:29 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?More_at_Sprague=E2=80=99s_pond?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I?m excited to add two pairs of Ring-necked Ducks to the tally! Sorry for the multiple emails, I?ll get a full list of sightings before I write from now on. Blythe Horman, Lynnwood On Thu, Feb 1, 2024 at 4:33 PM Blythe Horman wrote: > Hi Tweeters, > > How odd to see a Pacific Cormorant perched serenely across the pond on the > cement verge. Behind it is a flock of American Widgeon feeding on the grass. > > Blythe Horman, Lynnwood > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kersti.e.muul at gmail.com Thu Feb 1 18:53:37 2024 From: kersti.e.muul at gmail.com (Kersti Muul) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fishing gear clean-up (Dead owls at Greenlake) Message-ID: You may remember - in December an owl was found hanging from fishing line from a tree overhanging Greenlake. Unfortunately it died before anyone could respond. (Jenn Jarstad's post) On December 30, another owl was reported to me, caught in fishing line. I went out and found it after it somehow freed itself. It was also out over the lake. I went into the water around 11PM and captured it. He was injured and lethargic. He was also banded. This owl was 15 years old, banded during HY at the Woodland Park Zoo, near the hornbill exhibit. Recaptured 10 months later, at the Barred Owl exhibit (visiting friends ?). Owl was not reported again until I captured again on Dec 30, 2023. The owl had really perked up overnight, but still injured - so I took him in. This urban owl lived a long life, escaping many dangers (including SGARs - surprisingly after spending so much time at WPZ) and it saddens me that at the end, he should be entangled in humans' careless waste. I have responded to a lot of entangled urban wildlife. It's a bigger issue than a lot of folks know. I reached out to the Greenlake community in hopes of collaborating cleanups for wildlife. This has been going really well and several groups are on-board, including the Lincoln Highschool fishing club, the YMCA, Friends of Greenlake, Parks and Rec and others. Our first cleanup is this Sunday at 9:30 AM. We have longer term goals but wanted to get something on the schedule before bud break and it's a lot harder to see. Here's a link to register if you're so inclined, thank you: https://lu.ma/greenlakecleanup Kersti E. Muul Urban Conservation & Wildlife Biologist/Specialist - Response and Rescue Wildlife Field Biologist IV Marbled murrelet forest certified and USFWS marine certified Birds Connect Neighborhood Bird Project Site Leader, Lincoln Park Climate Watch Coordinator, West Seattle Animal Care Specialist/Animal & Off the Grid First Aid Certified -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Thu Feb 1 20:23:30 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?More_at_Sprague=E2=80=99s_pond?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0EDC1BCE-FDC7-43A8-9F6F-9089C0818461@comcast.net> >How odd to see a Pacific Cormorant Pacific Cormorant? Possible auto-correct of Pelagic Cormorant? But Pelagic on fresh water would be unusual, I think. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Feb 1, 2024, at 16:33, Blythe Horman wrote: > > Hi Tweeters, > > How odd to see a Pacific Cormorant perched serenely across the pond on the cement verge. Behind it is a flock of American Widgeon feeding on the grass. > > Blythe Horman, Lynnwood > From blythe.horman at gmail.com Fri Feb 2 13:05:01 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?more_at_Sprague=E2=80=99s_Pond?= Message-ID: Thanks, Tom. Pelagic Cormorant is indeed what I meant. Blythe Horman, Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mch1096 at hotmail.com Fri Feb 2 14:36:49 2024 From: mch1096 at hotmail.com (mary hrudkaj) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Western Scrub Jay in Belfair Message-ID: Coming home on Hwy 300 from Hwy 3 in Belfair, I and my sister were a bit surprised to see a Western Scrub Jay sitting over the intersection at Old Belfair Hwy. About 2 weeks ago I had seen one but couldn't remember if it was Belfair or Port Orchard. First I've seen in Belfair that I can remember. Signs of Spring are there if you look for them. Found Western Coltsfoot flower stalks above ground in a couple areas along North Shore Rd. Water cress is coming up along the same road but I wouldn't pick any there. Hazelnut catkins are long and bright yellow everywhere, and my daffodils are poking up several inches. A great welcome home after being away for almost two weeks after back surgery. Mary Hrudka Tahuya/Belfair -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Fri Feb 2 21:09:56 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?more_at_Sprague=E2=80=99s_Pond?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: It?s been pointed out to me that this was most likely a Double-crested Cormorant. After looking at field markings and some of my distant photos, I agree. I think it was a juvenile. On Fri, Feb 2, 2024 at 1:05?PM Blythe Horman wrote: > Thanks, Tom. Pelagic Cormorant is indeed what I meant. > > Blythe Horman, Lynnwood > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sat Feb 3 07:24:39 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Lummi Flats ... finding locations in Whatcom County In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240203072439.Horde.G-OzhBBBiKLXVi50vVt1Mzm@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, Following info from Whatcom Audubon site - and with some extra time for an appointment in Bellingham - I drove out Slater Road last week. I did not find very many birds - a few Trumpeters, one Bald Eagle, two RTH, and three or four GBH. I did not go down any of the roads going South from Slater Rd ... was that my mistake? I also learned that there is zero access to the beach at Sandy Point (unless you are a resident) ... so no shore birds to speak of other than the occasional gull and a few mallards in the water but not much else. I have previously gone to Whatcom Falls and although a very nice park - again not very birdy. So where are the "low hanging fruit" birding locations in the Bellingham area? - Jim From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sat Feb 3 08:16:30 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Lessons Learned from a Trail Cam In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240203081630.Horde.jt4c-0THQ3tBad1NXsw45VL@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, A little over a year ago I asked on this forum about using a trail cam for my backyard. So I bought one, set it up covering my fountain ... and promptly forgot about it. Last week - a year later - I retrieved the card in order to process the images. To remind, we live in Burlington and do not have a lot of native conifers near our house. The first lesson is "Don't Let It Go That Long Again" ... there were almost 11,000 images on it! (Yes, that is -eleven- thousand roughly a thousand a month.) So I started looking at them using the 'dumb' image viewer in Windoze - and quickly learned that about 2/3rds of the images can be instantly eliminated due to the trail cam either not capturing the bird (flown out of frame before shutter tripped) or the shot was 'unsuable' due to lighting (esp. back lit) or other quick reasons. So I started going thru them and getting rid of the easy ones ... I'm about half way so far. I intend to complete this first pass before I move on to selecting a few and seeing how they stand up to "post processing". The lessons learned: 1) The smallest birds (passerines and hummers) are usually images that are too small to be of much use as images ... but relatively easy to ID the bird(s). 2) It is common for the smaller birds to "share" the fountain with each other, no matter what species - but as soon as a much larger bird such as a flicker or Stellar's shows up they leave. Often just moving to the nearby bush to wait. Individual birds can be 'aggressive/territorial' and attempt to chase off others - sometimes chasing a competitor results in a 3rd or 4th bird using that time to use the fountain ... *G*. This aggressive/territorial behavior does not seem to be related to species - it is more of a "this is MY fountain". 3) Exceptions to #2 is that the smaller birds will happily share the fountain with both species of doves (Mourning and Asian Ringed-Neck). And they will always share with Towhees and usually with robins or waxwings. Usually. In general. (you get my drift). 4) Northern Flickers visit the fountain much more often than I knew. 5) There is a Cooper's Hawk (more than one?) that visited every 2 or 3 days last summer for an extended time (weeks dragging out into months). I even have some shots of it consuming smaller birds while sitting on the fountain - but none of it actually making the kill so I don't know if it caught the bird on the fountain or brought it there. 6) There is much more of a "seasonal aspect" than I expected - where a particular species is present for weeks/months at a time ... but not at other times of the year. I expected some ... just not as much as is obvious. 7) Birds seen at our fountain are: finches (all varieties), Chickadees, Juncos, sparrows, Robins, Towhees, waxwings, flickers, Stellar's, grosbeaks, waxwings, nuthatches, and Cooper's. 8) Birds -not- seen were: Kestrel, gulls, jays other than Stellar's, large raptors (eagles, buteos, vultures, owls, etc.), pipits, kingbirds, larks. Etc. Since I am only about half way thru the first pass I'm still hopeful some of these will be added to the "seen" list. Also no crows/ravens or woodpeckers other than flickers. 9) The camera images are good - but no where near as good as I get from my birding camera (Lumix until late May and then R7). Still useful. 10) I got some images that are welcome surprises - such as a very close up (full frame or more) when the birds flew directly at/past the trail cam or perched in the bush right in front of it. The fountain is about 4 feet from the trail cam - that bush less than 2. 11) Most of the species use the fountain for bathing and not just for getting a drink. Often these images are "fun" because the bird's feathers are often in large disarray. 12) The one thing I hope to change is the shutter speed - at 1/30th it is too slow to capture many of the images and the bird is completely blurred. But sometimes, even if it is not a hummer, the bird in flight will be either frozen or everything-but-the-wings frozen. 13) I also got images of non-avian visitors ... mostly deer. And some where the camera tripped after dark and the image is from infrared emitted by the trail cam. I consider this to be a very useful tool - and I'll continue the "experiment". I might reposition the camera to also capture the hummers at their nectar feeder. - Jim in Burlington From zoramon at mac.com Sat Feb 3 08:46:40 2024 From: zoramon at mac.com (Zora Monster) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Lessons Learned from a Trail Cam In-Reply-To: <20240203081630.Horde.jt4c-0THQ3tBad1NXsw45VL@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240203081630.Horde.jt4c-0THQ3tBad1NXsw45VL@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <02087D07-802F-4C5B-9347-19632BFBF861@mac.com> Thanks for sharing the info about the trail cam. Seems like you?ve gotten a lot of info about your birds by using it. I have one just sitting around that I could set up near my fountain. Zora Dermer Seattle Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 3, 2024, at 8:17?AM, jimbetz@jimbetz.com wrote: > > ? > Hi, > > A little over a year ago I asked on this forum about using a trail cam for my backyard. > So I bought one, set it up covering my fountain ... and promptly forgot about it. Last > week - a year later - I retrieved the card in order to process the images. To remind, > we live in Burlington and do not have a lot of native conifers near our house. > > The first lesson is "Don't Let It Go That Long Again" ... there were almost 11,000 > images on it! (Yes, that is -eleven- thousand roughly a thousand a month.) > > So I started looking at them using the 'dumb' image viewer in Windoze - and quickly > learned that about 2/3rds of the images can be instantly eliminated due to the trail > cam either not capturing the bird (flown out of frame before shutter tripped) or the > shot was 'unsuable' due to lighting (esp. back lit) or other quick reasons. So I > started going thru them and getting rid of the easy ones ... I'm about half way so > far. I intend to complete this first pass before I move on to selecting a few and > seeing how they stand up to "post processing". > > The lessons learned: > > 1) The smallest birds (passerines and hummers) are usually images that are too > small to be of much use as images ... but relatively easy to ID the bird(s). > > 2) It is common for the smaller birds to "share" the fountain with each other, no > matter what species - but as soon as a much larger bird such as a flicker or > Stellar's shows up they leave. Often just moving to the nearby bush to wait. > Individual birds can be 'aggressive/territorial' and attempt to chase off > others - sometimes chasing a competitor results in a 3rd or 4th bird using > that time to use the fountain ... *G*. This aggressive/territorial behavior > does not seem to be related to species - it is more of a "this is MY fountain". > > 3) Exceptions to #2 is that the smaller birds will happily share the fountain > with both species of doves (Mourning and Asian Ringed-Neck). And they will > always share with Towhees and usually with robins or waxwings. Usually. > In general. (you get my drift). > > 4) Northern Flickers visit the fountain much more often than I knew. > > 5) There is a Cooper's Hawk (more than one?) that visited every 2 or 3 days > last summer for an extended time (weeks dragging out into months). > I even have some shots of it consuming smaller birds while sitting on > the fountain - but none of it actually making the kill so I don't know > if it caught the bird on the fountain or brought it there. > > 6) There is much more of a "seasonal aspect" than I expected - where a particular > species is present for weeks/months at a time ... but not at other times > of the year. I expected some ... just not as much as is obvious. > > 7) Birds seen at our fountain are: finches (all varieties), Chickadees, Juncos, > sparrows, Robins, Towhees, waxwings, flickers, Stellar's, grosbeaks, > waxwings, nuthatches, and Cooper's. > > 8) Birds -not- seen were: Kestrel, gulls, jays other than Stellar's, large > raptors (eagles, buteos, vultures, owls, etc.), pipits, kingbirds, > larks. Etc. Since I am only about half way thru the first pass I'm > still hopeful some of these will be added to the "seen" list. Also > no crows/ravens or woodpeckers other than flickers. > > 9) The camera images are good - but no where near as good as I get from my > birding camera (Lumix until late May and then R7). Still useful. > > 10) I got some images that are welcome surprises - such as a very close up > (full frame or more) when the birds flew directly at/past the trail cam or > perched in the bush right in front of it. The fountain is about 4 feet > from the trail cam - that bush less than 2. > > 11) Most of the species use the fountain for bathing and not just for getting a > drink. Often these images are "fun" because the bird's feathers are often > in large disarray. > > 12) The one thing I hope to change is the shutter speed - at 1/30th it is too > slow to capture many of the images and the bird is completely blurred. > But sometimes, even if it is not a hummer, the bird in flight will be > either frozen or everything-but-the-wings frozen. > > 13) I also got images of non-avian visitors ... mostly deer. And some where > the camera tripped after dark and the image is from infrared emitted by > the trail cam. > > I consider this to be a very useful tool - and I'll continue the "experiment". > I might reposition the camera to also capture the hummers at their nectar > feeder. > - Jim in Burlington > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From mj.cygnus at gmail.com Sun Feb 4 10:27:42 2024 From: mj.cygnus at gmail.com (Martha Jordan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Urgent need for volunteers to count swans Message-ID: This is a project in the Skagit Valley being conducted by a graduate student and WDFW. WDFW and the grad student have been capturing swans and placing satellite transmitters on them over the past 2 months. About 19 collars are out there, all white so they are very difficult to see and there are no numbers/letters on them. A key part of the project are weekly swan counts in the Skagit Valley. There is a need for volunteers to help. I am reaching out to those who may want to assist with this effort. It is simple, easy and requires no skill in swan identification other than to tell a swan from other birds. I know this is late notice. That said, with a few more people we can get it done. What is needed is people to drive a particular area in the Skagit Valley (maps provided) and count swans. No need to identify them to species or determine adults/juv age. Just count the swans and enter the data on a map (where they were seen) and on a form. It is simple. Anyone with a spotting scope, or even really good binoculars can do this type of count. We were supposed to go out today, but it was cancelled due to lack of needed people to cover the areas. What I am hoping for is people who can go out once a week, or every other week, or even just once or twice this season. We need at least 2 more people than we have each week. Thus, we need a pool of people as some folks may opt for every other week or just once. It is a good opportunity to help with a valuable research project and have fun at the same time.....you never know what you will see while out there. I can provide people with clicker counters to help them if there are large flocks. As I said, only counting the total number of swans, enter the data and move on to find the next group in the geographic area needed to be covered. To cover an area is about 2 hours, some maybe less. You can take up to 4 hours if you want to look at all the birds you find along the way. I will be coordinating this over the next two months -- through March. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. We are desperate to get more help to keep this project going. Call or text is the best way to get in touch. Please be sure to put your name in the text. Thank you. Martha Jordan 206-713-3684 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonbirder at comcast.net Sun Feb 4 18:32:30 2024 From: jonbirder at comcast.net (Jon Houghton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] North central WA trip - day 1 Message-ID: <1119917950.691260.1707100351015@connect.xfinity.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ksnyder75 at gmail.com Mon Feb 5 06:47:31 2024 From: ksnyder75 at gmail.com (Kathleen Snyder) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A Dead Tree's Excellent Adventure - Thursday Feb 8, 7 pm via Zoom or in person Message-ID: Ken Bevis, Stewardship Biologist for DNR, will describe the life cycle of dead trees and their importance as habitat for many species with an emphasis on primary cavity excavators - the woodpeckers. He will describe the best types of snags for habitat and have suggestions for management of this critical habitat feature. This free program from Black Hills Audubon will be live at Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th St SE in Olympia (6:30 social time) or you can watch from home with Zoom (use the registration link below). https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuceqoqz8rHteCypT2N4qmSNUC3w9t1lQm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dano135 at hotmail.com Wed Feb 7 13:28:45 2024 From: dano135 at hotmail.com (Daniel Lipinski) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bainbridge Island Birding Message-ID: Not sure if it's been a slow week or there's an issue with the list serve, but I haven't gotten an email in 2-days. It's been a while since I added something, so I thought I would. Today 2/7 I did some scope/sea watching on the west side of Bainbridge looking towards Suquamish and into Liberty Bay inlet from Agate pass (Hidden Cove road end) and saw an enormous number of surf scoters. I estimated 400+ surf scoters and couldn't pull a black or white winged scoter out of the bunch. I've sporadically seen those two species off Bainbridge but only have a few years of scoping under my belt so it's a small data set. All three expected cormorants were moving around and a few of the pelagic were showing their white rump breeding colors. Pigeon guillemot was the only Alcid seen and some were in breeding colors, some still in their winter plumage. No murres, or murrelets about. Bufflehead and horned grebes were scattered as were common goldeneye, a few red breasted mergansers and a single red-necked grebe. No western grebes seen. All three expected loons were present with a single common loon, a small grouping (6) pacific loons and two red throated loons. Gulls were minimal with a short billed gull fly by - a few "Olympic gulls" one dark mantled one that looked really close to being a western gull - but didn't "feel" right. Highlight and reason I went was a small flock of long tailed ducks. One male flew by and I followed him in my scope until he went really far north landing with a group of females. First sighting of these from land (i.e. not from the ferry) off Bainbridge. Oh, and the Hutton's vireos started singing again today! Spring is coming and our winter waterbirds will be departing soon trading places with our summer nesters. Happy Birding! Dan dano135@hotmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonbirder at comcast.net Wed Feb 7 16:00:02 2024 From: jonbirder at comcast.net (Jon Houghton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Northcentral WA Trip - Day 2 - OK Highlands Message-ID: <354331156.189693.1707350402711@connect.xfinity.com> Hi Tweets - Sounds like my day 1 tweet, sent from my phone, was scrubbed by our carrier!?! Oh well, we didn't see much except for really cute Saw-whets at Bridgeport SP. On Monday, we headed optimistically up to the Okanogan Highlands with our first stop at Fancher Road where we were sure to find Chuckar and Golden Eagle. It was about 32 degrees with light rainy snow but we saw nothing but Ravens and Magpies, not even a quail (more on this spot later). From there, we headed up Siwash Rd. hoping for Sharptailed Grouse and several other birds we often have seen there. We made it almost to where No. Siwash Cr. Rd. heads north haven seen nothing but Magpie (low down) and Ravens - mostly higher up. I walked significant -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonbirder at comcast.net Wed Feb 7 16:44:12 2024 From: jonbirder at comcast.net (Jon Houghton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Northcentral WA Trip - Day 2 - OK Highlands (Part 2) In-Reply-To: <354331156.189693.1707350402711@connect.xfinity.com> References: <354331156.189693.1707350402711@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <2102162805.191956.1707353052109@connect.xfinity.com> > On 02/07/2024 4:00 PM PST Jon Houghton wrote: > > > Hi Tweets - Sounds like my day 1 tweet, sent from my phone, was scrubbed by our carrier!?! Oh well, we didn't see much except for really cute Saw-whets at Bridgeport SP. On Monday, we headed optimistically up to the Okanogan Highlands with our first stop at Fancher Road where we were sure to find Chuckar and Golden Eagle. It was about 32 degrees with light rainy snow but we saw nothing but Ravens and Magpies, not even a quail (more on this spot later). From there, we headed up Siwash Rd. hoping for Sharptailed Grouse and several other birds we often have seen there. We made it almost to where No. Siwash Cr. Rd. heads north haven seen nothing but Magpie (low down) and Ravens - mostly higher up. I walked significant [don't know how that got sent prematurely?] portions of the road and we examined all the grouse habitat (S-T and Ruffed) really well, tooting the No. Pygmy Owl, but couldn't find a bird of any kind. Near the top of the road, a guy in a truck came by and said they'd just seen 6 grouse in a tree back down the road. We retraced the entire route to the creek mouth with no luck. Where he reported the birds, there was a RT Hawk sitting in a tree which likely explains the short stay of the grouse. Along the No. Fk. Siwash Rd to Havilla Rd. and up to the Sno Park, we saw no birds, again despite stopping walking and tooting in places where usually there's something. The meadows around Havilla and along Nealy Rd were mostly bare and my checklist for this stretch had one species - Rock Pigeon. On Nealy Rd. we finally saw a couple of Rough-legs, plus Magpies and Ravens. The area around Chesaw (Havilla Cem. to Bolster) was similarly bird-free (except for Bald Eagle and Ravens) and snow-free although higher elevation fields had a few inches on the ground. No finches and no grouse in the entire highlands but we did find a Golden Eagle along Mary-Ann Creek road and about 4 chickadees (2 spp) at the feeders at the upper most farm. There were no visible birds in Molson but we did see one No. Shrike on a phone wire on the way down to Chesaw Rd. Crossing back toward Havilla, just before we got to the (closed) Sitzmark Ski Area, we found 3 grouse in some shrubby trees. Of course, we immediately assumed Sharp-tailed and Kathleen saw that one had the familiar pointed sharp tail. However, the one I could get a photo of was clearly a Ruffed. Oh well... On the way back to Omak, we took another look at Fancher Rd - still no Chuckar around the barns and cattle, but it had stopped precipitating so I got out of the car to scan the slopes above. I quickly heard the familiar chucking calls and managed to pick out several birds about midway up the slope. Two stops, going and coming, at McLaughlin Rd. off of Rt. 97 south of Tonasket failed to detect any of the Bohemian Waxwings reported there recently. Overall, the least winter-like, and least birdy, winter trip we've had to the Highlands. But, it's still a unique and gorgeous part of the State. Happy Birding - Jon Houghton, Edmonds > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonbirder at comcast.net Wed Feb 7 17:51:15 2024 From: jonbirder at comcast.net (Jon Houghton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Northcentral WA Trip - Day 3 Message-ID: <1772507277.193715.1707357075670@connect.xfinity.com> Hi Tweets - Yesterday, we headed up Cameron Lk Rd first thing, hoping colder weather and some snow might have made conditions a little more 'normal' than we'd seen in the Highlands. In the first few miles of mostly burned area, we saw only Magpies. We then turned up the Cameron Lake Loop to some intact pines along the first two lakes where we've always found nuthatches of various spp. and occasional Xbills. Nada there - it was raining with patches of fog. Back to the main road (we didn't drive the whole CL Loop because the hills were pretty squirrelly in slushy snow over frozen ruts), on the last slope uphill past Cook Lake, before you come out onto the plateau, we stopped, heard some wood pecking and coaxed a Hairy WP into view. Up on the plateau, there was about an inch of fresh snow on the road with a couple of sets of tracks. Snow disappeared by the time we got to the burned-up Am. Tree Sparrow place (ca. 0.7 mi. north of Timentwa Rd.). Playing the sparrow song alongside the cattails upstream of the road produced a quick and excited trio of the lovely little creatures. Timentwa Rd. was closed to thru traffic, but we drove up about 3 miles without incident with only Horned Larks (HOLA) and some flying ducks, Magpies, Ravens to show for it. Beyond Timentwa, Cameron Lk. road alternated between OK bare and dry, to treacherous muddy ruts - in one place threatening to stop us in the mire, but, we made it through. We did find at least 3 Lapland Longspur with the HOLA in the last high wheat stubble (poking through a little snow) before the descent begins. We looked hard (again) but found no Bohemian Waxwings at the Rts 17/97 junction orchards where Charlotte Byers had seen many Monday afternoon. We then went up Central Ferry Cyn Rd (a lifer road!) from Brewster and found a Sharp-shinned Hawk in a dead snag surrounded by dead ugly brown vines. Nearing the top the road was snowy and slick with few tracks but we made it up. From there we wandered in mostly untracked snow over to No. Division Rd and down to Rt. 173. Hoping to see some Snow Buntings seen in the area recently by Shep T. we saw only many HOLA and Ravens but nothing else. On the way down Rt. 173, we found nothing in Withrow. Down along the Columbia we stopped at Lincoln Rock SP and easily found the Eared Grebe seen there recently, to round out the birding. Overall, it was a pretty mediocre trip from a birding perspective, but it's always scenic and interesting in that part of the world! Here's hoping the conditions we found aren't a portent of future Okanogan Co. winters in this warming world. Happy Birding! - Jon Houghton, Edmonds -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Wed Feb 7 19:45:19 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?b?QW4gTkZMIGFkLCBidXQgZW50ZXJ0YWluaW5n4oCU4oCU?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=9Ca_little_birdie_told_me_to_share_this_with_you=2E_new_?= =?utf-8?b?QG5mbCBTdW5kYXkgVGlja2V04oCd?= Message-ID: Hello tweeters, This NFL football ad on Instagram regarding players as migrating birds was sent to me. It is an NFL ad, but I found it to be entertaining. Dan Reiff The link: https://www.instagram.com/youtubetv/reel/C3DoMB3vRFB/ Sent from my iPhone From stevechampton at gmail.com Thu Feb 8 08:55:11 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] audio recording advice -- and also crossbills In-Reply-To: <1fdb2076-0db2-7557-58f7-bc971f330a72@charter.net> References: <1fdb2076-0db2-7557-58f7-bc971f330a72@charter.net> Message-ID: I'm forwarding this useful discussion and links to webinars about recording bird sounds. This is from a California listserv, which is apparently where a lot of crossbills are this year. They are sure thin on the Olympic Peninsula right now. Even our Type 3's may be in California. For a free phone recording app, where you can boost the gain (increase the record volume), I highly recommend Voice Record Pro. The icon is red and black with an old microphone image. It was mentioned in *Birding *magazine years ago and I've used it ever since. For post-processing, Audacity is free and works great for me. It allows you to set the volume exactly how eBird recommends, and clean up white noise to some extent. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Lance Benner Date: Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 9:23?PM Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] Red Crossbill Irruption Update: Feb. 2024 To: Timothy Burr , , < lacobirds@groups.com> Hi Again Everyone, A bit more to add to the discussion: First, thank you to Tom, Matt, and Tim for their feedback and suggestions. Recording bird sounds, dealing with audio equipment, audio software, and so forth can seem pretty complicated but with some patience you can get pretty good at the key steps pretty quickly. I did a two-part presentation on an "Introduction to Recording Bird Sounds" for Los Angeles Birders a while back. Those presentations are available online at: https://www.labirders.org/webinars/sound_recordings_pt1.html and https://www.labirders.org/webinars/sound_recordings_pt2.html Those talks might help answer some questions. Some of the equipment I described is no longer manufactured (the talks were in 2020), but the techniques and reasons for recording bird sounds are definitely still valid. Those talks didn't say much about using audio software though, so here's description of some things that I normally do. This is going to get a bit detailed. The software I use most often is Audacity, although I also use Raven Lite occasionally. Both are free. Raven Lite is easier to use but not as capable as Audacity. Audacity is more complicated and not as intuitive. It doesn't look as spiffy either. There are other free apps available but these are the ones I've used. There are also some really good but expensive apps available such as Raven Pro and Adobe Audition. Once I have a recording, I transfer the file to a laptop (typically by connecting a USB cable from my recorder to my computer), stick the file in a directory with other sound files from the current month and year, and then open it up using Audacity to check it. Audacity is free and very capable but it can be confusing at first. After you load a sound file (or even a video file with sound--Audacity can handle those), you'll see a rather cryptic default display that isn't a sonogram. It's a plot of sound waveform amplitudes. To generate a sonogram, look for a small rectangle on the left that has the name of the file. Click on that, and then scroll down and select "spectrogram." That will generate the audio spectrogram, also known as a sonogram. Then you can see what you've got. After listening to the file, if I decide to upload it to an eBird list, then I usually do a couple more steps. First, I trim stuff at the beginning and end that I don't want, such as handling noise, or if there's some loud sound at the end (say, an approaching car or plane). As Matt mentioned, the folks at eBird have some guidelines for recordings, and one of their key recommendations is to normalize the file. Normalizing usually amplifies the sounds unless there were really loud sounds already on the recording. If that's the case, normalizing will reduce the volume somewhat. Again, the goal is to make the maximum volume the same across as many audio files uploaded to eBird as possible. Audacity has a settling for normalizing: Effect > Normalize. First, though, you need to select the part of the file you want. For simplicity, let's say it's the whole file. Go to Select > All, which will highlight the whole sonogram, Then go to Effect, scroll down to Normalize, and select "Normalize peak amplitude to" and enter "-3" in the blank box. This will make -3 dB the loudest sound on the file. This is one of the eBird recommendations. Then go to File > Export to output a new version of the file with your modifications. I suggest adopting a new file name to avoid confusion with the original. After that, you're ready to upload it to eBird. It's a good idea to output the same format that you input. So, if the origina was a wav file, output another wav file. wav files are uncompressed and can be rather large. Regarding red crossbill recordings obtained with Merlin, unless you're really close, the sounds will often be faint and hard to hear. Getting closer will boost the volume substantially, but that may not be possible in many instances, so amplifying by normalizing will be a big help. Audacity (and Raven Lite) can also do straight amplification where you select the amound in dB (Audacity) or the factor to multiply (Raven Lite). If you do that, don't amplify too much or the sound will saturate. Presumably Raven Lite has a way to normalize too but I didn't find it when I perused the software a short time ago. It can certainly amplify, though. Getting back to red crossbills, if you're interested in learning a lot more about their flight calls, geographic distributions, biology, and interesting questions that haven't been answered yet, there's a talk on this species available on the Los Angeles Birders website: https://www.labirders.org/webinars/crossbills.html These talks are free and available to everyone. Hope this helps, and again, if you find red crossbills anywhere in the world, please record them! Regards, Lance Lance Benner Community Science Chair, Los Angeles Birders Altadena, CA -------------------- From: "Timothy Burr" To: Sent: February 7, 2024, 5:23 PM PST Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] Red Crossbill Irruption Update: Feb. 2024 I would add to Matt?s final statement RE:Cornell/Macaulay Lib vs. Xeno-canto that the EBIRD audio files are as he states (mostly unedited and therefore of limited utility), BUT there are MANY more files archived in the Macaulay Library that have been provided to Cornell by recordists using professional sound equipment, are of high quality, and are therefore of great utility. Yes, Xeno-canto files are easily downloadable. Tim Burr Poway, CA On Feb 7, 2024, at 4:02 PM, Matt Brady wrote: Hello all. Here is the eBird/Macaulay guide to editing audio recordings: https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48001064341-audio-preparation-and-upload-guidelines. The only addition I would make to their guide is to fade in/out at the beginning and ends of your recordings. I find that a majority of audio uploaded to eBird/Macaulay has not been edited at all, and is therefore of limited utility. If you want to get the most out of your recordings, please consider following these guidelines. Additionally, xeno-canto.org is another great resource for audio recordings with a few advantages over Macaulay, namely audio files can easily be downloaded and audio files tend to be edited and therefore of higher quality. Matt Brady _._,_._,_ ------------------------------ Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#14773) | Reply To Sender | Reply To Group | Mute This Topic | New Topic Your Subscription | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [stevechampton@gmail.com] _._,_._,_ -- Steve Hampton Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Thu Feb 8 13:57:57 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 2/7/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 25 of us had a very nice Winter's day of birding with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 30's to 40's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a high Low 9'2" Tide at 10:08am and a High 12'10" Tide at 2:16pm. Highlights included NORTHERN SHRIKE in the flooded field just south of the old McAllister Creek Access Road and west of the west end parking lot; great looks of WILSON'S SNIPE and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER from the Twin Barns Overlook: FOY TREE SWALLOW with continuing BARN SWALLOW out on the Nisqually Estuary Trail; FOY first year Thayer's type ICELAND GULL on the McAllister Creek Observation Platform roof; a young brown WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in McAllister Creek; FOY HERRING GULL on Nisqually Reach; and a MERLIN catching a Little Brown Bat at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook. The end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail is now open, as hunting season has ended. We observed 78 species for the day, and have seen 95 species this year. Mammals seen included Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Harbor Seal, and Little Brown Bat. See eBird report listed below. Until next week when we meet again at 8am, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Feb 7, 2024 7:48 AM - 3:59 PM Protocol: Traveling 6.629 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Partly cloudy with temperatures in the 30?s to 40?s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 9?2? Tide at 10:08am and a High 12?10? Tide at 2:16pm. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, and Harbor Seal. 78 species (+4 other taxa) Brant (Black) 3 Puget Sound Observation Platform. Cackling Goose (minima) 1200 Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 30 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 30 Northern Shoveler 75 Gadwall 50 Eurasian Wigeon 3 American Wigeon 600 Mallard 200 Northern Pintail 200 Green-winged Teal (American) 400 Ring-necked Duck 4 Greater Scaup 10 Nisqually Reach. Surf Scoter 50 White-winged Scoter 4 Bufflehead 200 Common Goldeneye 80 Hooded Merganser 7 Common Merganser 15 Red-breasted Merganser 45 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Visitor Center Pond. Horned Grebe 18 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4 Anna's Hummingbird 2 American Coot (Red-shielded) 75 Killdeer 1 Semipalmated Plover 4 Previously reported. Wintering in the surge plain. Small peep sized plover with single neck band. Long-billed Dowitcher 26 Twin Barns Observation Platform. Wilson's Snipe 4 Twin Barns Observation Platform. Spotted Sandpiper 2 West Bank of McAllister Creek. Greater Yellowlegs 30 Dunlin 2000 Least Sandpiper 150 Counted. Two groups of 60 plus birds. Multiple small groups of 4-6. Seen along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Short-billed Gull 100 Ring-billed Gull 75 Western Gull 1 Herring Gull 1 Nisqually Reach Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 15 Iceland Gull (Thayer's) 1 McAllister Creek Observation Platform. Larus sp. 200 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 8 Brandt's Cormorant 8 Nisqually channel marker. Double-crested Cormorant 10 Great Blue Heron 20 Northern Harrier 3 Bald Eagle 10 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Twin Barns. Downy Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 3 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Merlin 1 Northern Shrike 1 Flooded field west of west end parking lot. American Crow 250 Common Raven 4 Black-capped Chickadee 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 Tree Swallow 20 Freshwater Marsh Barn Swallow 20 Foraging and flying over the freshwater marsh and Nisqually Estuary Trail. Bushtit 5 Entrance gate. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6 Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 Brown Creeper 6 Pacific Wren 4 Marsh Wren 8 Bewick's Wren 3 European Starling 50 Varied Thrush 1 Orchard. American Robin 30 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 3 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Golden-crowned Sparrow 25 Song Sparrow 33 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Spotted Towhee 4 Western Meadowlark 2 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Red-winged Blackbird 50 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160909777 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Feb 8 14:13:18 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-08 References: <2065854738.85948.1707430398066.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <2065854738.85948.1707430398066@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - A pleasant morning at the park, with temps in the low 40's, and only a touch of mizzle for a few minutes. Highlights:? ? ?Cackling Goose - Numbers are down from the thousands earlier in the winter to a few dozen? ? ?American Wigeon - Lone female in the Rowing Club pond ? ? ?Ring-billed Gull - Total of at least 30 birds? ? ?Accipiter spp. - Two seen briefly. One might have been a Sharpie.? The 2nd bird seemed bigger.? Mobbed by crows. ? ? ?Barred Owl - One loud "Hoo-aw" along the slough pre-dawn? ? ?NORTHERN SHRIKE - One briefly visible north of Fields 7-8-9.? First of Year (FOY) ? ? ?Yellow-rumped Warbler - About 10.? I saw over half of them well, and all were Myrtle type?? A pair of Canada Geese were in the eagle nest visible from the Lake Platform.? Though built within the last two years, I don't believe eagles have ever nested in this nest.? Possibly because there are already two nests in the park.? Let's see if the geese can hold the nest. River Otters were in the slough (FOY). A late scan of the lake was very successful, adding 5 species for the day.? A female BELTED KINGFISHER was atop the beaver lodge across from the Lake Platform.? Also near there were a pair of HOODED MERGANSER.? Just beyond the buoys was a shining male GREATER SCAUP (FOY).? COMMON MERGANSERS and RING-NECKED DUCKS were off to the east. Notable misses today were limited to just Marsh Wren and White-crowned Sparrow. For the day, 55 species, and we're at 68 species for 2024. = Michael Hobbs= BirdMarymoor@gmail.com= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Thu Feb 8 15:41:11 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Finally ... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240208154111.Horde.ugE6y7gxJG0wIB68KlRd5jB@webmail.jimbetz.com> I got two good birding opportunities today. First - I finally went to Channel Drive in La Conner. Very promising area. There were a lot of snows, several thousand, that were feeding in a field and were well back away from the road. But still good to see them. It was drizzling so I didn't even get out of the car. But "I'll be back!" ... The East 90 was 'special' today. First there were a couple hundred (?) swans - again like the snows at Channel just a bit too far away from the road for good pics ... until they decided it was time to move and got up and flew a few hundred yards to the field right at the East 90 corner. Even better was that there were several harriers and 2 or 3 SEOWs working the area along the West side of the road at the East 90. The light was good, high overall brightness but not harsh ... what some call "open shadows". I got some good pics of the owls and harriers today. https://eamon.smugmug.com/Family-pics-from-jim/Birds-and-Stuff-from-Jim/n-4Cw3NF/Birds-Web/i-gXHGVVq/A - Jim From tvulture at gmx.com Sat Feb 10 14:42:59 2024 From: tvulture at gmx.com (Diann MacRae) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] any winter turkey vultures seen? Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sat Feb 10 16:18:25 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Aldabra rail: The bird that came back from the dead by evolving twice | Live Science Message-ID: https://www.livescience.com/animals/birds/aldabra-rail-the-bird-that-came-back-from-the-dead-by-evolving-twice Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sat Feb 10 16:19:05 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Loggerhead shrike: The brutal 'butcherbird' that impales its prey on barbed wire | Live Science Message-ID: <2E49003E-E2C6-4ABB-BF1F-080E58C2120C@gmail.com> https://www.livescience.com/animals/birds/loggerhead-shrike-the-brutal-butcherbird-that-impales-its-prey-on-barbed-wire Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sat Feb 10 16:24:22 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Owls may actually be able to turn their heads a full 360 degrees | New Scientist Message-ID: <39AA108A-170D-4FFD-9BF3-42F3D9069CB7@gmail.com> Also, I have video of a Snowy owl Rotating its head more than 360?. Dan Reiff Article Link: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2413893-owls-may-actually-be-able-to-turn-their-heads-a-full-360-degrees/ Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sat Feb 10 16:27:01 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Owls may actually be able to turn their heads a full 360 degrees | New Scientist In-Reply-To: <39AA108A-170D-4FFD-9BF3-42F3D9069CB7@gmail.com> References: <39AA108A-170D-4FFD-9BF3-42F3D9069CB7@gmail.com> Message-ID: Correction: I have video of a Snowy owl, rotating its head in One Direction beyond 180?. Dan Reiff Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 10, 2024, at 4:24?PM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > ?Also, I have video of a Snowy owl Rotating its head more than 360?. > Dan Reiff > Article Link: > > https://www.newscientist.com/article/2413893-owls-may-actually-be-able-to-turn-their-heads-a-full-360-degrees/ > > Sent from my iPhone From merdave at homenetnw.net Sat Feb 10 18:12:45 2024 From: merdave at homenetnw.net (merdave@homenetnw.net) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Douglas County Snowy Owl!!! Message-ID: Many birders have been looking for a Snowy Owl this winter, with no success. Yesterday, Fri., Feb. 9th one was seen on Rd. O near Atkins Lake. Today 5 of us went to look for it and were successful. PLEASE: If you go to look for it, stay on the road. DO NOT WALK INTO FIELDS TO GET CLOSER. The land owners do NOT like having birders on their property. So, for the good of all of us, and the bird, stay on the road. Thank you very much. Hope you get to see and enjoy this bird. Meredith Spencer, Bridgeport From hank.heiberg at gmail.com Sat Feb 10 20:17:38 2024 From: hank.heiberg at gmail.com (Hank Heiberg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birds of a Fiber and of a Feather Also References: Message-ID: After reading Robert Rowland?s endorsement of the Birds of a Fiber exhibit at the LaConner Pacific NW Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, we headed north to have a look. The exhibit, the others pieces in the museum and the museum itself are absolutely incredible. We are very happy that we went. Thank you Robert. (Note that the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.) Of course since we were up there we also did some birding. Two experiences stood out. When we were on Rosario Head, two Black Oystercatchers appeared from behind some rocks about ten feet from us. They were not bothered by us so it was a great photo op. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53518744092/in/dateposted/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53520063305/in/dateposted/ The other experience was seeing seven very active Short-eared Owls around 1 p.m. on a sunny day at East 90. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53515961411/in/dateposted/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53516394455/in/dateposted/ Here are links to the eBird trip report https://ebird.org/tripreport/200819 and the photo album for the trip. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/albums/72177720314639792/ Hank & Karen Heiberg Issaquah, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tsbrennan at hotmail.com Sun Feb 11 13:25:48 2024 From: tsbrennan at hotmail.com (Tim Brennan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Winter Turkey Vultures Message-ID: Hi Dianne, Do you already have these sightings from eBird? eBird Checklist - 5 Feb 2024 - 567?877 Beaver Valley Rd, Port Ludlow US-WA 47.90084, -122.72734 - 2 species eBird Checklist - 6 Feb 2024 - Little Quilcene River mouth - 23 species (+1 other taxa) eBird Checklist - 2 Feb 2024 - Eden Acres Neigborhood - 7 species eBird Checklist - 8 Feb 2024 - Dryden Orchards - 1 species Those are at least all of the eBird sightings for this calendar year. Tim Brennan Renton, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mattxyz at earthlink.net Sun Feb 11 18:47:39 2024 From: mattxyz at earthlink.net (Matt Bartels) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] 2023 Washington Birder List and Big Day Reports Message-ID: Hi all - Happy to announce the 2023 Year List & Big Day report for Washington Birder are up and available. It is always fun to pull together this glimpse of our community. Check out the files at the following link to see how everyone did in 2023 - http://wabirder.com/online.html Highlights for the year: Liam Hutcheson set a new Washington State Big Year record with 378 species. Three people reached 100 species in all 39 counties: Brian Pendleton Darchelle Worley Ed Pullen And two people reached 150 species in every county David Koyama Penny Koyama New County big year records were set this year for three counties: Grays Harbor Liam Hutcheson, with 250 species Pacific County: Bill Shelmerdine, with 206 species SKAGIT County: Joel Brady-Power, with 262 species Highest ever county big days were reported this year for four counties Benton County by Rowan Young-McMurchie Chelan County by Neil Paprocki and Tucker Jonas King County by Adrian Lee, Christian Hagenlocher and Raphael Fennimore Whatcom County by Stephen Chase, Josiah Chase and Titus Chase All that and more is compiled in this year?s report. A direct link to the list report with all the state & county life and year list totals can be found here: http://wabirder.com/docs/listreport2023.pdf And a direct link to the Big Day report from 2023 is here: http://wabirder.com/docs/2023BigDayReport.pdf Thanks to everyone who sent in your totals, and here?s to many more updates and surprises in 2024. Matt Bartels Washington Birder -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at shelflifestories.com Sun Feb 11 19:02:51 2024 From: info at shelflifestories.com (Shelf Life Community Story Project) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ravenous Anna's feeding at night Message-ID: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> There is a female Anna?s sitting on one of my feeders, in the dark, guzzling nectar. It?s not very cold out. She?s not torpid. The nectar is fresh yesterday. It?s been dark out for at least an hour, and she is just really hungry, sitting on the feeder for long periods of time, guzzling. I?ve never seen this before. Is this normal behavior? Should I keep an eye on her? Perhaps she?s getting ready to lay eggs and needs extra calories? Thanks in advance for any insights. Jill From drisseq.n at gmail.com Sun Feb 11 20:03:16 2024 From: drisseq.n at gmail.com (N D) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ravenous Anna's feeding at night In-Reply-To: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> References: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> Message-ID: Jill, I've got several theories for you. It could be a combo of two or more of them too. In the last ten years of feeding hummers, I?ve noticed that a lot of my female Anna's get chased away so much during the day (by the males) that _it seems_ the only time they can get a good drink is in the evenings/dawn when the sun is down. So around that time they can hog the feeder, quietly. Hummers do feed at night (evenings and mornings when it?s dark) despite being mainly diurnal, and with the long dark nights right now, there are fewer insects around for them to find by sight too. It could be that you have a nesting female too. Nesting females will sit long and only survive on insects close to the nest during the day but will leave the nest just for a while and drink in the evening/darker light when there are fewer active predators to find the nest/eggs. (I remember this was how I could tell when they were nesting and would quietly wait for them to feed before bed, and then try to follow their course to figure out where the nest was located, just so I could be aware of it.) It's unlikely it's for the following reason and I don't want to concern you too much, but one other thing I would check is if your hummer is ok in terms of tongue health. Some folks don't clean their feeders enough or properly, and this in turn causes a fungal infection in hummers, with black mold on the feeders - *and in the ports especially* - or in the liquid itself. The infection then inflames the tongue and it causes them to not be able to retract the tongue. After a while they starve because they can?t feed properly. The fungal infection however, is really unpleasant to watch, and is painful for the birds as they cannot get their tongue back in their mouth and they also starve. The infected bird will also appear to wobble on its perch as it strives to stay alert and alive and not fall off it's perch. One can probably find videos on Youtube if you want to compare the health of your bird to ones that are infected. But if the tongue is fine, and the feeder is clean, you can't really do much more. NB. It may not be your feeder that has black mold in the ports - it may be a neighbor's. Mold on feeders is a problem here especially in fall, winter and spring, when the conditions are damp, but there is enough warmth around to encourage microbial growth. When I have seen moldy feeder ports, it's usually when folks aren?t paying as much attention to the health of the birds/cleaning the feeders), but afaict the mold is less likely in high heat of summer as it?s less damp then. Instead, in summer - the fluid will go 'off' in high heat with fast microbial growth instead and the fluid going cloudy. I?ve never tested what grows in summer hummer fluid but it?s probably a variety of things - bacteria and fungi. Anyway, my bet is that your female is nesting. They will nest as early as February here. Happy birding! Nadine Drisseq (Molecular biologist, now retired) On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 7:04?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: > There is a female Anna?s sitting on one of my feeders, in the dark, > guzzling nectar. It?s not very cold out. She?s not torpid. The nectar is > fresh yesterday. It?s been dark out for at least an hour, and she is just > really hungry, sitting on the feeder for long periods of time, guzzling. > I?ve never seen this before. Is this normal behavior? Should I keep an eye > on her? Perhaps she?s getting ready to lay eggs and needs extra calories? > > Thanks in advance for any insights. > > Jill > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From baro at pdx.edu Mon Feb 12 10:36:49 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ravenous Anna's feeding at night In-Reply-To: References: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> Message-ID: Hummingbird experience in Portland . I have been feeding hummingbirds (both species) for 52 years here. In recent decades the feeder is right outside a dining room window where I usually sit to work on things. The feeder is well lit by the interior lights. 1. It seems that the female sat on the feeder while it was still light, and then simply remained into the night? As opposed to flying in during the night? 2. I have never seen a hummingbird feed post dusk, never at 'night' I've looked for this, especially when temperatures are low. One winter decades ago it got to 6 degrees every night for a week. A female spent the night on the ground among low vegetation, 15' from the feeder which I took in every night. I got up predawn to replace it and the female immediately flew up to feed. Almost as if she was waiting for it to be replaced. Undoubtedly she was in torpor during the night but had already emerged as she flew up immediately. It's possible she 'could' have fed at night if the feeder had been heated and left outside. No way to know though. In the recent freeze hummers came to the feeder at quite dark dusk, but never at 'night'. 3. As to the 'tongue infection' I have seen this only once in these 5+ decades. As Nadine states it is very, very hard to see/watch and very likely fatal. If that was happening with the night-feeding female, I believe it would be visible. The hummer would actually be unable to get its tongue into the feeder because it hangs out to the side.. At the time I had it here, there was at least one other report on Tweeters of this occurrence. Perhaps the disease was going around? Anyhow I'm happy it has only occurred once here. 4. If the water in a feeder freezes, it is pure water that freezes and the sugar remains in the smaller volume of water. With progressive freezing into cold weather the result is a very small amount of liquid at the very bottom that is very high in sugar concentration. Likely so high that it causes serious health problems. In this case the hummer might remain simply because it is getting no nutrition as its intestines cease to function properly. This can only happen during freezing conditions. 5. Perhaps some other disease? Anyhow a very interesting observation. Bob OBrien Portland On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 9:29?PM N D wrote: > Jill, I've got several theories for you. It could be a combo of two or > more of them too. > > In the last ten years of feeding hummers, I?ve noticed that a lot of my > female Anna's get chased away so much during the day (by the males) that > _it seems_ the only time they can get a good drink is in the evenings/dawn > when the sun is down. So around that time they can hog the feeder, quietly. > > Hummers do feed at night (evenings and mornings when it?s dark) despite > being mainly diurnal, and with the long dark nights right now, there are > fewer insects around for them to find by sight too. > > It could be that you have a nesting female too. Nesting females will sit > long and only survive on insects close to the nest during the day but will > leave the nest just for a while and drink in the evening/darker light when > there are fewer active predators to find the nest/eggs. (I remember this > was how I could tell when they were nesting and would quietly wait for them > to feed before bed, and then try to follow their course to figure out where > the nest was located, just so I could be aware of it.) > > > It's unlikely it's for the following reason and I don't want to concern > you too much, but one other thing I would check is if your hummer is ok in > terms of tongue health. Some folks don't clean their feeders enough or > properly, and this in turn causes a fungal infection in hummers, with black > mold on the feeders - *and in the ports especially* - or in the liquid > itself. The infection then inflames the tongue and it causes them to not > be able to retract the tongue. After a while they starve because they can?t > feed properly. > The fungal infection however, is really unpleasant to watch, and is > painful for the birds as they cannot get their tongue back in their mouth > and they also starve. The infected bird will also appear to wobble on its > perch as it strives to stay alert and alive and not fall off it's perch. > One can probably find videos on Youtube if you want to compare the health > of your bird to ones that are infected. But if the tongue is fine, and the > feeder is clean, you can't really do much more. > > NB. It may not be your feeder that has black mold in the ports - it may > be a neighbor's. Mold on feeders is a problem here especially in fall, > winter and spring, when the conditions are damp, but there is enough warmth > around to encourage microbial growth. When I have seen moldy feeder ports, > it's usually when folks aren?t paying as much attention to the health of > the birds/cleaning the feeders), but afaict the mold is less likely in high > heat of summer as it?s less damp then. Instead, in summer - the fluid will > go 'off' in high heat with fast microbial growth instead and the fluid > going cloudy. I?ve never tested what grows in summer hummer fluid but it?s > probably a variety of things - bacteria and fungi. > > Anyway, my bet is that your female is nesting. They will nest as early as > February here. > Happy birding! > > Nadine Drisseq > (Molecular biologist, now retired) > > On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 7:04?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < > info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: > >> There is a female Anna?s sitting on one of my feeders, in the dark, >> guzzling nectar. It?s not very cold out. She?s not torpid. The nectar is >> fresh yesterday. It?s been dark out for at least an hour, and she is just >> really hungry, sitting on the feeder for long periods of time, guzzling. >> I?ve never seen this before. Is this normal behavior? Should I keep an eye >> on her? Perhaps she?s getting ready to lay eggs and needs extra calories? >> >> Thanks in advance for any insights. >> >> Jill >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From garybletsch at yahoo.com Mon Feb 12 12:00:55 2024 From: garybletsch at yahoo.com (Gary Bletsch) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] telescope in carry-on bag References: <301440923.817322.1707768055495.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <301440923.817322.1707768055495@mail.yahoo.com> Dear Tweeters, Greetings from Western New York. Lakes are still mostly frozen, but a few spring migrants have begun to show up. Meanwhile, we have a mini-irruption of Pine Siskins. Question. Has anybody in Tweeter-land carried a spotting scope in carry-on baggage lately? I used to do so, but then grew weary of the insanity of people stuffing enormous, hard-shell suitcases into overhead bins. I started putting my scope in my checked baggage. So far so good--they haven't lost my scope yet.? Any suggestions? Heading off to Namibia in? a couple of days, and one of the wee airlines we're flying on is a bit picky about the luggage. Yours truly, Gary Bletsch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Tue Feb 13 00:07:27 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Best Little Free Library Find! Message-ID: In Mountlake Terrace on Monday: Dragonflies of Washington by Dennis Paulsen. I don?t know why it was released into the wild but it?s now in very happy hands. Thanks! Blythe Horman, Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Feb 13 06:38:37 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Live: Bald eagle guards eggs inside nest in California mountains - YouTube Message-ID: Parental dedication: Video of Adult movement, egg check and ice crunching in nest at 36:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHQM9RyaPbw&t=2191s&pp=2AGPEZACAQ%3D%3D Sent from my iPhone From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Tue Feb 13 09:54:39 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] JBLM Eagles Pride Golf Course Monthly Birdwalk - Thursday, February 15 - 9AM Start Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, The Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagles Pride Golf Course (GC) birdwalk is scheduled for Thursday, February 15. The JBLM Eagles Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of every month. We meet at 9:00AM this month. Starting next month, we'll revert back to 8AM start. Starting point is the Driving Range building, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. When you turn into the course entrance, take an immediate left onto the road to the driving range - that's where we meet. Also, to remind folks that haven't been here before, you don't need any ID to attend these birdwalks. Hope you're able to make it! Forecast right now is for there to be a bit of rain, but nothing like January's walk! May all your birds be identified, Denis Denis DeSilvis Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gmiller1751 at gmail.com Tue Feb 13 10:37:07 2024 From: gmiller1751 at gmail.com (George Miller) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] SW Washington Tweeters Message-ID: Any of you have a good spot for observing the Cowlitz River mouth? Thanks, George -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From russkope at gmail.com Tue Feb 13 10:43:18 2024 From: russkope at gmail.com (Russ Koppendrayer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] SW Washington Tweeters In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi George and Tweeters, Without a boat, the best spot is the Rainier, OR marina. Scope absolutely necessary and still not great views. About 300 Bald Eagles and hundreds of gulls there now as the smelt are beginning to run. Many of us wish there was a better spot. Russ Koppendrayer Longview, WA On Tue, Feb 13, 2024, 10:38 AM George Miller wrote: > Any of you have a good spot for observing the Cowlitz River mouth? > Thanks, > George > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at shelflifestories.com Tue Feb 13 17:33:42 2024 From: info at shelflifestories.com (Shelf Life Community Story Project) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ravenous Anna's feeding at night In-Reply-To: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> References: <86DEE20C-49A6-4026-8D13-3F163A0AE96F@shelflifestories.com> Message-ID: Update. This Anna's does not have tongue issues and is able to eat just fine. She is, however, FAT. Like, about to lay a couple of eggs fat. That would probably explain why she is lingering past dusk at the feeder. She's not there late into the night, but if dusk is at 6, she may be getting her last sips at 7. Jill On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 7:04?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: > There is a female Anna?s sitting on one of my feeders, in the dark, > guzzling nectar. It?s not very cold out. She?s not torpid. The nectar is > fresh yesterday. It?s been dark out for at least an hour, and she is just > really hungry, sitting on the feeder for long periods of time, guzzling. > I?ve never seen this before. Is this normal behavior? Should I keep an eye > on her? Perhaps she?s getting ready to lay eggs and needs extra calories? > > Thanks in advance for any insights. > > Jill -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tvulture at gmx.com Wed Feb 14 09:22:28 2024 From: tvulture at gmx.com (Diann MacRae) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Winter TUVU report Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From TRI at seattleu.edu Wed Feb 14 11:32:45 2024 From: TRI at seattleu.edu (Trileigh Tucker) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Siskins Message-ID: Hi Tweets, On Sunday afternoon 2/11, I was walking in my West Seattle neighborhood when I realized that a small tree ahead of me was full of chattery finches: not only House Finches and American Goldfinches, but also Pine Siskins. It?s been a long time ? months to a year or longer ? since I?ve encountered a bunch of siskins. They?ve never been vastly abundant in my yard, but I seem to remember seeing them more often, usually in small groups. I seem to remember reading on Tweeters about others noticing a lack of siskins, but a search of the archives doesn?t turn up many recent reports. I?m curious about others? experience; have you noticed a lack followed by recent sightings? I did screengrabs of eBird sightings from Dec-Feb for the past 6 years, and by far the most sightings were recorded this year and in 2020-2021?but I think there?s a chance that that 2020-21 increase in sightings may have been at least partly due to you-know-what and everyone suddenly home and available to look for siskins. The Finch Research Network predicted an irruption this year, with indicators noted as far back as July/August. So it?s interesting to see that that might be showing up now. What have you noticed? Thanks much, Trileigh Trileigh Tucker Pelly Valley, West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From houstojc at plu.edu Wed Feb 14 12:41:30 2024 From: houstojc at plu.edu (houstojc@plu.edu) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Siskins In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <007501da5f86$30c7ae60$92570b20$@plu.edu> HI Trileigh, Since we are in your neck of the woods, we have been seeing from 2-6 Pine Siskins in our yard every day. Sometimes just one. I have seen larger groups fly over a few times, but never overwhelming numbers. Mercifully, they all seem very healthy. Mostly, we have quite a few American Goldfinches, very few but present House Finches, and since January 20 we have had two male Lesser Goldfinches show up sporadically. They were here quite regularly until the end of January, but made unpredictable appearances. It has been fun, though. One of them showed up in the front yard for about 30 seconds early this morning. There was a Merlin perched in the back yard.. it was quiet after that. Mark and I have see several large flocks of Siskins in Jack Block Park. Sometimes 30 or more in a flock. So, that's the Finch report from Gatewood! Janeanne Houston West Seattle From: Tweeters On Behalf Of Trileigh Tucker Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2024 11:33 AM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Siskins Hi Tweets, On Sunday afternoon 2/11, I was walking in my West Seattle neighborhood when I realized that a small tree ahead of me was full of chattery finches: not only House Finches and American Goldfinches, but also Pine Siskins. It's been a long time - months to a year or longer - since I've encountered a bunch of siskins. They've never been vastly abundant in my yard, but I seem to remember seeing them more often, usually in small groups. I seem to remember reading on Tweeters about others noticing a lack of siskins, but a search of the archives doesn't turn up many recent reports. I'm curious about others' experience; have you noticed a lack followed by recent sightings? I did screengrabs of eBird sightings from Dec-Feb for the past 6 years, and by far the most sightings were recorded this year and in 2020-2021.but I think there's a chance that that 2020-21 increase in sightings may have been at least partly due to you-know-what and everyone suddenly home and available to look for siskins. The Finch Research Network predicted an irruption this year, with indicators noted as far back as July/August. So it's interesting to see that that might be showing up now. What have you noticed? Thanks much, Trileigh Trileigh Tucker Pelly Valley, West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From deedeeknit at yahoo.com Wed Feb 14 13:24:47 2024 From: deedeeknit at yahoo.com (Dee Dee) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Subject: Pine Siskins In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <68979152-5A97-4312-AACB-FD8A5050E17C@yahoo.com> Responding to Trileigh?s post about Pine Siskins from here in Edmonds area; what I noticed pretty much agrees with what Trileigh noted. I have not seen as many at a time this winter as had in November (10) and December 2020 (15), and December 2021 (9)? in e-bird reports. Keeping in mind I am not a consistent e-bird reporter short of more notable bird days. Also, I am retired and really wasn?t home any more or less in 2020-21 than is usual during those months so that removes any at-home-more-than-usual bias for my input. 2022 was a notable Siskin winter here, in that I didn?t report any Siskins after April and May and recall my surprise as the winter went on and they were basically no-shows. This 2023-2024 winter I saw fewer than the ravenous hordes in 2020, with two January 2024 reports of (6) and (3). I do recall seeing at least 10 at once in our feeder area earlier this winter, but it didn?t happen to be a day I took notes for an e-bird post. Since those early January sightings I have noticed anywhere from none, up to 4 Siskins on any given day, but most often 1, and next most often, 2, so, not siskin-specific flocking. Since we have up to around 6 and up to 8 goldfinches on a daily basis (goldfinches year-round but even more at times) the Siskins (not seen year-round) just sort of slide in amongst them off and on. And of course besides regularly but only occasionally-seen yard birds such as pileated or downy woodpeckers, and Cooper?s and sharp-shinned hawks, we do have house finches, as well as the other year-round yard birds ? Bewick?s wrens, bushtits, juncos, towhees, song sparrows, white- and gold-crowned sparrows, about even numbers of both red-shafted and intergrade flickers, starlings (fortunately not every day), crows, red-winged blackbirds. We see Bald Eagles just about every day during the appropriate times of year but the closest one came to being an actual yard bird was sitting on the top of the utility pole at the corner of our lot. Good enough! Thank you Trileigh, for bringing up the siskin discussion; I am interested to hear what is said regarding that. Dee W Edmonds > Message: 3 > Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 19:32:45 +0000 > From: Trileigh Tucker > To: "tweeters@u.washington.edu" > Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Siskins > > Hi Tweets, > > On Sunday afternoon 2/11, I was walking in my West Seattle neighborhood when I realized that a small tree ahead of me was full of chattery finches: not only House Finches and American Goldfinches, but also Pine Siskins. > > It?s been a long time ? months to a year or longer ? since I?ve encountered a bunch of siskins. They?ve never been vastly abundant in my yard, but I seem to remember seeing them more often, usually in small groups. > > I seem to remember reading on Tweeters about others noticing a lack of siskins, but a search of the archives doesn?t turn up many recent reports. I?m curious about others? experience; have you noticed a lack followed by recent sightings? > > I did screengrabs of eBird sightings from Dec-Feb for the past 6 years, and by far the most sightings were recorded this year and in 2020-2021?but I think there?s a chance that that 2020-21 increase in sightings may have been at least partly due to you-know-what and everyone suddenly home and available to look for siskins. > > The Finch Research Network predicted an irruption this year, with indicators noted as far back as July/August. So it?s interesting to see that that might be showing up now. What have you noticed? > > Thanks much, > Trileigh > > > Trileigh Tucker > Pelly Valley, West Seattle From tsbrennan at hotmail.com Wed Feb 14 23:19:47 2024 From: tsbrennan at hotmail.com (Tim Brennan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Jefferson-Kitsap birding Message-ID: Hey Tweets, I've gone to work on a year of birding in Jefferson and Kitsap Counties, with goals of 200 and 150 species respectively by year's end. Kitsap has already presented some interesting challenges, but I've definitely started to find some spots that I'm really looking forward to revisiting through the year. As I explain in the introduction to this year's blog, I'd developed a silly distaste for birding in the county next door - something I'm expecting I'll remedy by year's end. It's a lovely county. Jefferson is going to require a little more focus with that higher goal. I expect to just reach it or fall just short. Either way, 200 feels like the right? goal. There have been some good birds in these counties to start the year: Rock Sandpiper (Fort Flagler) and Pygmy Nuthatches (North Beach), have continued in Jefferson County, swans have stuck around in both counties, and a Black Phoebe has been hanging around in Kitsap County near Hansville. I've yet to find a Yellow-billed Loon in Jefferson, but several people have had then in and around Port Townsend (the body of water, rather than the city, although kinda both). An early storm also brought in some goodies like Black-legged Kittiwake. . . I just may do some storm-chasing by year's end! I remain thankful for the good folks out there in the birding community who have been generous with their time, tips, and talents. Good luck to everyone with their goals this year - birding and otherwise. Cheers, Tim Brennan Renton [https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiun9Z9NX6x90sEF4_itR5jSo297PvIdpi5hckvmTOhioIAib5ahf4YPoGHi5PYV-e5O7IR6QuUxwRr-R2TAxBG-xCNa0F2UnpPLVu0-TrGLBzyC3r0h7IJGTajtQMFwHhJ6zcY6Q_WZhoP-129C1UkZVWevaih6yOEeKIMbUXDiXE-UOxl5Abt2lUiFlpL/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/countymap.PNG] The Improved Twofer Plan - Jefferson and Kitsap Counties Hello 2024! Fresh off of a year here I tried to dig out 150 species in four counties in Washington State, it took a few days to get my feet ... jkcountybirding.blogspot.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Thu Feb 15 02:12:18 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Scientists Resort to Once-Unthinkable Solutions to Cool the Planet Message-ID: <36CCA437-66CB-44D1-962F-88A31E5FB1C8@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From marvbreece at q.com Thu Feb 15 03:36:06 2024 From: marvbreece at q.com (MARVIN BREECE) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fw: [eBird Alert] Jefferson County Rare Bird Alert Message-ID: Would someone familiar with the Port Townsend PYGMY NUTHATCH please advise exact details on its location? I know where North Beach is but am not familiar with the 56th St public trail. Many thanks. Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece @q.com On Thu, 15 Feb, 2024 at 12:20 AM, ebird-alert@birds.cornell.edu wrote: To: marvbreece@q.com *** Species Summary: - Pygmy Nuthatch (1 report) --------------------------------------------- Thank you for subscribing to the Jefferson County Rare Bird Alert. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Jefferson County. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN37560 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated. eBird encourages our users to bird safely, responsibly, and mindfully. Please follow the recommendations of your local health authorities and respect any active travel restrictions in your area. For more information visit: https://ebird.org/news/please-bird-mindfully Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) (2) CONFIRMED - Reported Feb 14, 2024 10:13 by Ali Kasperzak - Port Townsend -- North Beach, Jefferson, Washington - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=48.1426097,-122.7820954&ll=48.1426097,-122.7820954 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S161498943 - Media: 9 Photos - Comments: "Continuing in 56th street public trail." *********** You received this message because you are subscribed to eBird's Jefferson County Rare Bird Alert Manage your eBird alert subscriptions: https://ebird.org/alerts eBird Alerts provide recent reports of regionally or seasonally rare species (Rarities Alerts) or species you have not yet observed (Needs Alerts) in your region of interest; both Accepted and Unreviewed observations are included. Some reports may be from private property or inaccessible to the general public. It is the responsibility of every eBirder to be aware of and respectful of access restrictions. For more information, see our Terms of Use: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/terms-of-use/ . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Thu Feb 15 11:22:03 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr NWR Wednesday Walk for 2/14/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 35 of us endured a cold foggy morning with partly cloudy skies for 1-2 hours around noon, then cloudy skies with light rain in the afternoon and temperatures in the 30's to 40's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 15'4" Tide at 8:39am and a Low 1'6" Tide at 3:22pm. Highlights included FOY MOURNING DOVE in the Orchard, and FOY TOWNSEND'S WARBLER along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail with a mixed flock including 20+ YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Nice looks of DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and WILSON'S SNIPE around the Twin Barns. Good looks of 6+ WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a large flock of DUNLIN on the mudflats north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail. And continuing immature male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in McAllister Creek with a large group of SURF SCOTER. For the day, we observed 72 species, and with FOY Mourning Dove, Townsend's Warbler, and a heard only HUTTON'S VIREO near the Visitor Center, we have observed 98 species this year. Mammals seen included a Mink seen in the slough adjacent to the Twin Barns (there have been reports of observed Mink from the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail to the Twin Barns Observation Platform), Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, and Harbor Seal. See eBird list pasted below with notes on locations. Until next week when we meet again, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Feb 14, 2024 7:37 AM - 3:30 PM Protocol: Traveling 6.87 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Foggy and mostly cloudy with a steady breeze in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 30?s to 40?s degree?s Fahrenheit. A High 15?4? Tide at 8:39am and a Low 1?6? Tide at 3:22pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Mink (seen in slough adjacent to the Twin Barns), Eastern Gray Squirrel and Harbor Seal. 72 species (+6 other taxa) Brant 40 Puget Sound Observation Platform. Cackling Goose (minima) 100 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40 Northern Shoveler 250 Gadwall 50 Eurasian Wigeon 3 One in the surge plain, two seen from McAllister Creek Observation Platform. American Wigeon 600 Mallard 300 Northern Pintail 200 Green-winged Teal (American) 800 Ring-necked Duck 3 Surf Scoter 50 White-winged Scoter 1 Immature male with Surf Scoters in McAllister Creek. Bufflehead 250 Common Goldeneye 125 Hooded Merganser 8 Red-breasted Merganser 30 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Visitor Center Pond Horned Grebe 6 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4 Mourning Dove 1 Orchard. American Coot 125 Semipalmated Plover 3 Continuing winter resident. Seen in the surge plain north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail. Long-billed Dowitcher 8 Flooded field south of Twin Barns. Wilson's Snipe 6 Twin Barns Observation Platform. Spotted Sandpiper 2 West side of McAllister Creek. Greater Yellowlegs 25 Dunlin 1500 Least Sandpiper 150 Likely more. Several large sized flocks of 50 plus birds. Seen from Nisqually Estuary Trail and Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Western Sandpiper 6 Probably more. Several Western Sandpipers mixed in large flock of Dunlin. Smaller and white throated in comparison to Dunlin. Shorter bill and lighter gray back than area Dunlin. Short-billed Gull 200 Ring-billed Gull 75 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 15 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Larus sp. 150 Common Loon 1 Nisqually Reach. Brandt's Cormorant 4 Nisqually River Channel Marker. Pelagic Cormorant 1 Double-crested Cormorant 10 Great Blue Heron 20 Northern Harrier 3 Bald Eagle 8 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Belted Kingfisher 3 Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1 Hutton's Vireo 1 Heard only American Crow 100 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 Tree Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 2 Black throated in comparison to Tree Swallows. Dark purple back versus green iridescence of Tree Swallows. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 12 Brown Creeper 2 Pacific Wren 4 Marsh Wren 3 Bewick's Wren 5 European Starling 40 Varied Thrush 3 American Robin 80 Pine Siskin 3 Twin Barns Overlook. Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 50 Song Sparrow 24 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Spotted Towhee 6 Western Meadowlark 1 Red-winged Blackbird 30 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 20 Townsend's Warbler 1 East side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S161533070 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gstebbings65 at gmail.com Thu Feb 15 11:45:37 2024 From: gstebbings65 at gmail.com (Gayle Stebbings) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr NWR Wednesday Walk for 2/14/2024 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 15, 2024, at 11:22, Shep Thorp wrote: > > ? > Hi Tweets, > > Approximately 35 of us endured a cold foggy morning with partly cloudy skies for 1-2 hours around noon, then cloudy skies with light rain in the afternoon and temperatures in the 30's to 40's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 15'4" Tide at 8:39am and a Low 1'6" Tide at 3:22pm. Highlights included FOY MOURNING DOVE in the Orchard, and FOY TOWNSEND'S WARBLER along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail with a mixed flock including 20+ YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Nice looks of DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and WILSON'S SNIPE around the Twin Barns. Good looks of 6+ WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a large flock of DUNLIN on the mudflats north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail. And continuing immature male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in McAllister Creek with a large group of SURF SCOTER. > > For the day, we observed 72 species, and with FOY Mourning Dove, Townsend's Warbler, and a heard only HUTTON'S VIREO near the Visitor Center, we have observed 98 species this year. Mammals seen included a Mink seen in the slough adjacent to the Twin Barns (there have been reports of observed Mink from the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail to the Twin Barns Observation Platform), Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, and Harbor Seal. See eBird list pasted below with notes on locations. > > Until next week when we meet again, happy birding. > > Shep > > -- > Shep Thorp > Browns Point > 253-370-3742 > > Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US > Feb 14, 2024 7:37 AM - 3:30 PM > Protocol: Traveling > 6.87 mile(s) > Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Foggy and mostly cloudy with a steady breeze in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 30?s to 40?s degree?s Fahrenheit. A High 15?4? Tide at 8:39am and a Low 1?6? Tide at 3:22pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Mink (seen in slough adjacent to the Twin Barns), Eastern Gray Squirrel and Harbor Seal. > 72 species (+6 other taxa) > > Brant 40 Puget Sound Observation Platform. > Cackling Goose (minima) 100 > Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40 > Northern Shoveler 250 > Gadwall 50 > Eurasian Wigeon 3 One in the surge plain, two seen from McAllister Creek Observation Platform. > American Wigeon 600 > Mallard 300 > Northern Pintail 200 > Green-winged Teal (American) 800 > Ring-necked Duck 3 > Surf Scoter 50 > White-winged Scoter 1 Immature male with Surf Scoters in McAllister Creek. > Bufflehead 250 > Common Goldeneye 125 > Hooded Merganser 8 > Red-breasted Merganser 30 > Pied-billed Grebe 1 Visitor Center Pond > Horned Grebe 6 > Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4 > Mourning Dove 1 Orchard. > American Coot 125 > Semipalmated Plover 3 Continuing winter resident. Seen in the surge plain north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail. > Long-billed Dowitcher 8 Flooded field south of Twin Barns. > Wilson's Snipe 6 Twin Barns Observation Platform. > Spotted Sandpiper 2 West side of McAllister Creek. > Greater Yellowlegs 25 > Dunlin 1500 > Least Sandpiper 150 Likely more. Several large sized flocks of 50 plus birds. Seen from Nisqually Estuary Trail and Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. > Western Sandpiper 6 Probably more. Several Western Sandpipers mixed in large flock of Dunlin. Smaller and white throated in comparison to Dunlin. Shorter bill and lighter gray back than area Dunlin. > Short-billed Gull 200 > Ring-billed Gull 75 > Glaucous-winged Gull 1 > Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 15 > Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 > Larus sp. 150 > Common Loon 1 Nisqually Reach. > Brandt's Cormorant 4 Nisqually River Channel Marker. > Pelagic Cormorant 1 > Double-crested Cormorant 10 > Great Blue Heron 20 > Northern Harrier 3 > Bald Eagle 8 > Red-tailed Hawk 3 > Belted Kingfisher 3 > Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 > Downy Woodpecker 2 > Northern Flicker 2 > Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 > Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1 > Hutton's Vireo 1 Heard only > American Crow 100 > Common Raven 1 > Black-capped Chickadee 10 > Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 > Tree Swallow 4 > Barn Swallow 2 Black throated in comparison to Tree Swallows. Dark purple back versus green iridescence of Tree Swallows. > Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 > Golden-crowned Kinglet 12 > Brown Creeper 2 > Pacific Wren 4 > Marsh Wren 3 > Bewick's Wren 5 > European Starling 40 > Varied Thrush 3 > American Robin 80 > Pine Siskin 3 Twin Barns Overlook. > Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3 > White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 > Golden-crowned Sparrow 50 > Song Sparrow 24 > Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Nisqually Estuary Trail. > Spotted Towhee 6 > Western Meadowlark 1 > Red-winged Blackbird 30 > Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 > Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 20 > Townsend's Warbler 1 East side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. > > View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S161533070 > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com Thu Feb 15 11:55:14 2024 From: grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com (Stan Bezimienny) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Sandy Point? Message-ID: <7EE6C952-9BE1-435A-8AB6-4BF9F799BF1C@gmail.com> Could someone tell me, how do you access to Sandy Point in Whatcom? Fairy exciting reports from there, so I drove this week only to find the last stretch of the road closed, all the surrounding area divided by private properties to the last inch, and the only small bay at the end of accesible road (Salt Spring Drive) posted as no parking. What am I not getting? People report from this hotspot, are they exclusively local? Thanks, Stan From tsbrennan at hotmail.com Thu Feb 15 12:20:12 2024 From: tsbrennan at hotmail.com (Tim Brennan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Jefferson Pygmy Nuthatches Message-ID: Hi Marv, Kuhn Street is the road that passes the Chinese Gardens and leads you to the parking area at north Beach. At the corner of 56th and Kuhn, there's signage clarifying that 56th is a public trail. Apparently, they just never got around to paving it to make it a road - so it looks like a driveway, but is quite public. The birds have been seen and heard within a few blocks of there, in an area that has plenty of well-spaced conifers. They're quite high up, usually, and not always cooperative, with or without the use of playback! Good luck in the search, Tim Brennan Renton -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Feb 15 14:19:18 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-15 References: <1193926462.228584.1708035558617.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1193926462.228584.1708035558617@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - The weather wasn't very pleasant this morning; yesterday's weather would have been much better.? Cold, breezy, biting, dark, and sometimes wet.? But it was quite a good day of birding.? Go figure. Highlights:? ? ?Wood Duck - Two males with a female in the slough near the start of the boardwalk ? ? ?American Wigeon - One female with about 70 Mallards on the grass soccer fields ? ? ?Red-breasted Sapsucker - One near the mansion area restrooms - First of Year (FOY) and first since August ? ? ?Merlin - One caught and killed an American Robin at the very start of our walk.? Flew off with it to eat ? ? ?HUTTON'S VIREO - One singing and calling, but not seen, west of the mansion (FOY) - our first since 2021! ? ? ?Purple Finch - One near the last Dog Swim Beach (FOY) - our first in two months ? ? ?White-throated Sparrow - One with Golden-crowned Sparrows next to the Dog Area portapotties ? ? ?Yellow-rumped Warbler - A few "Myrtle"-type birds near the Lake Platform ? ? ?Townsend's Warbler - West of the mansion in a great mixed flock (FOY) - our first since October Misses today included Hooded Merganser, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, and House Finch. For the day, a year's best 56 species. For the year, we're at 71 species. = Michael Hobbs= BirdMarymoor@gmail.com= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com Thu Feb 15 15:19:12 2024 From: grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com (Stan Bezimienny) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Sandy Point Message-ID: Thank you for your help! It seems walking from the marina is a viable option, the last bit of the road to the tip of Sandy Point was chained off with ?private road? sign on the chain, next to the house under construction, so the parking there is probably gone. Thanks, Stan From barbaramandula at comcast.net Thu Feb 15 16:57:30 2024 From: barbaramandula at comcast.net (Barbara Mandula) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] No shortage of pine siskins Message-ID: <12ba01da6073$1f26c130$5d744390$@comcast.net> For the past several months in the Madrona/Leschi area of Seattle, I've had small flocks (10 to 20 birds) of pine siskins continuously visiting my seed feeders, keeping the chickadees and juncos company. There are also a few house finches, but no goldfinches. Only the pine siskins occasionally collide with a small nearby window. Barbara Mandula -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Fri Feb 16 00:17:47 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Episodes | Nature | PBS: S42 Ep10 Flyways Message-ID: Hello Tweeters community, I give my highest recommendation to you to watch Nature episode S42 Ep10 ?Flyways?. I found this to be a truly beautiful and wonderful PBS production regarding shorebirds. The research, writing, filming, interviews and editing are all excellent. The biologists and volunteers involved love shorebirds and are passionate about doing everything they can to better understand the needs of these species, including critical areas of migration. There are some successes in working with local governments in several areas of the world to preserve key habitat, essential for migration reviewed and shown. Some areas of concern are also shown and discussed. The teamwork and collaboration between groups of volunteers and scientists in several countries are both shown and impressive. The illustrations, videos and narration are all as good as it gets. The video segments of single birds that appear to be in migration flight and at elevation are very special. This episode is truly a masterpiece. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Reiff Ripe Tomatoes: 100 Dan Reiff Videographer The link: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/ Sent from my iPhone From daupperlee at comcast.net Fri Feb 16 04:44:48 2024 From: daupperlee at comcast.net (Daupperlee) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Episodes | Nature | PBS: S42 Ep10 Flyways In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Fri Feb 16 12:44:05 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, Have you been to the East 90? There are Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Eagles, Kestrels, and even the occasional Red-Tailed Hawk. Not just a few but "concentrated" (common to see them there this time of year and for the last 4 years that I've been going there. However, not very far away (less than a mile or so as the owl flies) is the West 90 and the road from there to Samish Island. A lot of this seems, to this observer, to be essentially the same habitat as the East 90 ... but there is no where near the concentration of birds and very few to zero Short-eared Owls ... ??? I have seen harriers in the section between the "wiggle in the road" and Samish Island. And often an eagle or a hawk ... but I've never seen a SEOW in that section. You would think that the concentration of just the harriers and SEOWs would deplete the voles to the point that the birds would move on to different places. Any ideas on why this is true? Especially on why there are so many more birds at the East 90. Yes, I get it that it is all about the voles. I just don't understand why the area around the East 90 has so many more voles. To my eye the habitat is the same - the areas between the West 90 and Samish Island has been fallow for a similar amount of time, has corn fields near by, has the same amount of water, etc. - Jim From rondastark18 at gmail.com Fri Feb 16 13:04:05 2024 From: rondastark18 at gmail.com (Ronda Stark) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Hi Jim, People do see Short eared Owls at the West 90 but they tend to be way out near the dike. I have discovered the SEOW do not like windy weather and often the West 90 is much windier than the East 90. I will be interested to read other responses as well. Ronda On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:44?PM wrote: > Hi, > > Have you been to the East 90? There are Harriers, Short-eared > Owls, Eagles, Kestrels, and > even the occasional Red-Tailed Hawk. Not just a few but > "concentrated" (common to see them > there this time of year and for the last 4 years that I've been going > there. > > However, not very far away (less than a mile or so as the owl > flies) is the West 90 and > the road from there to Samish Island. A lot of this seems, to this > observer, to be > essentially the same habitat as the East 90 ... but there is no where > near the concentration of > birds and very few to zero Short-eared Owls ... ??? I have seen > harriers in the section > between the "wiggle in the road" and Samish Island. And often an > eagle or a hawk ... but > I've never seen a SEOW in that section. > You would think that the concentration of just the harriers and > SEOWs would deplete the > voles to the point that the birds would move on to different places. > > Any ideas on why this is true? Especially on why there are so many > more birds at the > East 90. Yes, I get it that it is all about the voles. I just don't > understand why > the area around the East 90 has so many more voles. To my eye the > habitat is the same - > the areas between the West 90 and Samish Island has been fallow for a > similar amount of > time, has corn fields near by, has the same amount of water, etc. > > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lindseysarahstern at gmail.com Fri Feb 16 13:07:11 2024 From: lindseysarahstern at gmail.com (Lin Stern) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Spots open for 2/24 Trip to Ridgefield Message-ID: Hello All, I still have spots available for my Black Hills Audubon field trip to Ridgefield NWR. Kick back and enjoy a day of birding by car along Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge?s auto tour route. Located along the Columbia River, the diverse wetland and riparian habitat hosts numerous species of birds in winter, including various waterfowl, raptors, and songbirds. This is a great opportunity for birders of all ability levels. This trip will require minimal walking and ADA accessible bathrooms are located at the start and midpoint of the route. The roads are flat and well-maintained for vehicle use. We will stop for a quick lunch, bathroom, and leg stretch break at the halfway point. Walkie Talkies will be provided to each vehicle for communication. Please be open to carpooling, since I'd like to limit this trip to no more than 6 vehicles. If you are interested, please email me. Happy birding, Lin "Caspian" Stern Olympia, WA lindseysarahstern at gmail dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Fri Feb 16 13:36:52 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <6B5230FD-8B26-4E97-A54D-3C8F0FC97CAD@comcast.net> Jim, some years ago the entire roadside from East 90 to West 90 was in grasses and weeds and always had harriers and owls, but then they plowed most of the fields on the south side of the road.That got rid of the voles and their predators. The north side of the road still seems to have appropriate habitat, but perhaps it?s not. Also, there have been some floods that probably eliminated a lot of the voles (they were all over the road during one of them). It is impressive that whatever the vole population is, it?s large enough to support all those raptors. But voles multiply at a high rate. Rough-legged Hawks have all but disappeared from the Skagit County farmlands, and I don?t know how much of that is due to vole decline and how much to climate change. Northern Shrikes used to be fairly common in that area, but they too have disappeared, and perhaps neither of those species is wintering as far south as they used to. Same thing, of course, for Snowy Owls. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Feb 16, 2024, at 12:44 PM, jimbetz@jimbetz.com wrote: > > Hi, > > Have you been to the East 90? There are Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Eagles, Kestrels, and > even the occasional Red-Tailed Hawk. Not just a few but "concentrated" (common to see them > there this time of year and for the last 4 years that I've been going there. > > However, not very far away (less than a mile or so as the owl flies) is the West 90 and > the road from there to Samish Island. A lot of this seems, to this observer, to be > essentially the same habitat as the East 90 ... but there is no where near the concentration of > birds and very few to zero Short-eared Owls ... ??? I have seen harriers in the section > between the "wiggle in the road" and Samish Island. And often an eagle or a hawk ... but > I've never seen a SEOW in that section. > You would think that the concentration of just the harriers and SEOWs would deplete the > voles to the point that the birds would move on to different places. > > Any ideas on why this is true? Especially on why there are so many more birds at the > East 90. Yes, I get it that it is all about the voles. I just don't understand why > the area around the East 90 has so many more voles. To my eye the habitat is the same - > the areas between the West 90 and Samish Island has been fallow for a similar amount of > time, has corn fields near by, has the same amount of water, etc. > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Fri Feb 16 13:38:48 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: References: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <20240216133848.Horde.vh8g5Z1H_mLmZWmSnXIowOu@webmail.jimbetz.com> Ronda/all, The SEOWs are working - and perching - quite near the road this year. They did this two years ago also - but not so much last year. The owl viewing this year has been great. And there have been the 'crowds' that come with that as well - for example, yesterday on a day that was both dark and windy (and cold) there were still 20 plus cars at the East 90. That's on a Thursday! I'm not sure I agree with the 'too much wind' speculation ... I've been there when the wind was literally howling (and gusty) - and the owls were working in full force (same number as the same time the day before/after without the wind). If it is raining - especially if hard - then there are less owls. No surprise. I get out to the 90s at least twice and often more times a week. I'm lucky and live in Burlington so it's easier for me to "just go" as the whim and weather bids me. Best time of day for SEOW at the East 90 is between 3pm and "too dark to see any more". BTW - I got up early today and there was 'first light' in the East over the Cascades ... at 6:00am. Spring is coming and the days are getting longer! - Jim From 1northraven at gmail.com Fri Feb 16 16:41:33 2024 From: 1northraven at gmail.com (J Christian Kessler) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: References: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: I too see SEOW out towards or along the dike well west of the West 90s parking lot, while the harriers tend to be closer & often a bit further north. not as frequent as the East 90s, but not uncommon. Chris Kessler Seattle On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 1:05?PM Ronda Stark wrote: > Hi Jim, > > People do see Short eared Owls at the West 90 but they tend to be way out > near the dike. > > I have discovered the SEOW do not like windy weather and often the West 90 > is much windier than the East 90. > > I will be interested to read other responses as well. > > Ronda > > On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:44?PM wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> Have you been to the East 90? There are Harriers, Short-eared >> Owls, Eagles, Kestrels, and >> even the occasional Red-Tailed Hawk. Not just a few but >> "concentrated" (common to see them >> there this time of year and for the last 4 years that I've been going >> there. >> >> However, not very far away (less than a mile or so as the owl >> flies) is the West 90 and >> the road from there to Samish Island. A lot of this seems, to this >> observer, to be >> essentially the same habitat as the East 90 ... but there is no where >> near the concentration of >> birds and very few to zero Short-eared Owls ... ??? I have seen >> harriers in the section >> between the "wiggle in the road" and Samish Island. And often an >> eagle or a hawk ... but >> I've never seen a SEOW in that section. >> You would think that the concentration of just the harriers and >> SEOWs would deplete the >> voles to the point that the birds would move on to different places. >> >> Any ideas on why this is true? Especially on why there are so many >> more birds at the >> East 90. Yes, I get it that it is all about the voles. I just don't >> understand why >> the area around the East 90 has so many more voles. To my eye the >> habitat is the same - >> the areas between the West 90 and Samish Island has been fallow for a >> similar amount of >> time, has corn fields near by, has the same amount of water, etc. >> >> - Jim >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- "moderation in everything, including moderation" Rustin Thompson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stevechampton at gmail.com Sat Feb 17 08:44:39 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? In-Reply-To: <6B5230FD-8B26-4E97-A54D-3C8F0FC97CAD@comcast.net> References: <20240216124405.Horde.UZ8BUFynjn_gJcQzWB663El@webmail.jimbetz.com> <6B5230FD-8B26-4E97-A54D-3C8F0FC97CAD@comcast.net> Message-ID: Dennis et al, You're probably right about climate change and Rough-legged Hawks (and perhaps Northern Shrike as well). A paper showed pronounced northward winter range retraction of Rough-legged Hawks, pretty close to the rate of climate velocity (the rate at which temperature avgs are shifting north). Paprocki et al. 2014. Regional Distribution Shifts Help Explain Local Changes in Wintering Raptor Abundance: Implications for Interpreting Population Trends. *PLoS ONE 9*(1): e86814. >From the abstract: "We examined the latitudinal center of abundance for the winter distributions of six western North America raptor species using Christmas Bird Counts from 1975?2011. Also, we considered whether population indices within western North America Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) were explained by distribution shifts. All six raptors had significant poleward shifts in their wintering distributions over time. Rough-legged Hawks (Buteo lagopus) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) showed the fastest rate of change, with 8.41 km yr?1 and 7.74 km yr?1 shifts, respectively." The eBird Trends maps for RLHA seem to support this as well. good birding, On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 1:37?PM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Jim, some years ago the entire roadside from East 90 to West 90 was in > grasses and weeds and always had harriers and owls, but then they plowed > most of the fields on the south side of the road.That got rid of the voles > and their predators. The north side of the road still seems to have > appropriate habitat, but perhaps it?s not. Also, there have been some > floods that probably eliminated a lot of the voles (they were all over the > road during one of them). It is impressive that whatever the vole > population is, it?s large enough to support all those raptors. But voles > multiply at a high rate. > > Rough-legged Hawks have all but disappeared from the Skagit County > farmlands, and I don?t know how much of that is due to vole decline and how > much to climate change. Northern Shrikes used to be fairly common in that > area, but they too have disappeared, and perhaps neither of those species > is wintering as far south as they used to. Same thing, of course, for Snowy > Owls. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Feb 16, 2024, at 12:44 PM, jimbetz@jimbetz.com wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > Have you been to the East 90? There are Harriers, Short-eared Owls, > Eagles, Kestrels, and > > even the occasional Red-Tailed Hawk. Not just a few but "concentrated" > (common to see them > > there this time of year and for the last 4 years that I've been going > there. > > > > However, not very far away (less than a mile or so as the owl flies) is > the West 90 and > > the road from there to Samish Island. A lot of this seems, to this > observer, to be > > essentially the same habitat as the East 90 ... but there is no where > near the concentration of > > birds and very few to zero Short-eared Owls ... ??? I have seen > harriers in the section > > between the "wiggle in the road" and Samish Island. And often an eagle > or a hawk ... but > > I've never seen a SEOW in that section. > > You would think that the concentration of just the harriers and SEOWs > would deplete the > > voles to the point that the birds would move on to different places. > > > > Any ideas on why this is true? Especially on why there are so many > more birds at the > > East 90. Yes, I get it that it is all about the voles. I just don't > understand why > > the area around the East 90 has so many more voles. To my eye the > habitat is the same - > > the areas between the West 90 and Samish Island has been fallow for a > similar amount of > > time, has corn fields near by, has the same amount of water, etc. > > > - Jim > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- ?Steve Hampton? Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From leschwitters at me.com Sat Feb 17 10:52:42 2024 From: leschwitters at me.com (Larry Schwitters) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] MX monster roost Message-ID: I know Tweeters focus is on Washington State but???..Our Vaux?s Happening Audubon project has done well in locating the wee birds communal migratory roost sites in Western North America all the way down to the Mexican border. But have only been able to ID and monitor one roost in all of Mexico. Why, or is that why not? One reason might be half of Mexico's migratory Vaux?s are spending their winter nights at one location. Just got short exit and entrance videos and I've never seen anything like it. Got an almost local to do a first to last bird in count estimate that totaled 122,000. There are two large industrial smoke stacks there but only one was used. Word is that on nights when there are a lot of swifts both stacks are used. Here?s a link to an in spanish musical video of the town, with a bit of its history. Swifts show up about two minutes in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkfn2obIquQ Larry Schwitters Issaquah -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bbrug15 at gmail.com Sat Feb 17 11:01:44 2024 From: bbrug15 at gmail.com (Barry Brugman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] MX monster roost In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Nice video. I loved the music. The swifts make a brief, but impressive, showing. On Sat, Feb 17, 2024 at 10:53?AM Larry Schwitters wrote: > I know Tweeters focus is on Washington State but???..Our Vaux?s Happening > Audubon project has done well in locating the wee birds communal migratory > roost sites in Western North America all the way down to the Mexican > border. But have only been able to ID and monitor one roost in all of > Mexico. Why, or is that why not? One reason might be half of Mexico's > migratory Vaux?s are spending their winter nights > at one location. Just got short exit and entrance videos and I've never > seen anything like it. Got an almost local to do a first to last bird in > count estimate that totaled 122,000. There are two large industrial smoke > stacks there but only one was used. Word is that on nights when there are a > lot of swifts both stacks are used. Here?s a link to an in spanish musical > video of the town, with a bit of its history. > > Swifts show up about two minutes in. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkfn2obIquQ > > Larry Schwitters > Issaquah > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kelliekvinne at hotmail.com Sat Feb 17 13:11:33 2024 From: kelliekvinne at hotmail.com (Kellie Sagen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Episodes | Nature | PBS: S42 Ep10 Flyways Message-ID: Thank you for the recommendation, Dan. It truly was a fantastic Nature episode. Wonderful photography and interesting information. It wasn?t a focus of the program, but there was a quick mention about Red Knots being hunted by the thousands during migration in France. I had no idea. Will have to do a deeper dive on the why?s of shorebird hunting. For those who want to watch this program On Demand, it came up as episode 6 instead of 10 in the online guide for some reason. Best, Kellie Sagen From ldhubbell at comcast.net Sat Feb 17 13:34:56 2024 From: ldhubbell at comcast.net (Hubbell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } Seeing Snipe - WISN Message-ID: Tweeters, This post is about my first sighting of two different species in or around Arboretum Creek. One of which is the Wilson?s Snipe. Follow the link to learn more. https://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2024/02/seeing-snipe.html Have a great day on Union Bay, where nature lives in the city and Black Birders are welcome. Sincerely, Larry Hubbell ldhubbell at comcast dot net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lpkreemer at gmail.com Sat Feb 17 22:10:27 2024 From: lpkreemer at gmail.com (Louis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Samish Flats Whooper Swan Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Inge Watson, Bill Driskell, and I found an adult Whooper Swan on the Samish Flats this evening at 6:30. It was feeding in a field adjacent to the road with a small group of 8 Trumpeter Swans. Same size as the Trumpeters, extensive yellow on the bill that reached the nostril and ended in a point as opposed to the somewhat rounded, smaller yellow patch one would find on Bewick's Tundra. There was also yellow on the underside of the lower mandible, extending more than halfway down the bill. Photos will be up on eBird soon. Location was by the intersection of Omdahl Ln (private road) and Allen West Rd (48.517190, -122.387597). On Whidbey Island, there was a Ring-necked Duck x Scaup sp. hybrid (scaup parent ID pending) at Deer Lagoon, and 5 Rock Sandpipers in Penn Cove with all the turnstones. Louis Kreemer Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cariddellwa at gmail.com Sun Feb 18 10:17:47 2024 From: cariddellwa at gmail.com (Carol Riddell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - January 2024 Message-ID: <79D5DF93-80EC-4EE0-8403-A7F2D641FA1B@gmail.com> Hi Tweeters, There were 109 species reported in Edmonds in January 2024. Most expected waterfowl were reported in January, including some rarer species such as Snow Goose (code 3), Trumpeter Swans (code 4), Cackling Goose (code 3), Eurasian Wigeon (code 3), Northern Pintail (code 3), and Lesser Scaup (code 3). The expected grebes were Pied-billed, Horned, Red-necked, and Western. There was one sighting of an Eared Grebe (code 4). Among the pigeons and doves, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, and Eurasian Collared-Dove (code 3) were seen in January. Both Virginia Rail (code 2) and American Coot (code 2) were reported. Shorebird sightings included Killdeer, Black Turnstone (code 3), Surfbird (code 3), Sanderling, Dunlin (code 3) and Wilson?s Snipe (code 3). The expected winter alcids were reported: Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Ancient Murrelet (code 3), and Rhinoceros Auklet. Along with the expected species gulls and hybrid gulls, there was one Iceland Gull (code 4) and one first winter Herring Gull (code 4) reported on the waterfront. Both had good photo documentation. All three loon species (Red-throated, Pacific, Common) were reported at various sites along the Edmonds shoreline. The Yellow-billed Loon (code 5), first reported in late December, continued into January. All three cormorant species (Brandt?s, Pelagic, Double-crested) were reported. Birds of prey included Sharp-shinned and Cooper?s Hawks, Bald Eagle, and Red-tailed Hawk. A Barred Owl (code 2) was heard calling in the Lake Ballinger neighborhood. For the falcons, a Merlin was reported on the same day at the marsh and the waterfront. All of the expected woodpeckers were seen in January: Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, as well as Hairy, Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers. Hutton?s Vireo was heard several times during the month at Yost and Pine Ridge Parks. Steller?s Jay, American Crow, and Common Raven (code 3) were all reported. Several Barn Swallows were seen at the marsh 1-25-24. All of the expected smaller birds were reported: chickadees, kinglets, nuthatch, creeper, and wrens. American Robin and Varied Thrush were the most frequently reported thrushes in January. Hermit Thrush was noted once at a south Edmonds yard 1-14-24. January reports of finches included House Finch, Pine Siskins, and American Goldfinches. All of the expected sparrows appeared, including White-throated Sparrow (code 3). There were no reports of Lincoln?s Sparrow (code 3). Red-winged Blackbirds have been reported at Pine Ridge Park, the marsh, and the Edmonds Lake Ballinger area. There were no reports of Brewer?s Blackbird or Brown-headed Cowbird. Among the warblers there were reports of Orange-crowned Warbler (code 1) at the waterfront, marsh, and Pine Ridge Park. Townsend?s Warblers (code 2) were seen in the Lake Ballinger neighborhood, Pine Ridge Park, Edmonds Memorial Cemetery, and at a north Edmonds yard. Yellow-rumped Warblers (code 1) were at multiple locations throughout the month. Please be careful with gulls. There are pretty high numbers of Glaucous-winged Gulls being reported in eBird checklists. Most of these are probably the much more common Western x Glaucous-winged hybrids. Western, Herring, and Iceland Gulls are code 4 species, difficult to see in Edmonds. There are documented reports of one each of Herring and Iceland Gulls. There are multiple undocumented reports of Herring, Iceland and Western Gulls. These are rarely seen here. Ring-billed Gull is a challenging code 3 species in Edmonds, seen annually but sometimes only a single bird. This gull does not favor exposed shorelines such as Edmonds, particularly in winter. The most promising winter location in Edmonds is the Edmonds portion of Lake Ballinger. Early cycle Short-billed Gulls get mistaken for Ring-billed Gulls in winter when a birder only notes a ring on the bill. We would not add any of these gulls to our year list without documentation of multiple field marks or a photo. We look for evidence-based sightings. Remember that just because a species is on a county basic checklist, it does not suggest even distribution throughout the county or even particularly high numbers. As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or recordings. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2024 city checklist, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2024 checklist with January sightings is in the bird information box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier. Good birding, Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From louiserutter1000 at gmail.com Sun Feb 18 10:30:17 2024 From: louiserutter1000 at gmail.com (Louise) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Siskins Message-ID: I had two pine siskins at my feeder just now - the first ones in more than a year. I've been seeing the reports on here that they're back and wondering where mine were, and finally they've shown up. Now where did I put that thistle sock... Louise Rutter Kirkland (Finn Hill) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdbooker at zipcon.net Sun Feb 18 13:45:33 2024 From: birdbooker at zipcon.net (Ian Paulsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Whooper Swan still present Message-ID: <8378e286-59fb-c09b-ffe7-11473babe11a@zipcon.net> HI: Today, in the same general area: https://ebird.org/checklist/S162060159 sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From meetings at wos.org Sun Feb 18 14:54:13 2024 From: meetings at wos.org (meetings@wos.org) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?WOS_Monthly_Meeting=2C_March_4=2C_2024?= Message-ID: <20240218225413.62813.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday March 4, Andy Stepniewski will present, "Finding birds in Eastern Washington: an introduction to the myriad of habitats and their birds east of the Cascade Mountain Crest (hint- it's all about the mosaic of vegetation zones)." Join Andy on an armchair tour east of the Cascades where a rain shadow effect is created by marked changes in elevation, precipitation, and temperature. This has led to a remarkable mosaic of vegetation zones. Travel from the crest of the Cascade Mountains to the sun-baked Columbia Plateau to appreciate habitats that provide breeding, wintering and migration-period habitat for more than 300 species of birds. Andy has lived for four decades in the Yakima Valley and is a life-long naturalist. He has a special interest in the American West, through which he has traveled extensively for the past 50 years. He is a founding member of WOS and takes great pleasure in sharing his love of nature. Andy and his wife Ellen made major contributions to the Birder?s Guide to Washington. This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page: https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/ for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link. When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off. This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at https://wos.org Please join us! Elaine Chuang WOS Program Support From jeff at shallowpool.com Sun Feb 18 15:07:24 2024 From: jeff at shallowpool.com (Jeff Harrell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Good sources for bulk peanuts? Message-ID: Hi everyone, I love this list, thank you for all your stories. I have a peanut feeder, a sunflower feeder, and suet feeder in my yard and am lucky to have an abundance of birds and species visit daily including juncos, finches, flickers, Stellar's jays, nuthatches, spotted towhees, sparrows, and very occasionally kinglets, yellow-rumped warblers, and a wayward scrub jay. In particular, the flickers and Stellar's jays are eating me out of house and home (peanuts). Does anyone have suggestions on where to buy bulk whole roasted, shelled, unsalted peanuts? I know a lot of bird food has gone up in price since COVID but peanuts seem to really be up there. I've found Tractor Supply to be a great source for bulk sunflower and suet, especially when on sale, but their peanut options are lacking. Thanks! Jeff Phinney Ridge -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Sun Feb 18 18:47:25 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 2-15-2024 (delayed report) Message-ID: Tweeters, Mostly overcast with drizzle and mist, clearing through the morning p. 38? F and 3 inches (!) of snow on the ground. Five of us braved the morning snow at JBLM Eagle's Pride GC. It was melting off through the morning and was actually a pleasant winter walk. (I had to bug out early, and Jon A kept score and did most of the write-up.) But...The birds were not showing!! After last month's walk, and low count, we'd hoped for more birds this morning, tanking up after last night's rain and snow. But we can only presume that the snow kept them quiet. We finally broke 20 species when Dr. Pete spied a fly-by Eagle as we were heading toward coffee and lunch at the end of the walk. We TRIED!! Even using the Merlin app as a listening device, we had ZERO Kinglets. Zero Nuthatches. Zero Black-capped Chickadees. Jon had one Chestnut-back calling, and pulled up the Merlin app immediately, hoping for a mixed flock. No such luck. The chickadee didn't even continue calling. Almost all of the Song Sparrows were located in response to Jon playing the Sibley 'contact call'. No Juncos. No finches. No idea why.... Highlights were the continued LARGE gathering of MOURNING DOVES at the north side cottonwoods above the MacArthur St/Meyer Street power line corridor in the Dupont housing area. We had a few nice views of Varied Thrush, saw a few deer, and Ellen spied a coyote. Our paths crossed a LOT of animal tracks in the snow. Lots of coyote, deer & raccoon, with some Douglas' squirrel and chipmunk. Curiously, we didn't see any rabbit tracks. One positive thing was that several of the swallow/martin houses at Hodge Lake had rotted off at the base & tipped over last month. Today, we noted that they had been re-set with new 4x4s. Looking forward to the Spring, when the boxes will be busy with nesting birds. The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM starting in March. Starting point is the Driving Range building, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. (Turn left immediately after entering the parking lot to take the road leading to the driving range building.) Upcoming walks include the following: * March 21 (start time - 8AM) * April 18 * May 16 >From the eBirdPNW report: 20 species (+1 other taxa) American Wigeon 15 Mallard 10 Ring-necked Duck 6 Bufflehead 19 15 on Hodge Lake Hooded Merganser 2 Mourning Dove 59 Anna's Hummingbird 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Bald Eagle 1 Northern Flicker 2 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Steller's Jay (Coastal) 8 American Crow 2 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1 Pacific Wren 4 Bewick's Wren 2 Varied Thrush 4 American Robin 56 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 1 Song Sparrow 12 Red-winged Blackbird 1 View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS161597851&data=05%7C02%7C%7C6159bbbabead40da020d08dc30ef23c4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638439050863198384%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=C26ilPW%2F41Qh35Ok%2FM7QHssPLyLCnLsHCFlbrOc4Wf8%3D&reserved=0 May all your birds be identified, Denis Denis DeSilvis Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Sun Feb 18 21:29:54 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher question for the experts Message-ID: Do you think it is possible that LB Dowitchers, whose bills are often the same length as a SB Dowitcher, and because the LB Dowitcher has longer legs and depending on the depth of the water, LB Dowitchers will feed with their heads well under the water compared to SB Dowitchers? I have observed this condition. So, I suspect your initial comment will be revised. May many of your Dowitchers be identified. Nelson Briefer ? Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hubbard at live.com Mon Feb 19 09:09:41 2024 From: hubbard at live.com (Bill Hubbard) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ways to Keep birds from hitting your windows Message-ID: A few tweets back someone mentioned Pine Siskins hitting their windows. CNN has a webpage full of options, https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/home/how-to-stop-birds-flying-into-window?utm_term=1708181962719232d03150e52&utm_source=cnn_Wonder+Theory+2.17.24&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=XM3ho9TkuKFyqd2z7g5cMzqlXmdZEIYZg5aaiirxSDghXpm5wyvnkrjU6sT3PUIw&bt_ts=1708181962721 Bill Hubbard -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From baro at pdx.edu Mon Feb 19 10:25:06 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher question for the experts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The Macaulay Bird Library answers questions like this: You don't necessarily have to be an expert, although that always helps. https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog Long-billed https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/614449290 Short-billed https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/611310698 After typing in the bird's English names I selected 'More Filters' & choose 'Foraging or Feeding' from the drop down menu. Now this will not get all of them. I believe that the photographer would have to select that behavior when submitting. Otherwise it will just be lumped in with all the others by not selecting anything. I didn't spend a lot of time searching, just chose the first ones that seemed pertinent. Bob OBrien Portland On Sun, Feb 18, 2024 at 11:15?PM Nelson Briefer wrote: > Do you think it is possible that LB Dowitchers, whose bills are often the > same length as a SB Dowitcher, and because the LB Dowitcher has longer legs > and depending on the depth of the water, LB Dowitchers will feed with their > heads well under the water compared to SB Dowitchers? > I have observed this condition. So, I suspect your initial comment will > be revised. May many of your Dowitchers be identified. Nelson Briefer ? > Anacortes. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Mon Feb 19 12:16:35 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher question for the experts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <485FD48C-7A43-4DEB-978D-AF03342E6423@comcast.net> Nelson, that?s a good question, one I hadn?t thought about previously. I have many, many photos of dowitchers feeding, and I don?t have a photo of a Short-billed submerging to any more than its eye level when feeding water, while I have many Long-billed with their entire head submerged. I would say this is because Short-billed, at least in this area, is much more likely to be on the coast, where an outgoing tide exposes more and more mudflats. So most of the time they are just probing into mud. Long-billed, on the other hand, feeds in fresh water, where the water level stays the same and the dowitcher may have to submerge its head to get to its prey items. Bill length does average different in the two, of course, and this would make Long-billed more able to feed in slightly deeper water. And with slightly longer legs, Long-billed can then feed in slightly deeper water than Short-billed and still feed effectively. What would be interesting is to compare the two in fresh water, as both species migrate across the Plains spring and fall. There might well be a difference, with Long-billed feeding on average in deeper water. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Feb 18, 2024, at 9:29 PM, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > Do you think it is possible that LB Dowitchers, whose bills are often the same length as a SB Dowitcher, and because the LB Dowitcher has longer legs and depending on the depth of the water, LB Dowitchers will feed with their heads well under the water compared to SB Dowitchers? > I have observed this condition. So, I suspect your initial comment will be revised. May many of your Dowitchers be identified. Nelson Briefer ? Anacortes. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From stevechampton at gmail.com Mon Feb 19 12:43:37 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Western Gulls vs hybrids in Puget Sound Message-ID: All, Thanks to a contribution from David Estroff, I've updated my gull identification post here: https://thecottonwoodpost.net/2023/10/12/gull-identification-in-puget-sound/ with an almost-Western Gull that is actually an Olympic Gull (Western x Gl-W hybrid). Search for "Feb 17" to find the bird under the Olympic Gull section. I've circled the folded primaries. The key is the underside of the far wingtip -- it's silvery, not black. I see on eBird that many adult Western Gulls are currently being reported. I can only speak for this bird at Pt Hudson, which looks quite a bit like a Western Gull but is an Olympic coming into breeding plumage. I've yet to see a pure Western Gull in Puget Sound this year. good gulling! -- Steve Hampton Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Mon Feb 19 15:03:04 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] American Goshawk Message-ID: American Goshawk at Skagit Regional Airport at around noon. No Sun , no wind, temp 48 degrees. The hawk was circling in tight circles, at about 300 feet altitude, going to 500 feet altitude, then to about 2,000 feet altitude and possibly higher, don?t know as I departed the area. The wing beats were very rapid and very flexible and not very deep. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From robfaucett at mac.com Mon Feb 19 15:20:59 2024 From: robfaucett at mac.com (Rob Faucett) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] American Goshawk In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Pictures? -- Rob Faucett 206-619-5569 Seattle, WA > On Feb 19, 2024, at 3:03?PM, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > American Goshawk at Skagit Regional Airport at around noon. No Sun , no wind, temp 48 degrees. The hawk was circling in tight circles, at about 300 feet altitude, going to 500 feet altitude, then to about 2,000 feet altitude and possibly higher, don?t know as I departed the area. The wing beats were very rapid and very flexible and not very deep. _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From treesyes at gmail.com Mon Feb 19 16:17:29 2024 From: treesyes at gmail.com (Treesyes) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Back from birding Belize Message-ID: <574F7DA0-C62B-454F-9573-67AF6EC0A3D8@gmail.com> Thanks for the many suggestions from Tweeterdom. If you would like my eBird summary report or just want guide names, please contact me directly off list. Tina Seattle WA treesyes@gmail.com Sent from my iPhone From linda_phillips1252 at msn.com Mon Feb 19 18:23:21 2024 From: linda_phillips1252 at msn.com (Linda Phillips) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] peanuts Message-ID: I envy your Scrub Jays, I see them on average only once a year during post breeding dispersal. I?m not sure how prices compare but I buy whole in shell peanuts at Bothell Feed. WinCo sells 20lbs of black oil sunflower seeds for $22 which is up from the $18 I used to pay for them. Linda Phillips Feeding the birds in Kenmore Sent from Mail for Windows -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ucd880 at comcast.net Mon Feb 19 18:26:05 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] peanuts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <551345591.468744.1708395965441@connect.xfinity.com> Last time we bought peanuts in the shell the best price was Costco. The Jays loved them. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 02/19/2024 6:23 PM PST Linda Phillips wrote: > > > > I envy your Scrub Jays, I see them on average only once a year during post breeding dispersal. > > I?m not sure how prices compare but I buy whole in shell peanuts at Bothell Feed. > > WinCo sells 20lbs of black oil sunflower seeds for $22 which is up from the $18 I used to pay for them. > > Linda Phillips > > Feeding the birds in Kenmore > > > > Sent from Mail https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986 for Windows > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From csimonsen52 at gmail.com Tue Feb 20 09:51:12 2024 From: csimonsen52 at gmail.com (Cynthia Simonsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Whooper swan and alternative plumage widgeons. Message-ID: Skagit news from the Salish flats. The Whooper Swan was still hanging around yesterday. We found it on Sunset Rd east of Chuckanut. Sunday we found two ?Stormy widgeons? and an alternative plumage widgeon in the field just east of the West 90. Birds of the World has lots of information about these plumages of the American Widgeon. We also spotted several Eurasian widgeons east of the west 90. By the way, the farm on West Allen that attracts lots of eagles around calving time must be in full swing. Lots of eagles?around 60. Happy Birding, Cindy c simonsen at g mail -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Tue Feb 20 14:36:52 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Whooper Swan on Samish Flats - continuing In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240220143652.Horde.7LNaNaUZxoz-yNEFuT22ELw@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, I got to see and photograph the Whooper Swan today. It was in the field just West of the Allen United Methodist Church on Allen West Rd. I didn't get any great pictures - just enough to establish the ID for eBird (= Rare). Definitely a Whooper and not -supposed- to be here if you believe the range maps. There were 17 Trumpeters it was with. It wasn't doing anything special (different from what the Trumpeters were also doing = eating grass). Frustrated that I didn't have time to just sit and watch it. A swan is a swan is a swan? *G* - Jim From thefedderns at gmail.com Tue Feb 20 18:03:20 2024 From: thefedderns at gmail.com (Hans-Joachim Feddern) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FLYWAYS Late Notice - Message-ID: "Flyways" Nature program will be shown again at 7:00 PM tonight on Channel 108 ... -- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA thefedderns@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pdickins at gmail.com Tue Feb 20 18:13:46 2024 From: pdickins at gmail.com (Philip Dickinson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ebird rare bird alerts missing Message-ID: I am not receiving ebird rare bird alerts, even though I submitted three rare bird reports myself. Anyone else having this issue? None received since mid-day yesterday. Maybe related to Backyard Birdcount overload? Phil Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peggy_busby at yahoo.com Tue Feb 20 18:20:11 2024 From: peggy_busby at yahoo.com (Peggy Mundy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ebird rare bird alerts missing In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2063527772.5125407.1708482011862@mail.yahoo.com> I received one Monday evening. Peggy MundyBothell peggy_busby@yahoo.com@scenebypeggy on Instagram On Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 06:18:01 p.m. PST, Philip Dickinson wrote: I am not receiving ebird rare bird alerts, even though I submitted three rare bird reports myself. Anyone else having?this issue? None received since mid-day yesterday. Maybe related to Backyard Birdcount overload? Phil Dickinson_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From adamssumner at gmail.com Tue Feb 20 18:25:46 2024 From: adamssumner at gmail.com (Adam Stopka) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ebird rare bird alerts missing In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hey Philip et al, Ebird alerts are down right now - its not just you! No official message I'm aware of from Cornell but I've seen it on a couple listservs now. Adam Stopka Fall City On Tue, Feb 20, 2024, 6:18?PM Philip Dickinson wrote: > I am not receiving ebird rare bird alerts, even though I submitted three > rare bird reports myself. Anyone else having this issue? None received > since mid-day yesterday. Maybe related to Backyard Birdcount overload? > > Phil Dickinson > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From guideon72 at hotmail.com Tue Feb 20 22:00:22 2024 From: guideon72 at hotmail.com (Eric Snyder) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Truly Specialized Habitat In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: If it's of any use, we were just up at the West 90 the weekend before last, 02/10, and had 3 SEO and one Shrike out in the shrub cluster out by the dike. -Eric Snyder ________________________________ Message: 4 Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:36:52 -0800 From: Dennis Paulson To: jimbetz@jimbetz.com Cc: TWEETERS tweeters Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Truly special habitat - or just 'learned locations'? Message-ID: <6B5230FD-8B26-4E97-A54D-3C8F0FC97CAD@comcast.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Jim, some years ago the entire roadside from East 90 to West 90 was in grasses and weeds and always had harriers and owls, but then they plowed most of the fields on the south side of the road.That got rid of the voles and their predators. The north side of the road still seems to have appropriate habitat, but perhaps it?s not. Also, there have been some floods that probably eliminated a lot of the voles (they were all over the road during one of them). It is impressive that whatever the vole population is, it?s large enough to support all those raptors. But voles multiply at a high rate. Rough-legged Hawks have all but disappeared from the Skagit County farmlands, and I don?t know how much of that is due to vole decline and how much to climate change. Northern Shrikes used to be fairly common in that area, but they too have disappeared, and perhaps neither of those species is wintering as far south as they used to. Same thing, of course, for Snowy Owls. Dennis Paulson Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Wed Feb 21 21:00:37 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] WOS Winter Trip to Okanogan Highlands and Waterville Plateau 2/16-2/19, President's Day Weekend Message-ID: Hi Tweets, 12 of us had a nice winter trip to the Okanogan Highlands and Waterville Plateau over the President's Day weekend, Scott Ramos was my co-leader. Temperatures were in the 20's to 30's with mostly clear skies. We had clouds with rain and snow on Monday 2/19. Highlights included relocating a SNOWY OWL just north of 1st on Woods or L in the Atkins Lake Area, COMMON REDPOLL on Tonasket-Havillah Rd just south of the Highland Sno-Park, NORTHERN PYGMY OWL on Mary Ann Creek Road and Salmon Creek Rd(off Conconully Highway), BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on Salmon Creek Road between Happy Hill and Conconully Highway, great looks of PYGMY NUTHATCH at the feeder home north of the Sit N Bull Tavern in Conconully, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at the McLaughlin Canyon Road Orchards, and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW on the south side of Cameron Lake Road. We observed 87 species for the trip with dips on Sharp-Tailed Grouse, Red Crossbills, Cassin's Finch, and Gray Partridge. On our going over day, Friday 2/16, we stopped by Debbie Sutherlands home in Cashmere and had really nice looks of LESSER GOLDFINCH at the thistle feeders. While dropping off seed a nice bright, black and white, DOWNY WOODPECKER came into the suet feeder. At Walla Walla Point in Wenatchee, we got good looks/study of CANVASBACK, LESSER SCAUP and a few GREATER SCAUP. The Winter resident MERLIN that I observed 2/2 was nowhere to be seen. On my scout 1/19 we relocated LONG-TAILED DUCK south of Wanapum Dam and GREAT TAILED GRACKLE in the Walmart Parking lot at Moses Lake Shopping Mall. From Wenatchee we made our way up Badger Mountain to visit Calliope Crossing at Jenny Graevell's home, dropped off seed, and enjoyed MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, and PYGMY NUTHATCH. After a quick stop in Waterville we drove directly to the Atkins Lake Area and scouted for over an hour to relocate the SNOWY OWL. I was not able to find the SNOW 1/19, when there was plenty of snow. Fortunately, a friendly car of other birders told us they located a hiding Snowy on the west side of Woods or L Road just north of 1st where the farm is. We celebrated the find with poor video and photographs of a distant white head turning blob. *Please remember that the agricultural land adjacent to the road is private property and should not be trespassed nor surveyed by drone. The Farmer greeted us to express their concern with recent trespasses and drone use. It does not help anyone in this day and age to trespass, or drone survey without authorization, persons private property. Please respect wildlife and person's places, and at least ask first.* Woods Rd, L Road, Heritage Road was good for ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, and HORNED LARK. 1/19 we located LAPLAND LONGSPUR amongst the HOLA, which is much harder to find with lack of snow 2/16. 1/19 we observed 1-2 PRAIRIE FALCON, and 2/16 we located a GREAT HORNED OWL in the grainery thicket just north of 6th. We had great shots of two GREAT HORNED OWL in the barn at the base of G Street just north of 172, NE of Mansfield. We finished up our day at Bridgeport State Park where we located 2 of 4 reported NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS that seemed very comfortable. There is only one GREAT HORNED OWL hanging around the park as one died over the winter. We had a great dinner at the Breadline Cafe and stayed at the Omak Inn. On Saturday 2/17, our second day, we headed to the Okanogan Highlands. Our first stop was the butte on Fancher Road, where we had good looks of GOLDEN EAGLE and CHUKAR. The Golden Eagle nests on the south end of the butte have had some renovations, and we observed a breeding pair. 1/20, there was much more snow and we observed over 50 Chukar. 2/2 was warm, wet and muddy and we were lucky to find a single sentinel male. 2/17 was cold and in the 20's and we observed over 25 Chukar. From Fancher Road, we headed to the south or lower end of Siwash Creek. Sadly, Siwash Creek was a bust for SHARP-TAILED GROUSE 2/17 and 2/3, but there was no snow in the hills to push the birds down into the Water Birch. On 1/20, we observed over 30 Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Water Birch in the gulch and in the Pines on the north side of the road. Without cold and snow, I think it's much harder to find this species. On the trip 2/3, we had a large group of COMMON REDPOLL and on 2/17 we had a fly over of two. Upper Siwash was unexpectedly quiet all trips. 2/3 we located a dead animal at the north end of upper Siwash that attracted two GOLDEN EAGLES and a nice group of BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES. Back on the Tonasket-Havillah Road we bumped into a large group of COMMON REDPOLL, probably 200 birds, just north of the Fancher Dam Road turn off and south of the Sno-Park. The flock was very cooperative and we got extended time and lovely looks at this species. The Highland Sno-Park was slow. No tantalizing hoots from the Great Gray Owl like last year in the lower meadow. On the scout 2/3, we had observation of CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, CANADA JAY, STELLER'S JAY, and an AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was heard drumming from the paddock at the base of the upper meadow. The Nealey Road Feeder at Highland Meadows remains a good location for photographers to get up close photos of MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and east side bright white DOWNY WOODPECKER. We donated seed to the homeowner for thanks of allowing us access to the front yard. On may scout trip 1/20, we located a small flock of PINE GROSBEAK on Bartroff Road. On the WOS trip we had very nice observation of two NORTHERN PYGMY OWL on MARY ANN CREEK ROAD, as well high count of 7 RUFFED GROUSE. There were reports of Snow Bunting on Teas Road, but we got there too late 2/17 to relocate. We had a tasty meal at the Joyful Thai in Tonasket, then returned to the Omak Inn. On Sunday 2/18, we headed to Conconully via the Scotch Creek Wildlife area. Again, similar scenario, no snow and thus no chickens. On 1/20, our scout observed one SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in the GREAT HORNED OWL Water Birch just south of Happy Hill Road. On 2/18, the Great Horned Owls were working on taking over the RED-TAILED HAWK nest on the hill south of the observation pull out just north of Happy Hill Road. Salmon Creek Road between Happy Hill Road and Conconully highway was good all three trips with sightings of NORTHERN PYGMY OWL, AMERICAN DIPPER, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, CANYON WREN and early WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. Conconully has a helpful restroom stop at the Sit N Bull Tavern, I routinely donate seed to a feeder home on the left hand side of the road just north of the Tavern and Creek. The owner of the home is a Park Ranger, and is familiar with the owls at Bridgeport State Park, a very nice family, and it paid off 2/18 with best views ever of a large flock of PYGMY NUTHATCH coming in to eat black oil sunflower seed. On 2/4 we picked up TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in a Juniper bush just north of the feeder home. From Conconully we headed to McLaughlin Canyon Road just south of Tonasket for the orchards with very reliable sightings of BOHEMIAN WAXWING. Fortunately there is plenty of old fruit in the orchard to keep the birds wintering in this area. Cameron Lake Road was very weather dependent like the plateau and highlands. On the WOS trip 2/18 we located AMERICAN TREE SPARROW on the south side of Cameron Lake Road at the corner of the abandoned barn with the thicket immediately on the west side of the road. On 1/21 we had good numbers of ATSP at Timentwa Creek, 150+ GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH at the cattle scraping on Timentwa Road, and a high count of 5000+ Snow Buntings on the south end of Cameron Lake Road with upwards for 5 LAPLAND LONGSPUR and two distant calling SANDHILL CRANES. I dumped plenty of seed at the west side feeder on Washburn Island with little results. 2/18 was quiet and we picked up good waterbirds. 2/4 we relocated hybrid Mountain x Black-capped Chickadee, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and hundreds of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. 1/21 our scout team found FOX SPARROW and a good size group of AMERICAN TREE SPARROW on the east or left side of the island near where the Pine Trees stop. Our final day, Monday 2/19, we headed to Central Ferry Canyon Road after a quick view from the Lake Pateros Overlooks. My big hope is I'll be able to relocate the Sharp-tailed Grouse on the Waterville Plateau that are no longer feeding on the burnt Water Birch on Bridgeport Hill. Both are part of the Wells Wildlife Area. Last year there was a report of Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Water Birch in the afternoon, and I have yet to relocate them in the morning. They must be feeding somewhere, but with poor snow levels, perhaps there is no reason for them to leave the higher elevations of the hills. 1/22 I got stuck in the snow trying to drive from Central Ferry Canyon to Dyer Hill Road. 2/5 we got hit with a snow storm and just got plain lucky to find huge flocks of HORNED LARK with many SNOW BUNTINGS and upwards of 3 LAPLAND LONGSPURS on Dyer Hill Road. On 2/19 we saw a few moderate sized flocks of Horned Lark that were impossible to pick through due to the lack of snow. Good news, we did locate 1-2 SNOW BUNTINGS on F Road north of Waterville. So a pretty typical Winter Trip with some great finds and disappointing misses. Perhaps that's why I find myself visiting the area two to four times a winter to increase my odds of seeing stuff. I pride myself on locating Sharp-tailed Grouse for the WOS Group by giving myself an opportunity to observe this species on each of the three mornings of the trip. This is the second year in a row that we did not see this species for the WOS Trip. Perhaps I should bump the trip up to the MLK holiday weekend as opposed to keeping it on President's Day weekend... not sure. We observed 87 Species for the WOS trip, so not too bad for a low snow year. Tremendous thanks to Scott Ramos for his loyal co-leading and expertise. And many thanks to the wonderful attendees for their enthusiasm and excellent spotting. I hope you can visit the Waterville Plateau and the Okanogan Highlands soon. There are plenty of birds to see with newer reports of additional species and different locations. Please remember, Winter Birding is different than birding during migration. There are lulls in the sightings, and you need to take more precautions on remote roads with snow and mud. Happy and Safe birding, be well! Shep and the WOS 2024 OHWP Winter Bird Trip. -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ecrockett0 at gmail.com Wed Feb 21 21:46:19 2024 From: ecrockett0 at gmail.com (Eric Crockett) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan Trip Report Message-ID: Emily Larson, John Leszczynski, and I took advantage of the long President's Day weekend to explore Okanogan County. We drove to Omak on Friday night, which served as our base for three days. While the birding was pretty quiet most of the time, we ended up with many quality birds and looks. You can find the eBird trip report at https://ebird.org/tripreport/204539. "North Okanogan" We started bright and early on Saturday at McLaughlin Orchard. We were rewarded with a flock of 400 Bohemian Waxwing calling overhead as they flew around the orchard. It was a wonderful way to experience a life bird. Next we went to Fancher Flats, where Alan Knue pointed out a best-look-ever Golden Eagle being harassed by magpies. We combed the trees along Siwash Creek Road in search of Sharp-tailed Grouse, but didn't find any. Unfortunately, they tend to disperse after the snow melts, making them much harder to find. On N Siwash Creek, we ran into Shep Thorp, Scott Ramos, and the rest of the WOS field trip. This turned out to be the highlight of N Siwash Creek, since there weren't any birds to speak of. Shortly after getting back on Havillah Road, we found a flock of 100 Common Redpoll giving us great looks. At the farm near Teas Road, we found a Varied Thrush foraging underneath a cage filled with what appeared to be captive Eurasian Collared Doves. The highlight was a flock of 40 Snow Bunting, including one that narrowly escaped a Merlin. As we proceeded north across Chesaw Road, we got our first and only Rough-legged Hawk of the trip on Davies Road. Mary Ann Creek yielded four Ruffed Grouse, and another run-in with the WOS group where we all got fantastic looks at a grouse sitting contentedly in a tree perhaps 30 feet from us. Since Sharp-tailed Grouse was a target for us, we headed back down to Siwash Creek for an afternoon run. We dipped on grouse again, but crossed paths with a roving gang of Wild Turkeys instead. Our day concluded with owling at Highlands Sno-Park. There were three other groups owling as well (including the WOS contingency), but the owls didn't get the memo. We dipped on our target Great Gray Owl, and ended up with a consolation Great Horned Owl where the Sno Park road meets Havillah Rd. "West Okanogan" On Sunday, we started at the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area at 6:30 AM. We heard a Great Horned Owl duet calling from the creek, and heard one call from what may have been a Short-eared Owl. I marched the group straight up the canyon where we spent three hours taking in the scenery and flora, since the birds were scarce. A highlight was a 10-minute search for a bird doing an odd song; we were all pleasantly surprised to find a Song Sparrow practicing for spring with a whisper song. We dipped for a third time on Sharp-tailed Grouse. On the other end of the preserve, we picked up a Canyon Wren calling across Hess Lake. As we headed towards Twisp, we were all befuddled by a mysterious dark hawk. After consulting with Sibley and puzzling it out for a few minutes, we realized we were looking at a (textbook!) Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk. We were all very pleased to have gotten such a good look, and to have been able to get an ID on a bird none of us had ever seen well. In Twisp, there were no Pine Grosbeaks at the Town Park, but we did observe an American Dipper on the river. Fortunately, up the road at Pearrygin State Park, we found a flock of cooperative Pine Grosbeak, foraging with a lone Purple Finch. The grosbeaks seemed to be largely adult "taiga" females (yellow head, gray body) and "russet" females (reddish head, sometimes bordering on orange, with a gray body). We briefly got a look at an all-red adult male. Our next stop was Sun Mountain Lodge. We walked about 0.9 miles down the Kraule trail until we reached a stand of recently-burned trees. We heard some gentle tapping and went to investigate, only to find ourselves in a mixed flock of no fewer than seven woodpeckers of three different species (Downy, Hairy, and White-headed). We ended the day with owling on Twisp River Road. In the winter, this road is closed shortly after it becomes NF-44. We started walking one hour before sunset about 1.5 miles on snow, not quite reaching the War Creek Campground. Along the way we heard singing American Dipper. On the way back to the car, we heard Northern Pygmy Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and Great Horned Owl. John spotted the GHOW observing us from two different tree tops as we walked back. We may have flushed a grouse of some variety, but were too distracted by a calling Saw-whet to investigate further. "South Okanogan" On Sunday, we drove Cameron Lake Road, starting outside Omak and coming out at Brewster. Early on, we heard a mystery finch(?) that we never ended up identifying. The north end turned up the "usual suspects", but once we got up to the top, the birding got interesting. There were many singing Horned Larks, but we never found a Lapland Longspur. John noticed two bird-shaped lumps in a field that turned out to be Gray Partridges. On a lark, we got out and walked around near an abandoned barn (48.1520558, -119.4948501). This turned out to be a great stop, yielding 15 American Tree Sparrows, a roosting Great Horned Owl, and our only Western Meadowlark of the trip. At the sound end of Cameron Lake Road, we scanned the Columbia River and swept the waterfowl category; highlights included Trumpeter Swan, Canvasback, Redhead, and Ruddy Duck. After lunch in Brewster, we had time for one last stop before heading home. The Atkins Lake Snowy Owl was a bit too far out of our way, so we opted to try for the Lake Chelan Yellow-billed Loon. We stopped at the Legend Pullout, where we met a birder who got us on a Long-tailed Duck. As we were about to leave, Andy Stepnewski pulled up with several other birders, and suggested we backtrack a bit and try for the loon at Lakeside Park. After striking out again, we decided to admit defeat (appropriately, it was starting to rain). As we drove past Legend Pullout again, the other birders were still there. In an act of desperation, we stopped to see if they had found the loon, and...it was right at the pullout! We got great looks at the loon, and didn't even mind the rain. Misses for the trip were Sharp-tailed Grouse, American Goshawk, Great Gray Owl, Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, and Lapland Longspur. Thanks to all of the birders, including those named here, and those whose names I forgot, who gave us tips along the way. It was lovely to see and meet everyone. Special thanks to Emily and John, who suffered through early mornings, long days, meals on the go, and a "brisk" walking pace. It was all for the birds. Here's hoping for more snow next year. Happy Birding, Eric Crockett -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From magicman32 at rocketmail.com Thu Feb 22 11:47:12 2024 From: magicman32 at rocketmail.com (Eric Heisey) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upcoming Talk: Tropical Wildlife and Conservation -- Peru and Kenya (Feb 24, 5:30pm) References: Message-ID: Hi all, I am forwarding an announcement for a talk that I will be giving via zoom and in person this Saturday. Please tune in if you have any interest in the tropics, wildlife, or photography! Find the zoom link below. Eric Heisey --- North Central Washington Audubon speaker Eric Heisey will Zoom his presentation live from the Winthrop Library this Saturday February 24th. Zoom check in is at 5:15 PM Pacific Time. Zoom information below. Tropical Wildlife and Conservation ? Peru and Kenya Speaker: Eric Heisey Date and Time: February 24th, 2024, 5:30?7:00pm An eastern Washington native, Eric Heisey is a contract biologist and photographer who specializes working with birds, increasingly in the world?s tropics. In fall 2023, Eric spent three months working in Peru, collaborating with a local NGO to survey the birds of a dynamic, human-impacted landscape in the Amazon Rainforest. After working hard in Peru, Eric ventured to Kenya to visit a bird-watching friend and explore the fantastic country for a month. Over the course of this incredible four month adventure, Eric observed almost 1,200 species of birds, watched lions herd zebras into a flooded river, saw the coolest frog on the planet, took part in a two excellent big day efforts, and considerably deepened his knowledge and perspective of tropical conservation. In this talk, Eric will present his photography, stories, and lessons learned from four months living in some of the world?s most fascinating environments. > Topic: Eric Heisey presents Tropical Wildlife Conservation in Peru and Kenya > Time: Feb 24, 2024 05:15 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) > > Join Zoom Meeting > https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5200786328?pwd=b1NVQUJ6alJVNjl2T2xFMWFheExRZz09&omn=86513694689 > > Meeting ID: 520 078 6328 > Passcode: 0C271U > --- > One tap mobile > +12532050468,,5200786328#,,,,*168571# US > +12532158782,,5200786328#,,,,*168571# US (Tacoma)--- > > Dial by your location > ? +1 253 205 0468 US > ? +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) > ? +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) > ? +1 669 444 9171 US > ? +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) > ? +1 719 359 4580 US > ? +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) > ? +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) > ? +1 305 224 1968 US > ? +1 309 205 3325 US > ? +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) > ? +1 360 209 5623 US > ? +1 386 347 5053 US > ? +1 507 473 4847 US > ? +1 564 217 2000 US > ? +1 646 931 3860 US > ? +1 689 278 1000 US > > Meeting ID: 520 078 6328 > Passcode: 168571 > > Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kd8ZXCgbBx -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kenbrownpls at comcast.net Thu Feb 22 12:20:20 2024 From: kenbrownpls at comcast.net (Kenneth Brown) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday walk. Message-ID: <841521888.484517.1708633220508@connect.xfinity.com> A light drizzle greeted the damp souls assembled at 8 am at the Visitor?s Center deck to begin the Wednesday walk. We followed the default route, orchard first, then along the entrance road, to the Twin Barns access road, onto the loop trail along the west side of the main pond out to the twin Barns platform. Along the way we grew in numbers to 26 people as the precipitation also increased to steady rain. Happiest was he or she who wore effective raingear. Among the early highlights, an Opossum looking like a PNW version of a Koala, clutching a branch of a big-leaf Maple on the eastern edge of the grove at the Twin Barns, 15? +/- above the ground. Multiple Varied Thrush, Long-billed Dowitchers, and a flyover of three vocal Trumpeter Swans also stood out. Then onto the dike and toward the McCallister Creek boardwalk. A Lincoln?s Sparrow, a couple Western Meadowlarks along the dike and a half dozen Semipalmated Plovers out on the surge plain kept our attention. After we stepped out of the wind shadow of the protective Willows out onto the open dike, time and the weather began to take a toll on the number of participants. A smaller number continued out the boardwalk. Common Goldeneye and Surf Scoters were numerous in the creek along with a half dozen Horned Grebes, belted Kingfishers and a Steller?s Jay made appearances on the opposite shore, but we found no Spotted Sandpiper despite diligent search. Many more Goldeneye and Scoters along with Red -breasted Mergansers, a few black Brant and several Bald Eagles were seen from the Puget Sound viewing platform. We dipped on any Loons or alcids. We returned along the dike to the Nisqually River overlook where we did not find the expected Common Mergansers. A mixed flock of both Kinglets and both Chickadees brightened our return along the eastern side of the loop trail back to the parking lot. The full list follows: Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Feb 21, 2024 8:00 AM - 4:01 PM Protocol: Traveling 5.68 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Overcast and 52 ?F at the start, with cooling rain from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a south wind at 3-10 knots. The sun came out for a bit at 2 p.m. with maximum temperature 54 ?F. A high 14.08-foot high tide at 5:16 a.m. ebbed to a +7.25-foot low water at 10:53 a.m. before flooding toward a 11.5-foot high at 3:02 p.m. Indian plum is in full bloom, and the salmon berry flowers are breaking bud. Mammals seen include Columbian black-tailed deer, eastern grey squirrel, harbour seals, and an opossum in the maples east of the Twin Barns. 59 species (+8 other taxa) Brant (Black) 5 Cackling Goose (minima) 450 Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 1 Canada Goose 45 Trumpeter Swan 3 Northern Shoveler 155 Gadwall 60 Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 Apparent hybrid female wigeon; head coloration was neither the grey expected in an AMWI, nor fully reddish-brown as expected in a EUWI. Mallard 145 Northern Pintail 185 Green-winged Teal 165 Ring-necked Duck 2 Surf Scoter 60 White-winged Scoter 1 Nisqually Reach Bufflehead 165 Common Goldeneye 85 Hooded Merganser 9 Red-breasted Merganser 35 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Horned Grebe 10 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 35 Dunlin 1350 Least Sandpiper 195 Flagged for high count: Observed one flock of 90-100, a group of 60, and another group of 35 before the rising tide caused the groups to mingle Western Sandpiper 3 * Continuing; in flock with the Dunlin Short-billed Gull 125 Ring-billed Gull 85 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15 Larus sp. 60 Brandt's Cormorant 7 Pelagic Cormorant 2 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Great Blue Heron 25 Northern Harrier 2 Bald Eagle 22 Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 3 Belted Kingfisher 3 Two on McAllister Creek; one at Visitors' Center pond Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1 Female Northern Flicker 5 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1 Steller's Jay (Coastal) 1 Foraging on beach west side of McAllister Creek American Crow 75 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 20 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 3 swallow sp. 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10 Golden-crowned Kinglet 18 Brown Creeper 3 Pacific Wren 5 Marsh Wren 3 Bewick's Wren 4 European Starling 18 Varied Thrush 7 American Robin 60 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 17 Song Sparrow 19 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 2 Western Meadowlark 2 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S162557260 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at gmail.com Thu Feb 22 13:59:31 2024 From: birdmarymoor at gmail.com (Michael Hobbs) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-22 Message-ID: Tweets - For a change, the nicest weather of the week arrived on a Thursday. Yay. Sunny, temps quickly heading to the high 40s, and no wind - delightful. And it was birdy! So much singing! Highlights: Greater White-fronted Goose - Two swimming in the slough just below the weir HERRING GULL - One on Fields 7-8-9 with other gulls. First of Year (FOY) and first in just over a year Great Blue Herons - Nearly 70 at the nests, with some nest building observed Pileated Woodpecker - Low flyover in near Dog Swim Beach #2 Northern Shrike - Excellent looks, East Meadow. Also saw it north of Fields 7-8-9 at 7:00 a.m. COMMON RAVEN - Two flying north over the Pea Patch, calling. First for the survey since 2021 (FOY) White-throated Sparrow - Seen again, though briefly. This bird has been near Dog Swim Beaches #2-#3 Western Meadowlark - Two between Viewing Mound and model airplane field, singing (FOY) Singing birds included Anna's Hummingbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, American Robin, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Western Meadowlark, and Red-winged Blackbird. For the day, a year's best, 61 species. For the year, we're at 75 species. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kelsberg at uw.edu Thu Feb 22 17:10:32 2024 From: kelsberg at uw.edu (Gary A Kelsberg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tanzania and Uganda, 508 species Message-ID: <109F103F-84CF-422B-9D65-84AA498DC0EF@uw.edu> ? Tanzania and Uganda 508 species Five of us spent the first three weeks of February touring Tanzania and Uganda with Cisticola Tours and encountered a wide variety of birds (508 species), mammals (35+ species), plants, and several reptiles. We began with eight days in the ?northern loop? in Tanzania, visiting Arusha National Park, proceding to the Lark Plains, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, the Ngorongoro Highlands and Crater NP, Ndutu Swamp, and on into Serengeti NP. Each park had its particular attractions, with Black and White Colobus Monkeys in Arusha, the critically endangered Beesley?s Lark on the plains (accompanied by Masai guides), rolling hills dotted with baobab trees and elephants in Tarangire, spectacular scenery and the ?big five? mammals in Ngorongoro Crater, and millions of wildebeests and zebras (literally) calving on the ?endless? Serengeti plains before beginning their migration north towards Masai Mara in Kenya. The herds were followed by so many lions that we gave up stopping to look at them. They were everywhere, in the tall grass, under clumps of bushes, up on rocky kopjes, up in acacia trees, even up in a cactus tree. There were also leopards and cheetahs that came within iPhone range of our LandCruiser, plus hyenas and jackals. After Serengeti we drove back to Arusha and flew to Entebbe to begin our eleven days of Uganda, starting with boat tours of Mabamba Swamp (Shoebill stork and Little Jacana) and Lake Mburo (African Finfoot, hippos, and many species of kingfisher). We then drove to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (however did we get in?) for a day of trekking to see a family of Mountain Gorillas and more than half of the endemic forest species. Our next destination was Queen Elizabeth NP for more savannah and desert birds and mammals. We finished up in Kibale NP (eight species of primates including Red Colobus, Red-tailed, L?Hoest?s, Vervet Monkeys, and Gray-cheeked Mangabey) with a successful search for the Green-breasted Pitta, which we chose to seek instead of trekking to see chimpanzees (the more popular option), plus a hike through Sebitoli Swamp. Our birding guides were superb, with much keener eyes than ours, extremely knowledgeable about more than a thousand species of birds, and very patient with us. Our drivers were safe and also excellent with birds, mammals, plants, geology, and culture. We birded from the LandCruiser in areas with lions and on foot where it was possible. The roads between cities were generally paved, however there were a lot of dirt roads which gave us an ?African massage? (vibrations and jolting from the rough surfaces). Most of our nights were in pleasant ecolodges in beautiful settings with excellent food (lots of fruit, vegetables, and chicken and fish options). They all had hot showers and at least some internet access, usually only in the main area. Almost everyone we met spoke English and we were treated warmly, welcomed with hot towels and glasses of juice. We all took tablets for malaria prevention (Malarone) but we saw few insects when we weren?t near the animal herds (also herds of flies). I never was bitten, except by a couple of ants. We observed heightened security in both countries, evidence of a strong desire to protect tourists. It meant that armed guards accompanied us on our forest walks (slightly disconcerting at first, but they were friendly and helpful). The temperatures ranged from about 60 degrees F in the night and morning up to the low 90?s. Except in the Serengeti area we did not see crowds, although we commonly saw other tourist vehicles. I heard that summer attracts many more tourists. Overall, it was a fantastic trip, and all of us highly recommend Cisticola Tours for East Africa safari trips. They do general tours in addition to catering to birders. The five of us (from three Seattle Master Birder classes) have traveled well together on multiple occasions so we knew that we would do fine with extended time in close quarters and sometimes uncomfortable conditions (heat, dust, bumpy roads). The standard safari vehicles hold six clients plus a guide and driver. I hope this post is useful for anyone considering a birding tour in the area! Gary Kelsberg Seattle Kelsberg At U Dot Washington Dot Edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From festuca at comcast.net Thu Feb 22 18:44:05 2024 From: festuca at comcast.net (Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR - 21 Feb. 2024 In-Reply-To: <0100018dd38e5f1c-c3d30206-4b7f-4c32-a726-07ae326a8d12-000000@email.amazonses.com> References: <0100018dd38e5f1c-c3d30206-4b7f-4c32-a726-07ae326a8d12-000000@email.amazonses.com> Message-ID: <529606845.487879.1708656245042@connect.xfinity.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tcstonefam at gmail.com Thu Feb 22 19:21:13 2024 From: tcstonefam at gmail.com (Tom and Carol Stoner) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Mystery Hawk Message-ID: I am not good with hawks beyond the common ones in our area. My default is Red-tailed unless I have clear field marks that suggest otherwise. North of Marysville on I-5 today I got a glimpse of a dark hawk with a deep rust breast and a dark brown-black belly band and wings. I didn't see any light colors in my brief glimpse. Do Red-tails come in that kind of plumage? The picture in Sibley that most resembled the bird I saw was a Ferruginous Hawk, but that seems *highly *unlikely. Any thoughts? Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Fri Feb 23 07:24:39 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Mystery Hawk In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <645BE3BE-B066-4C34-82B2-01C873022061@comcast.net> Carol, I would say that Red-tailed can come in exactly that color pattern. Try doing an online search for ?Red-tailed Hawk rufous morph.? Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Feb 22, 2024, at 7:21 PM, Tom and Carol Stoner wrote: > > I am not good with hawks beyond the common ones in our area. My default is Red-tailed unless I have clear field marks that suggest otherwise. North of Marysville on I-5 today I got a glimpse of a dark hawk with a deep rust breast and a dark brown-black belly band and wings. I didn't see any light colors in my brief glimpse. Do Red-tails come in that kind of plumage? The picture in Sibley that most resembled the bird I saw was a Ferruginous Hawk, but that seems highly unlikely. > > Any thoughts? > > Carol Stoner > West Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From steveloitz at gmail.com Fri Feb 23 08:37:32 2024 From: steveloitz at gmail.com (Steve Loitz) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Mystery Hawk In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Carol, IMO, it was likely a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk. RTHAs have a very broad range of plumage, moreso among all of our raptors. WA does get a few wintering dark morph Rough-tailed Hawks -- Sibley's estimates 10% of Roughies W of the plains, although I would guess is closer to 1-in-20 (5%) in WA -- and dark morph RTHAs are even more rare W of the Cascades. Also, a dark morph Roughie would not have a visible belly band. If you want to go down the rabbit hole of plumage variation in RTHAs, consider joining this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856794547783261 BTW, I am a former West Seattle resident. We moved to Eburg eight years ago. We love it over here, although I do miss my routine birding walks in West Seattle. Happy birding, Steve Loitz Ellensburg On Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 7:22?PM Tom and Carol Stoner wrote: > I am not good with hawks beyond the common ones in our area. My default > is Red-tailed unless I have clear field marks that suggest otherwise. > North of Marysville on I-5 today I got a glimpse of a dark hawk with a deep > rust breast and a dark brown-black belly band and wings. I didn't see any > light colors in my brief glimpse. Do Red-tails come in that kind of > plumage? The picture in Sibley that most resembled the bird I saw was a > Ferruginous Hawk, but that seems *highly *unlikely. > > Any thoughts? > > Carol Stoner > West Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- Steve Loitz Ellensburg, WA steveloitz@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From glaciersea at comcast.net Fri Feb 23 13:36:28 2024 From: glaciersea at comcast.net (Kim) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Seattle Purple Martin support submission Message-ID: <38276B77-EC97-456B-BD0D-AD8630784A77@comcast.net> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alanroedell at gmail.com Fri Feb 23 20:02:15 2024 From: alanroedell at gmail.com (Alan Roedell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Flats today Message-ID: Wendy and I spent the afternoon looking for and finding the Whooper Swan on Chuckanut today. Around 7400+- with a couple of dozen Trumpeters. Very limited parking, we went to Slough Food in Edison for lunch and came back to set up our scope. Nice to add it to our state list, but the real show was at the East 90 where numerous Short-eared Owls were putting on a show for dozens of photographers in excellent light. "Outrageously gorgeous" according to Wendy. Alan Roedell, Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From myssaiko-group at yahoo.com Fri Feb 23 20:44:52 2024 From: myssaiko-group at yahoo.com (Vickie S.) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson References: <180431028.142719.1708749892609.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <180431028.142719.1708749892609@mail.yahoo.com> I was asked to post this invitation to Gregg's memorial on behalf of Chris Jones and Rod Ingalls. The memorial is being arranged by these long time friends and they want to reach out to Gregg's birding friends.? A memorial has been arranged for him to be held at the Swedish Club in?Seattle (1920 Dexter Ave N) on April 6 between 2:00 and 5:00 PM.? I hope you can join us.? Also, other birding friends of Gregg's you may know would be welcome. RSVP appreciated.? Please contact Rod Ingalls at?rodingalls@gmail.com?or?425 681 2589. Photos and stories welcome. Anyone is welcomed to speak at the memorial.? ---Rod sent me a pic of Gregg as a young man, he estimates 18-22yo. It is posted on my flickr. Like some of you, I am still struggling to believe that I will not see him again. And I'm wiping tears again.?? https://www.flickr.com/photos/myssvictoria/53548330591/in/dateposted-public/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From russkope at gmail.com Sat Feb 24 14:12:18 2024 From: russkope at gmail.com (Russ Koppendrayer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pine Grosbeak Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Becky Kent and I just found a male Pine Grosbeak on the dike at the end of New Washington Rd off Lynne Point Rd. in Pacific County. Russ Koppendrayer Longview, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Sat Feb 24 14:26:34 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel Message-ID: Possible E.Kestrel, Thomle Road Stanwood. Before checking the books and video of this species, I wish to get this info out. From the size , shape , proportion, and wing movements, I am thinking this hawk is E. Kestrel. On the last field of the road on the left side going north. Initial observation of the - this? Hawk was when it landed on a thin irrigation ditch 30 yards away. This bird or hawk punched on something. I observed a flash of yellow from the outreaching wings. The sighting was naked eye and was no sun . The hawk appeared to be all black and ripped across the road to be behind us. If coming up with any more interpretations I will post it. Nelson Briefer- Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stevechampton at gmail.com Sat Feb 24 17:16:40 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pt Wilson - merganser movement and return of the Rhinos Message-ID: This afternoon at Pt Wilson, Port Townsend there was an impressive movement of Red-br Mergansers. About 700 birds passed northbound, in tight groups of 50 to 100, in the span of five minutes. Either the beginning of northbound migration or repositioning to food sources in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In other local news, the Rhino Auklets have returned and are now solidly the most abundant alcid. They pass daily southbound in the morning and northbound in the afternoons. Most have full plumes already! Full list here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S162812235 good birding, -- Steve Hampton Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From 1northraven at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 09:53:21 2024 From: 1northraven at gmail.com (J Christian Kessler) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] thoughts on Whooping Swans Message-ID: given that WHSWs are normally Eurasian, not North American birds, and it appears that several, not just one accidental, have showed up this winter in western Washington, has there been any speculation or thoughts about why this year and how these birds came to be here? Chris Kessler Seattle -- "moderation in everything, including moderation" Rustin Thompson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From thefedderns at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 13:16:43 2024 From: thefedderns at gmail.com (Hans-Joachim Feddern) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] thoughts on Whooping Swans In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: To the best of my knowledge all recent Washington records have been of individual adults and unbanded. This would rule out escapees from zoos or waterfowl collections. More interesting is the fact, that we have not seen family groups, since swans stay together at least through the first winter. The individuals seem to associate with Trumpeter Swans. Are we seeing birds separated from their family during migration in Asia and blown off in a storm to Alaska and joined Trumpeters on their southward migrations? Has anybody observed a Whooper paired with a Trumpeter? Many unanswered questions! Good Birding! Hans On Sun, Feb 25, 2024 at 9:54?AM J Christian Kessler <1northraven@gmail.com> wrote: > given that WHSWs are normally Eurasian, not North American birds, and it > appears that several, not just one accidental, have showed up this winter > in western Washington, has there been any speculation or thoughts about why > this year and how these birds came to be here? > > Chris Kessler > Seattle > > -- > "moderation in everything, including moderation" > Rustin Thompson > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA thefedderns@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vikingcove at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 15:54:15 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Early Swainson's Hawk Message-ID: Last Wednesday, February 21st, I heard then spotted a Swainson's Hawk circling overhead in Walla Walla near Wa-Hi school. (In 2016 I spotted one in Kittitas County near I-82 just south of I-90 on February 23rd.) Wednesday night I let a local WW birder maven know of my find. They said SWHA aren't around before April, but birds fly, and they'd look. I replied that the eBird Range Map shows a Swainson's Hawk, with photographs, in Idaho on January 24th of this year. https://ebird.org/checklist/S159707622 (Other checklists also document that bird.) Yesterday night I got an email from the Walla Walla maven telling me they'd spotted a Swainson's Hawk along Byrnes Road. They were in a group of five birders. Byrnes Road is west of Touchet, twenty miles west of where I'd seen the Swainson's Hawk three days earlier in Walla Walla. https://ebird.org/pnw/checklist/S162870354 Good Birding, https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/ Kevin Lucas Yakima County, WA *Qui tacet consentire videtur* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdbooker at zipcon.net Sun Feb 25 15:57:14 2024 From: birdbooker at zipcon.net (Ian Paulsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] The Birdbooker Report Message-ID: <5a8f48a9-a3d-5420-9c42-b5e0e9627cde@zipcon.net> HI ALL: I posted about 3 bird and 5 non-bird books at my blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2024/02/new-titles.html sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From dennispaulson at comcast.net Sun Feb 25 16:45:31 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson memorial. Message-ID: <5427CFFD-79B9-4066-B1B7-0BEDB349ACF9@comcast.net> Hello, tweets. Friends of Gregg Thompson have arranged to have a memorial for Gregg at the Swedish Club in Seattle, 1920 Dexter Ave. N, from 2:00-5:00 pm on April 6th. All who knew him are welcome to attend. Let?s hope for good stories and a reunion for all who liked and appreciated Gregg. Dennis Paulson Seattle From birdbooker at zipcon.net Sun Feb 25 16:51:33 2024 From: birdbooker at zipcon.net (Ian Paulsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tweeters member numbers Message-ID: HI ALL: Does anyone know how many people are currently subscribed to Tweeters? Thanks! Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From falconresearch at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 17:10:02 2024 From: falconresearch at gmail.com (Bud Anderson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel Message-ID: Photos? Color of talons? Bud Anderson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 17:10:36 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off-subject: aquatic larva of insect Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Are there insect larvae other than Caddis Flies living in streams and building shelters out of small rocks in this area? I was at Locust Creek Park in Brier today, and I idly picked up a handful of stones out of the stream. I discovered that I?d inadvertently broken open the tubular shelter of a larva, thankfully uninjured. It was brown, about 1/2 inch long, and had a segmented abdomen. I was bereft of sleep and did not notice any legs or the split ?tail? usually seen on Caddis larvae. My partner did not see these either. I was wondering if anyone can identify the larva I regretfully disturbed. I won?t be hand-dredging in streams anymore! Thank you, Blythe Horman, Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sun Feb 25 17:16:18 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Request: Current Tweeters Administrators contact information? Message-ID: <5604BC3F-FDA8-4FE2-942E-3225FC241DB2@gmail.com> Hello tweeters, I would like to contact the current tweeters administrators. Please send their names and email addresses so that I may contact them. Thank you, Dan Reiff Sent from my iPhone From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sun Feb 25 18:10:41 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] SwanRise 24 Feb 2024 - Barney Lake - Event Report In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240225181041.Horde.SmxWoYe18wHIO7OLt8OaS3Z@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi all, The Skagit Land Trust hosted this outing. The -only- negative was the very understandable early start (6:30) but about 20 of us made that deadline and were treated to the departure of all of the Trumpeters (perhaps other swans but I personally didn't see any I was certain) taking off from Barney Lake (East of Mt. Vernon) and circling to gain enough altitude to clear the trees. There were also Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, Ruddy Ducks, Widgeons, swallows, Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles, and even a beaver! This was our second time to attend SwanRise. We left to come back home about 8 and I got to "find the two hours of sleep I lost" by attending. *G* The weather cooperated - that means no rain - but the light was pretty dim and so photography was less than easy. I did get a couple of shots I put up on the web that you can find here https://eamon.smugmug.com/Family-pics-from-jim/Birds-and-Stuff-from-Jim/n-4Cw3NF/Birds-Web/i-tJN2XDk/A as well as my recent pictures taken on the Samish Flats of Eagles and SEOWs. Just click on the left arrow to move backwards in time. - Jim P.S. Later on Saturday we also went to the Stanwood Snow Goose Festival to catch the presentation on owls. So we had a very birdy day. From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sun Feb 25 18:41:47 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] thoughts on Whooping Swans In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240225184148.Horde.L_Sl1xthJFz_39w5CelEeC1@webmail.jimbetz.com> Chris, Didn't your folks ever caution you about "hanging out with the wrong crowd"? Maybe these birds just followed some of the North American Swans when they left Wrangell or Chucotka? Perhaps it's cool to visit the U.S. so they can brag to their relatives this summer? "... and here's one of me in Skagit County ... the grass there is awesome and unlike anything anywhere else in the world ...". More seriously - perhaps there was some weather or other habitat related event(s) that created these situations? Will it repeat? I hope so! I'm still hoping to get at least one "much better picture" than the one I have already (too far away and not the best light). https://eamon.smugmug.com/Family-pics-from-jim/Birds-and-Stuff-from-Jim/n-4Cw3NF/Birds-Web/i-KJrNr22/A - Jim From: J Christian Kessler <1northraven@gmail.com> To: "Tweeters (E-mail)" Subject: [Tweeters] thoughts on Whooping Swans Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" given that WHSWs are normally Eurasian, not North American birds, and it appears that several, not just one accidental, have showed up this winter in western Washington, has there been any speculation or thoughts about why this year and how these birds came to be here? Chris Kessler From glaciersea at comcast.net Mon Feb 26 09:54:53 2024 From: glaciersea at comcast.net (kim) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] resending Seattle Purple martin support Message-ID: <057501da68dc$e80e0e20$b82a2a60$@comcast.net> Resending this due to a glitch in the digest version. My bad! Kevin Li brought Purple martins back to the Seattle area about 20 years ago. Since his passing in 2006, several of his friends have taken over the maintenance and expansion of the colonies he started. There are active Purple martin colonies that Kevin started that are at/near capacity in the lower Duwamish River, Shilshole, and Terminal 91 in Elliott Bay. The creosote pilings at Terminal 91 (near the cruise ship terminal) are being removed this summer during a Port of Seattle remediation project. The T-91 gourds have supported an ever-growing colony over the past few years. We are working with the Port of Seattle to find one or more alternative locations in the vicinity for the gourds. Ideally this will happen before the martins start arriving in late April/early May. The alternative locations will require "racks" (metal poles) and robust plastic gourds (resist vandalism better than the natural gourds). In addition, the pilings at Shilshole (north of Ray's Boathouse/waterward of the Elks Lodge) are falling down over time. Every year there are fewer to support gourds and this is a big colony (over 30 gourds and a couple boxes) with at least 20 successful nesting pairs. We are working with the Port of Seattle and others to try and find a location nearby to transition the martins that will also require racks and gourds. Currently there are more martins than there is housing near saltwater! Larry Hubbell wrote a very nice article about Kevin on his Union Bay Watch blog at https://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2022/09/thank-you-kevin.html and a few photos of Kevin and the Shilshole martins are available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/142862746@N02/albums/72177720315011242/ Since Kevin passed, his friends have happily bought new gourds and supplies every year out-of-pocket. But we could really use assistance with the cost of buying new racks and gourds (they aren't cheap) to provide housing at new locations as well as at the existing colonies. And if anyone would physically like to help us continue Kevin's purple passion, please get in touch-we always need help as it's a BIG effort each year to get housing in ship-shape condition and ready for the martins. This usually takes place in April and it's dependent on low tides at Shilshole and high tide in the Duwamish River (WDFW has been fabulous providing a boat and staff for landlord activities at the Duwamish River colonies). We started a GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-continue-kevin-lis-purple-martin-legacy and really appreciate (as in REALLY) the very generous donations received so far. If you'd like to help with the maintenance (cleaning and swapping out new gourds), please e-mail me at glaciersea@comcast.net. --Kim Stark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hadleyj1725 at gmail.com Mon Feb 26 17:15:29 2024 From: hadleyj1725 at gmail.com (Jane Hadley) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tweeters messages and other WOS website news Message-ID: Dear Tweetsters - Randy Robinson has added all of the Tweeters messages for 2023 to the Tweeters archive. The archive holds Tweeters messages for all years back to 1994. The archived messages are browsable and searchable. You can find it at: https://tweetersarchives.org/ The Washington Ornithology Society took on the responsibility for archiving Tweeters messages in 2018 and each year adds the messages for the previous year. The WOS website, meanwhile, has recently added a field trip and several birding-related events sponsored by outside organizations. You can see these on the home page at https://wos.org Finally, the website will soon have complete information about the upcoming annual conference in Long Beach. Jane Hadley Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ddoles3 at gmail.com Tue Feb 27 09:41:30 2024 From: ddoles3 at gmail.com (Diane Doles) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Female Pileated Woodpecker Message-ID: <13659FF0-D5B0-4925-B060-46A14AE718A5@gmail.com> I found an adult female pileated lying in the street on its back on 37 th St in Madrona yesterday. Rigor morris had set in. My husband contacted the Burke but has had no answer from them yet. What should we do with it? Carcass is currently in our refrigerator. Thanks. Sent from my iPhone From louiserutter1000 at gmail.com Tue Feb 27 11:04:28 2024 From: louiserutter1000 at gmail.com (Louise) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Female Pileated Woodpecker In-Reply-To: <13659FF0-D5B0-4925-B060-46A14AE718A5@gmail.com> References: <13659FF0-D5B0-4925-B060-46A14AE718A5@gmail.com> Message-ID: >From the Burke website: *The Burke Museum welcomes salvaged specimen donations under the following conditions:* - Please deliver specimens within a sealed container, like a plastic bag, and be sure to include a note inside indicating the date and location found (i.e. city/town). - If possible, please ensure that specimens are either frozen or in otherwise good condition when delivered. - Please note that the Burke Museum cannot accept living specimens, nor can we provide monetary appraisals for any wildlife product. Salvaged specimens may be delivered to the Burke Museum non-public business entrance, which is located at the northeast corner of the building and can be accessed via the intercom outside the door. Deliveries are accepted without an appointment between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays, though please contact Burke Ornithology (burkeornithology@uw.edu) if accommodation beyond this timeframe is needed. I attach a tag with the info on to the bird's leg with a twist tie, then wrap the bird in newspaper inside a plastic bag and freeze it until I can take it in. Louise Rutter Kirkland On Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 9:43?AM Diane Doles wrote: > I found an adult female pileated lying in the street on its back on 37 th > St in Madrona yesterday. Rigor morris had set in. My husband contacted the > Burke but has had no answer from them yet. What should we do with it? > Carcass > is currently in our refrigerator. > > Thanks. Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From panmail at mailfence.com Tue Feb 27 11:49:15 2024 From: panmail at mailfence.com (pan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] dead woodpecker (or other birds) Message-ID: <1428750759.200202.1709063355769@ichabod.co-bxl> It's also worth reporting dead birds at dbird.org "dBird provides a way to report incidents of dead and injured birds, helping to contextualize and guide conservation and advocacy efforts that aim to reduce human-caused hazards to birds." Birds Connect Seattle uses data from this in its research about window strikes, for example.? I'm enjoying seeing Juncos and chickadees courting, and had my first bat of the year a few days ago. Alan Grenon Seattle panmail AT mailfence DOT com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From re_hill at q.com Tue Feb 27 11:57:55 2024 From: re_hill at q.com (Randy Hill) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tweeters messages and other WOS website news Message-ID: The WOS weekend field trip(s) to Cowlitz and Clark County next week has no sign-ups yet. As last year (when we had an unfortunate severe snow event just ahead of the weekend) it consists of up to three days of birding. The Friday 3/8 noon start covers the Woodland Bottoms, although co-lead Russ Koppendrayer has offered early arrivals an opportunity to bird the Kalama area beginning around 10am. The full day of birding on Saturday 3/9 will look at Ridgefield NWR and areas west of I-5 down to the Vancouver lowlands. For those still around for Sunday we will fill in gaps west of I-5 and move upriver to the Vancouver waterfront. From that point it could include areas further upstream as far as Steigerwald Lake, or further upslope to the Yacolt Burn State Forest. WOS members have priority for up to 12 spaces, but after 3/5 it will be open to Vancouver Audubon sign-ups. Randy Hill randy.hill.98642@gmail.com or re_hill@q.com On Mon, 26 Feb, 2024 at 5:18 PM, Jane Hadley wrote: To: tweeters, dear Dear Tweetsters - Randy Robinson has added all of the Tweeters messages for 2023 to the Tweeters archive. The archive holds Tweeters messages for all years back to 1994. The archived messages are browsable and searchable. You can find it at: https://tweetersarchives.org/ The Washington Ornithology Society took on the responsibility for archiving Tweeters messages in 2018 and each year adds the messages for the previous year. The WOS website, meanwhile, has recently added a field trip and several birding-related events sponsored by outside organizations. You can see these on the home page at https://wos.org Finally, the website will soon have complete information about the upcoming annual conference in Long Beach. Jane Hadley Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Tue Feb 27 14:12:06 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] My goshawks Message-ID: Dear birders and hawkwatchers ? I report upon goshawks because you don?t. When you start reporting upon goshawks then I will cease reporting. Or, better yet, I will batch report my sighting at the end of the goshawk season. I will make it simple? will not age or sex. Will only give a general location, and will not reference the time. My goshawk season is from Sept. 30 until June 1. Did you notice that I do not give a specific time of my sightings. There is a reason. Possibly you can figure it out. The best to all of you, I don?t mean every part of you. Ha ha. Nelson Briefer- chuckles- Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Tue Feb 27 14:43:53 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] My goshawks In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I?ve never seen a goshawk. I rarely read of sightings, other than yours. I?d like to see one someday and I would follow up on your reports, except that they are rather cryptic and they are never independently confirmed. As such, I can?t justify devoting much effort toward tracking them down. I?m somewhat mystified as to the purpose of your reports. Nevertheless I will keep my eyes skyward in case one of your NOGO finds their way to the Burien, WA area. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Feb 27, 2024, at 14:12, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > Dear birders and hawkwatchers ? I report upon goshawks because you don?t. When you start reporting upon goshawks then I will cease reporting. Or, better yet, I will batch report my sighting at the end of the goshawk season. I will make it simple? will not age or sex. Will only give a general location, and will not reference the time. My goshawk season is from Sept. 30 until June 1. Did you notice that I do not give a specific time of my sightings. There is a reason. Possibly you can figure it out. The best to all of you, I don?t mean every part of you. Ha ha. Nelson Briefer- chuckles- Anacortes. From joshm at birdsconnectsea.org Tue Feb 27 14:45:39 2024 From: joshm at birdsconnectsea.org (Josh Morris) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] dead woodpecker (or other birds) In-Reply-To: <1428750759.200202.1709063355769@ichabod.co-bxl> References: <1428750759.200202.1709063355769@ichabod.co-bxl> Message-ID: Thanks, Alan! Adding to your plug for dBird.org, which I manage on behalf of Birds Connect Seattle. dBird has been an invaluable tool for documenting local instances of bird-window collisions and other human-caused bird death (e.g., vehicle collisions, entanglement). Collisions are a huge problem, globally and locally. The data we?ve collected through standardized collision monitoring surveys suggest that hundreds of thousands of fatal collision events are possible each year in Seattle alone. We use photos and stories submitted to dBird to educate people about the danger of transparent and reflective glass. We also use them to advocate for policies that would make our cities safer for birds to move through. We?re making progress. UW adopted a bird-friendly campus policy. And a city policy specialist has begun work on what bird-safe building regulations could look like for Seattle. It only takes a minute to submit a report to dBird. There?s no need to create an account. Simply share a few details about the bird and where / when you found it, and that?s it. Joshua Morris Urban Conservation Manager at Birds Connect Seattle From: Tweeters On Behalf Of pan Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 11:49 AM To: Tweeters Subject: [Tweeters] dead woodpecker (or other birds) It's also worth reporting dead birds at dbird.org "dBird provides a way to report incidents of dead and injured birds, helping to contextualize and guide conservation and advocacy efforts that aim to reduce human-caused hazards to birds." Birds Connect Seattle uses data from this in its research about window strikes, for example. I'm enjoying seeing Juncos and chickadees courting, and had my first bat of the year a few days ago. Alan Grenon Seattle panmail AT mailfence DOT com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pond at whidbey.com Tue Feb 27 15:03:52 2024 From: pond at whidbey.com (Sego Jackson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hooded Merganser Super Powers? Message-ID: <3whry782e8-1@m0247473.ppops.net> We have a half-acre pond in front of our house and several weeks ago, I looked out and saw a male Hooded Merganser struggling to eat something of unusual shape and orangish color. I suspected it was a Rough-skinned Newt and getting my binocs, was concerned to find that it was. I love our newts and our merganser so my concern was for both. I watched for a good 10 minutes as it vigorously mouthed the newt. I had to step away and came back a few minutes later and there was no sign of the merganser, so I didn?t get to see if it succeeded in swallowing. I suspected that would be the end of that bird, and for the next two days I didn?t see it on the pond. But on day three, back it was. While we get multiple mergansers sometimes, currently I've been only seeing one, so thought it very probable that it was the same individual. Today, the merganser again had a Rough-skinned Newt that it struggled with for a good 15 minutes. Again, I needed to step away, and came back to see the merganser still on the pond, but newtless. I would assume it succeeded in swallowing the newt, but again, didn?t actually get to see it. Planning to write Tweeters about this, I decided to google first. I found two references: A 2015 article in Wildlife Afield titled ?Annual Use of a Farm Pond by Hooded Mergansers on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia? by Robert Weeden noted he watch Hooded Mergansers ?thrash? the mucus from Rough-skinned Newts before eating them. http://www.wildlifebc.org/pdfs/WA12_2HOMEWeb.pdf A 2017 Flickr posting by Chantal Jacques clearly showing a merganser with a newt and some text related newt toxins. https://www.flickr.com/photos/chantaljacques2012/33618434010 Has anyone else seen this, or know anything about toxin tolerance in mergansers or any other ducks? Is this a merganser super power? Is another super power knowing when an observer needs to go to the bathroom, even from a distance? I can?t believe I missed the conclusion 2 times by taking a vey quick bathroom break. Thanks, Sego Jackson Whidbey Island Sent from Mail for Windows -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From danmcdt at gmail.com Tue Feb 27 15:18:41 2024 From: danmcdt at gmail.com (Dan McDougall-Treacy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hooded Merganser Super Powers? In-Reply-To: <3whry782e8-1@m0247473.ppops.net> References: <3whry782e8-1@m0247473.ppops.net> Message-ID: <32969535-53B4-4A07-AAA8-28EBA0CB7AAB@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From meetings at wos.org Tue Feb 27 22:31:09 2024 From: meetings at wos.org (meetings@wos.org) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?REMINDER=3A_WOS_Monthly_Meeting=2C_March_4?= =?utf-8?q?=2C_2024_=2E=2E=2E_and_2024_WOS_Annual_Conference?= Message-ID: <20240228063109.23868.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> At the next WOS Monthly Meeting on Monday March 4, Andy Stepniewski will present, "Finding birds in Eastern Washington: an introduction to the myriad of habitats and their birds east of the Cascade Mountain Crest (hint- it's all about the mosaic of vegetation zones)." Join Andy on an armchair tour east of the Cascades where a rain shadow effect is created by marked changes in elevation, precipitation, and temperature. This has led to a remarkable mosaic of vegetation zones. Travel from the crest of the Cascade Mountains to the sun-baked Columbia Plateau to appreciate habitats that provide breeding, wintering and migration-period habitat for more than 300 species of birds. Andy has lived for four decades in the Yakima Valley and is a life-long naturalist. He has a special interest in the American West, through which he has traveled extensively for the past 50 years. He is a founding member of WOS and takes great pleasure in sharing his love of nature. Andy and his wife Ellen made major contributions to the Birder?s Guide to Washington. This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page: https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/ for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link. When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off. This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at https://wos.org Please join us! The 2024 Washington Ornithological Society Annual Conference will take place April 25-28, headquartered at the Chautauqua Resort and Conference Center in Long Beach, WA. Those interested will now find the WOS website populated with Conference details including field trips, details of evening events and Conference hotels (some with block rates). Registration for the Conference and selection of field trips opens March 17. Please note that lodging is not part of registration: attendees must make their own bookings and may do so at any time. In addition, any interested in a pelagic trip must contact and book directly with Oregon Pelagic Tours. Visit https://wos.org/annual-conference/current-year/ for Conference details. From robfaucett at mac.com Wed Feb 28 04:32:49 2024 From: robfaucett at mac.com (Rob Faucett) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] My goshawks In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <10D9B77F-CDA3-4D99-85E6-87D8F521D194@mac.com> Hi Nelson - In this mode of communication I believe it's important to stick with ?I? rather than ?you.? Writing ?you? comes across as critical and demeaning. Just doesnt feel good or respectful. Just some advice from a friend. Best birding, Rob -- Rob Faucett 206-619-5569 Seattle, WA > On Feb 27, 2024, at 2:12?PM, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > Dear birders and hawkwatchers ? I report upon goshawks because you don?t. When you start reporting upon goshawks then I will cease reporting. Or, better yet, I will batch report my sighting at the end of the goshawk season. I will make it simple? will not age or sex. Will only give a general location, and will not reference the time. My goshawk season is from Sept. 30 until June 1. Did you notice that I do not give a specific time of my sightings. There is a reason. Possibly you can figure it out. The best to all of you, I don?t mean every part of you. Ha ha. Nelson Briefer- chuckles- Anacortes. _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birder4184 at yahoo.com Wed Feb 28 10:20:46 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Blog Post - Birds and Wine of Chile and Argentina References: <163246279.1111683.1709144446141.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <163246279.1111683.1709144446141@mail.yahoo.com> Earlier this month Cindy Bailey and I joined leader Marcelo Padua and 3 others on the Birds and Wine of Chile and Argentina tour with Field Guides Birding Tours.? A really fun trip with good birds and exceptional wines and food - not good for anyone on a diet.? This first blog post is background and an introduction to the tour - not really about the birds which will come in blog posts to follow with lots of bird (and wine) photos.. https://blairbirding.com/2024/02/27/birds-and-wines-in-chile-and-argentina-background-and-introduction/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Wed Feb 28 12:07:39 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A really good Trail Cam for birds at our fountain? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240228120739.Horde.GXT7JH3EaZFfvxdfnltYQvF@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi all, As I've been reporting now for about 15 months we have a trail cam that is pointed at our fountain. It's getting a lot of pics and I've learned many things from it about the birds in our backyard. However, the quality of the images is pretty poor. A lot of the quality issues are related to the slow shutter speed with no options to speed it up ... but, if I could be standing there with a cell phone I'd be getting FAR superior pictures. Trail cams are great - for large mammals ... but not so good for birds. Ours is less than 6 feet from the fountain and the images are often OK in terms of exposure and lighting and pose ... but the part of the image that is 'the bird' is often far too small - and with far too few pixels of resolution to get anything other than marginally usable. And often, due to the slow shutter speed, you can't even know for certain what bird is in the image. So is anyone using one that they consider to be "really good" in terms of image quality, flexibility, and adaptability to our purposes? - Jim P.S. I'm "getting there" ... only about 2.5k more images to go thru for my first cut review. I'm easily "just deleting" over 70% of them. From kersti.e.muul at gmail.com Wed Feb 28 12:42:10 2024 From: kersti.e.muul at gmail.com (Kersti Muul) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Goshawks Message-ID: Since 2016 I periodically see a NOGO in West Seattle, last sighting was last year I think, I'd have to check my records. In 2017 while setting our GPS points for surveys (NBP) it flew right over a few of us. It always flies the same route...at least when I see it anyway. Kersti E. Muul SALISH WILDLIFE WATCH Urban Conservation & Wildlife Biologist/Specialist - Response and Rescue WASART and MMSN referral Wildlife Field Biologist IV Marbled murrelet forest certified and USFWS marine certified Birds Connect Neighborhood Bird Project Site Leader Climate Watch Coordinator Animal Care Specialist/Animal & Off the Grid First Aid Certified -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From baro at pdx.edu Wed Feb 28 12:57:13 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hooded Merganser Super Powers? In-Reply-To: <3whry782e8-1@m0247473.ppops.net> References: <3whry782e8-1@m0247473.ppops.net> Message-ID: Very interesting. We have a similar pond often frequented by Hooded Mergansers, including nesting in provided nest boxes. Here they mostly appear to feed on CrayFish as no fish present.. Decades ago we had 'lots' of newts and they bred in a different quite small pond at the base of a 100 year old Doug Fir forest. At times there could be 5 or 6 present in spring, mating. That was then, About 20 years ago a Common Garter Snake (not usually in this shaded/forested area) discovered them and 'cleaned out the pond' over a week or two. Garter snakes are 'known' to be immune to Newt's foxins. Since then, few or no newts in this little pond. I found the Flickr article interesting in this espect. Seems a complex situation not well understood. Bob OBrien Portland On Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 4:30?PM Sego Jackson wrote: > We have a half-acre pond in front of our house and several weeks ago, I > looked out and saw a male Hooded Merganser struggling to eat something of > unusual shape and orangish color. I suspected it was a Rough-skinned Newt > and getting my binocs, was concerned to find that it was. I love our newts > and our merganser so my concern was for both. I watched for a good 10 > minutes as it vigorously mouthed the newt. I had to step away and came > back a few minutes later and there was no sign of the merganser, so I > didn?t get to see if it succeeded in swallowing. > > > > I suspected that would be the end of that bird, and for the next two days > I didn?t see it on the pond. But on day three, back it was. While we get > multiple mergansers sometimes, currently I've been only seeing one, so > thought it very probable that it was the same individual. > > > > Today, the merganser again had a Rough-skinned Newt that it struggled with > for a good 15 minutes. Again, I needed to step away, and came back to see > the merganser still on the pond, but newtless. I would assume it succeeded > in swallowing the newt, but again, didn?t actually get to see it. > > > > Planning to write Tweeters about this, I decided to google first. I found > two references: > > > > A 2015 article in Wildlife Afield titled ?Annual Use of a Farm Pond by > Hooded Mergansers on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia? by Robert Weeden > noted he watch Hooded Mergansers ?thrash? the mucus from Rough-skinned > Newts before eating them. http://www.wildlifebc.org/pdfs/WA12_2HOMEWeb.pdf > > > > A 2017 Flickr posting by Chantal Jacques clearly showing a merganser with > a newt and some text related newt toxins. > https://www.flickr.com/photos/chantaljacques2012/33618434010 > > > > Has anyone else seen this, or know anything about toxin tolerance in > mergansers or any other ducks? Is this a merganser super power? > > > > Is another super power knowing when an observer needs to go to the > bathroom, even from a distance? I can?t believe I missed the conclusion 2 > times by taking a vey quick bathroom break. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Sego Jackson > > Whidbey Island > > > > Sent from Mail for > Windows > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com Wed Feb 28 15:00:01 2024 From: zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com (Brian Zinke) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upcoming online bird classes Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Pilchuck Audubon has two classes coming up this month led by two wonderful instructors, with the first class starting tomorrow night. They are: *All About Owls: Understanding and Identifying Washington?s Most Mysterious Birds (online class)*February 29, March 7, & March 21 *Who?s Calling, Please? Introducing Birding by Ear (online class)*March 12 & 19, 7:00-8:30pm Learn more at: https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/classes Cheers, Brian -- [image: Logo] Brian Zinke Executive Director phone: (425) 232-6811 email: director@pilchuckaudubon.org Pilchuck Audubon Society 1429 Avenue D, PMB 198, Snohomish, WA 98290 [image: Facebook icon] [image: Twitter icon] [image: Instagram icon] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Wed Feb 28 16:08:45 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Goshawks Message-ID: Sorry, Kersti, that hawk you observed. You did not describe what you witnessed. Nelson Briefer - goshawk specialist, or would you prefer Accipiter Specialist. The best to all of you. NB. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birder4184 at yahoo.com Wed Feb 28 20:47:49 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Second Blog Post - Birds and Wines of Chile and Argentina References: <1911143289.1260763.1709182069057.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1911143289.1260763.1709182069057@mail.yahoo.com> This second blog post covers Part I of our birding in Chile with lots of wine as well.? The next blogs will cover Argentina and the final one will cover the return to the Coast of Chile to end the tour,? Enjoy. Blair Bernson https://blairbirding.com/2024/02/29/birds-and-wines-in-chile-and-argentina-let-the-birding-begin-chile-part-i/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimullrich at gmail.com Thu Feb 29 12:04:08 2024 From: jimullrich at gmail.com (jimullrich) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?b?QmlyZGluZyBPcHRpa3Mg4oCcSG93IHRvIFVzZeKAnSBD?= =?utf-8?q?lass?= Message-ID: <12D44CDA-E71A-42E8-90F0-2DC50B95156E@gmail.com> ?Hello Tweets: If in the area, please join us for an educational chat on ?How to improve your birding experience with Binocular and Scope usage Tips?. Held at Wild Birds Unlimited of Gig Harbor on Saturday 3/2 at 10am. Presented by Jim Ullrich area representative for Swarovski Optiks. https://gigharbor.wbu.com James Ullrich Sent from my iPhone From rogermoyer1 at hotmail.com Thu Feb 29 12:34:54 2024 From: rogermoyer1 at hotmail.com (Roger Moyer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Othello Sandhill Cranes Message-ID: Where can one find the cranes around Othello? Roger Moyer Chehalis, Wa -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Thu Feb 29 13:31:32 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Science News review: The transformative power of "bird-watching" Message-ID: Tweeters, Science News had an interesting book review: Trish O'Kane's Birding to Change the World shows how birds and humans can help one another heal. A new book explores the transformative power of bird-watching (sciencenews.org) May all your birds be identified, Denis Denis DeSilvis Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at gmail.com Thu Feb 29 17:18:13 2024 From: birdmarymoor at gmail.com (Michael Hobbs) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-29 Message-ID: Tweets - Today was just our 2nd Leap Day Marymoor Survey. The last one was 28 years ago, when the survey was still a baby, and I did that one solo (Brian Bell had only just started coming out with me, and was on an every-other-week schedule then). I had a mere 35 species, and my notes indicate it was frosty but sunny without much wind. Well, it wasn't actually frosty this morning, nor was it sunny, nor windless. Assurances that the overnight wind last night would end before morning were, shall I say, over blown. It was dark, wet, windy, and rather chilly, but I will say that the birding got better later in the morning. Highlights: Greater White-fronted Goose - Probably the same two as last week, with Canadas, Fields 7-8-9 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Thu Feb 29 17:19:41 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR 1/28/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 16 of us endured a wet and windy walk at the Refuge with light rain and temperatures in the 40's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a Low 2'4" Tide at 2:15pm. Highlights included high count of GOLDEN CROWNED SPARROW and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (both Audubon's and Myrtle variety) at the Twin Barns, First of Year VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW along the Nisqually Estuary Trail, upwards of 6 WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a large flock of DUNLIN, and great looks of a MINK at the cut-off for the Nisqually River Overlook from the Twin Barns Loop Trail. We've observed the Indian Plumb blooming over the last few weeks, and this week the Salmon Berry was blooming as well. We observed 55 species for the day, and with FOY Violet-green Swallow, we have seen 100 species this year. It was very interesting seeing the Mink, which caught and mamed a Red-legged Frog, but did not eat or carry the frog off for consumption. See our eBird report below. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, happy birding, Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Feb 28, 2024 7:51 AM - 12:54 PM Protocol: Traveling 4.563 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Rainy and windy with temperatures in the 40?s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 13?9? Tide at 7:39am and a Low 2?4? Tide at 2:15 pm. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Mink. 55 species (+4 other taxa) Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 1 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 30 Northern Shoveler 100 Gadwall 30 Eurasian Wigeon 3 Male and female seen from Twin Barns Overlook, the other male seen in the Surge Plain. American Wigeon 400 Mallard 150 Northern Pintail 100 Green-winged Teal 250 Ring-necked Duck 2 Visitor Center Pond Surf Scoter 50 McAllister Creek Bufflehead 200 Common Goldeneye 25 Hooded Merganser 6 Common Merganser 4 Nisqually River Red-breasted Merganser 1 McAllister Creek Pied-billed Grebe 1 Visitor Center Pond Mourning Dove 2 Orchard Anna's Hummingbird 1 American Coot 76 Greater Yellowlegs 10 Dunlin 1000 Western Sandpiper 6 Mud flats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail. Peep sized shorebirds mixed in with large groups of Dunlin. White throat, lighter gray back, and shorter bill in comparison to Dunlin. Previously reported. Short-billed Gull 20 Ring-billed Gull 8 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 4 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 6 Northern Harrier 1 Bald Eagle 6 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 American Crow 100 Black-capped Chickadee 6 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 Violet-green Swallow 10 Nisqually Estuary Trail Barn Swallow 2 Forked tail, dark throated swallows mixed in with VGSW. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 Golden-crowned Kinglet 20 Brown Creeper 4 Pacific Wren 3 Marsh Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 4 European Starling 100 Varied Thrush 3 Orchard and west entrance to Twin Barns Loop Trail. American Robin 50 Pine Siskin 2 Twin Barns Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 50 Song Sparrow 17 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Nisqually Estuary Trail, just north of dike. Spotted Towhee 4 Red-winged Blackbird 30 Yellow-rumped Warbler 35 Twin Barns Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 10 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S163230099 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at gmail.com Thu Feb 29 17:30:54 2024 From: birdmarymoor at gmail.com (Michael Hobbs) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-29 Message-ID: Tweets - Today was just our 2nd Leap Day Marymoor Survey. The last one was 28 years ago, when the survey was still a baby, and I did that one solo (Brian Bell had only just started coming out with me, and was on an every-other-week schedule then). I had a mere 35 species. My notes indicate it was frosty, but sunny and without much wind. Well, it wasn't actually frosty this morning, nor was it sunny, nor windless. Assurances that the overnight wind would end before morning were, shall I say, over blown. It was dark, wet, windy, and rather chilly, but I will say that the birding got better later in the morning. Highlights: Greater White-fronted Goose - Probably the same two as last week, with Canadas, Fields 7-8-9 HERRING GULL - Almost certainly the same bird as last week, grass soccer fields Bald Eagle - Lots of activity, including two taking turns eating what looked like a coot on the far shore below the weir Barn Owl - One at the model airplane field being harassed by a couple of crows at about 6:35 a.m. American Robin - Notably abundant and widespread White-throated Sparrow - Same bird in the same place as other recent sightings Last week, misses were limited to just Hooded Merganser and Killdeer. We saw a couple of Killdeer today, but again no Hoodies. Other misses today were Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Shrike, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Western Meadowlark. Tree Swallows are likely to show up next week or the week after! For the day, 54 species. Nothing new for the year, but the park's Leap Day list is now at 57 species. :) = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: