From gorgebirds at juno.com Mon Jan 1 00:44:26 2024 From: gorgebirds at juno.com (Wilson Cady) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Black-legged Kittiwake Skamania County Message-ID: <20240101.004426.7684.0@webmail07.vgs.untd.com> The first winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE first found on Dec. 21 below Bonneville Dam in Skamania County was still present today, it is the second county record for this species. It roosts on the concrete fish passage structure on the north side of Cascade Island that is best viewed from near the restroom along Dam Access Road about halfway to the dam. Cascade Island is entirely in Washington and used to be the north shore of the Columbia River before they decided the river needed to be wider so that they could build a second powerhouse for the dam. To widen the river, they tore down the old town of North Bonneville and excavated a new channel through where the town, Highway 14 and the rail tracks used to be leaving a chunk of what used to be mainland as an island. Some people are confusing this channel as being the dividing line between Washington and Oregon, but that border is in the channel on the south side of Cascade Island. Before the 2nd Powerhouse was built, we used to be able to drive to the shoreline to fish below the dam from what is now the south shore of Cascade Island. Wilson Cady Columbia River Gorge, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From wagen at uw.edu Mon Jan 1 07:01:25 2024 From: wagen at uw.edu (Mike Wagenbach) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Love finding Black Oystercatchers Message-ID: Swirl Island S of Lopez and the rocky shore of Lopez between Aleck Bay and Iceberg Point are pretty reliable. I've only seen them there from a boat (kayak) but some of the rocks near Iceberg Point should be visible from the extensive DNR property there if you hike along the lower part. Be cautious trying to get really close to the lower edge of the grassy area, though, as slipping or crumbling of the overhanging soil could cause a nasty fall! Scoping from that DNR hillside would also be a good chance for Marbled Murrelets. I wouldn't call them "reliable" but I've seen them there as often as anywhere. Particularly good numbers the last time I was there in late summer (September). Mike Wagenbach Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mattxyz at earthlink.net Mon Jan 1 08:15:13 2024 From: mattxyz at earthlink.net (Matt Bartels) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Washington Bird List Reports for 2023 - time to send them in Message-ID: <049C4EB0-8728-4493-8AC2-0B542DEF59A9@earthlink.net> Happy New Year, everyone! Now?s the time to wrap up those listing details from 2023 to clear the way for 2024 surprises and goals.. January 31, 2024 is the deadline to send Washington Birder your 2022 List Report. List Report and Big Day forms are available on the WA Birder website at: http://www.wabirder.com/forms.html It is easiest if you use the online forms to send in reports, but other options are provided as well if needed. The annual list report is a great chance to look at the community and appreciate all the many accomplishments out there. I believe for 2023 several very high state year lists and I?m sure we have many personal listing personal highs as well - it would be excellent receive that info for the overall report. Regardless of how high or low your totals are, this is a chance to join in the community summary of accomplishments. You don?t have to enter details for every category listed, just send in info for those important to you. For 2023, be sure to adjust for recent lumps like Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher [along w/ the crow lump from a couple years back if not yet done]. In addition, we recommend using the eBird status decisions on local countability of introduced/exotic species.If you are on eBird, almost all the totaling is done for you. Most notably, most western WA counties no longer ?count? Ring-necked Pheasant in county life list totals. Enjoy the new year, and send in the [reports of the] old! Matt Bartels Washington Birder Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Mon Jan 1 09:57:33 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] more goldfinches in Maple Leaf Message-ID: <9E9314EA-B00D-43F4-9BEA-74CF1679C372@comcast.net> So this morning nine American Goldfinches came to our feeder, eclipsing the six of a few days ago. Their increase day after day is quite surprising, and I can?t imagine how it takes place. Do they fly around the neighborhood calling, and those four-noted calls are actually saying feeDERS nearby - folLOW our flock? Or maybe they do divide like amoebas. The Pine Siskin I saw with them a few days ago hasn?t reappeared, though. Dennis Paulson Seattle From birder4184 at yahoo.com Mon Jan 1 10:30:06 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Last Day in Mexico - Blue Mockingbird and Magpie-Jays and More References: <1389805314.4009400.1704133806602.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1389805314.4009400.1704133806602@mail.yahoo.com> This is (finally) my last blog post for trip to Jalisco and Nayarit with Greg Homel in early December.? Last day included probably my best photo day at one place ever - Rancho Primavera. https://blairbirding.com/2024/01/01/my-last-day-in-mexico-feeder-foto-ops/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Mon Jan 1 12:27:34 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] more goldfinches in Maple Leaf In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240101122734.Horde.FMUxb9GipUU2UQZFjb392up@webmail.jimbetz.com> Dennis, My experience is that Goldfinches are often/usually in small flocks of from 6 to well over 20 ... time of year and location can affect how many are in a flock - but I consider it rare to see a single. - Jim From swmadsen at gmail.com Mon Jan 1 13:41:29 2024 From: swmadsen at gmail.com (Susan Madsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Love finding black oyster catchers Message-ID: A very accessible place to see Black oyster catchers is Semiahmoo Spit near Blaine. Ran into 4 of them in the west side just south of resort on 12/24. Tide was high at the time. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From panmail at mailfence.com Mon Jan 1 15:47:00 2024 From: panmail at mailfence.com (pan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] continuing Seattle rare warblers Message-ID: <605681505.870998.1704152820107@fidget.co-bxl> Happy new year, Tweets, The North Seattle College Northern Waterthrush continues this morning.? Spencer H. and I heard it and got a few glimpses. The Green Lake Black-and-white Warbler continues today, with lots of birders and passers-by getting great views in its usual west shore area (some south of the pedestrian crossing on 99), though not without tens of minutes of a disappearing act now and then.? I looked at some of the great photographs of this bird in Macaulay Library, and I think this is a first winter male (mostly primary coverts, tail feathers, song reports).? Not that we're doing this, but my first bird this morning was American Robin. For your consideration, listing suggestions from an educated source (not claiming I follow it all): http://digest.sialia.com/?rm=message;id=1833272 . 1 January, 2024, 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 benedict.t at comcast.net Mon Jan 1 16:05:24 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FOY HARD at Seahurst Park Message-ID: Went for a short stroll on the beach at Seahurst Park (Burien, WA) this afternoon and had a number of loons (presumably Common), a small number of Buffleheads, Horned Grebes, Surf Scoter and Common Goldeneye. At the far north end there were three Harlequin Ducks, 1 male and 2 female, foraging near shore. This is a reliable spot for HARD, but they weren?t there yesterday when I surveyed. I was hoping to bookend them with LOY and FOY sightings. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA From esellingson at gmail.com Mon Jan 1 20:25:08 2024 From: esellingson at gmail.com (Eric Ellingson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Strait of Georgia (Whatcom) trip report - YBLO! Message-ID: The link is my trip report for the afternoon of January 1st. https://ebird.org/tripreport/190365 For about 4 hours Marcia and I covered 30+ miles aboard Seabird going from Birch Bay Marina, up toward Semiahmoo, then across to Point Roberts and back. The highlight was the Yellow-billed Loon . We were at our turn-a-round destination when we spotted the loon just off the shore at Point Roberts. With the sun at our backs and calm seas, it made for a great sighting and a few ok photos. For those not familiar with eBird trip reports. This is done on the desktop, not the mobile version of eBird. One selects a group of eBird checklists spanning whatever time frame you want and then eBird compiles all the birds, bird numbers, photos, etc into one list. It can be like this one, 6 lists in one day, or like this one https://ebird.org/tripreport/37733 covering 13 days in Costa Rica. Wishing you all a very birdy 2024! Eric Ellingson 360-820-6396 esellingson@gmail.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Jennifer.Vanderhoof at kingcounty.gov Tue Jan 2 08:48:39 2024 From: Jennifer.Vanderhoof at kingcounty.gov (Vanderhoof, Jennifer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Regarding the River Otter Article from last week Message-ID: A year ago I visited Point Reyes, California, over Thanksgiving and worried some sort of mass incident had occurred. There were so many dead pelican carcasses strewn about a very large area near the water in one location I was exploring. I took photos and videos, imagining getting in touch with authorities to stop whatever dreadful incident was occurring. Then someone who saw me photographing the carcasses said she heard a rumor it was the river otters grabbing the birds from below. It made sense, because the feathers were still there, but the flesh and organs were entirely gone. I did not witness the otters doing this, but the landscape looked like a bomb had gone off in the middle of a flock of pelicans. Jen Vanderhoof -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stevechampton at gmail.com Tue Jan 2 09:19:03 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Regarding the River Otter Article from last week In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I've witnessed this -- at Rodeo Lagoon in Marin County. That's the main place where this occurs. Note that bird carcasses, especially feathers, can persist for weeks or months. The daily death rate (I think just one or so) is far lower than appearances. On Tue, Jan 2, 2024 at 8:49?AM Vanderhoof, Jennifer < Jennifer.Vanderhoof@kingcounty.gov> wrote: > A year ago I visited Point Reyes, California, over Thanksgiving and > worried some sort of mass incident had occurred. There were so many dead > pelican carcasses strewn about a very large area near the water in one > location I was exploring. I took photos and videos, imagining getting in > touch with authorities to stop whatever dreadful incident was occurring. > Then someone who saw me photographing the carcasses said she heard a rumor > it was the river otters grabbing the birds from below. It made sense, > because the feathers were still there, but the flesh and organs were > entirely gone. I did not witness the otters doing this, but the landscape > looked like a bomb had gone off in the middle of a flock of pelicans. > > > > > > *Jen Vanderhoof * > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 festuca at comcast.net Tue Jan 2 14:14:58 2024 From: festuca at comcast.net (Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fort Steilacoom Park, 2 Jan, 2024 In-Reply-To: <0100018ccc3086d8-8fcb9927-14a6-40ea-8435-bc565da1dd51-000000@email.amazonses.com> References: <0100018ccc3086d8-8fcb9927-14a6-40ea-8435-bc565da1dd51-000000@email.amazonses.com> Message-ID: <815079516.1227233.1704233698613@connect.xfinity.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From phwimberger at pugetsound.edu Tue Jan 2 14:17:42 2024 From: phwimberger at pugetsound.edu (Peter Wimberger) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Regarding river otter predation Message-ID: The past several years at Big Twin Lake, Okanogan County (by Winthrop) there has been a mini-wildlife spectacle where, at dusk, hundreds of ducks fly into a small patch of open water kept open by a bubbler. Often one could see (and hear) 8-10 duck species in the aqueous mosh pit (mostly both species of goldeneyes, but also buffleheads, common and hooded mergansers, teal, mallards, scaup, wigeon, sometimes swans or geese), some arriving after dark. The ducks would depart by first light, presumably to avoid the ever present Bald Eagles. (BTW - the spectacle was discovered during a CBC). This year the massive numbers of ducks didn't show up. A few ducks would land at dusk and then quickly take off. Flocks of goldeneyes and mergansers would circle a few times and then fly elsewhere. We initially wondered if it was because it has been warmer and there was more open water around. We also noted at least one river otter regularly cruising around or lolling on a dock but didn't connect the dots. At the Twisp CBC potluck I mentioned this year's lack of ducks and also mentioned that the folks who came to see the ducks, got to see the otter as consolation. One of the many amazing naturalists who participate in the Twisp CBC mentioned that river otters can wreak havoc on waterfowl and showed me multiple photos of otters carrying scoters and other ducks. The next morning they watched a Hooded Merganser narrowly escape the otter. It's a cool example of the impact one or two predator individuals can have on the behavior of hundreds of individuals (likely the majority of the ducks overwintering in the upper Methow Valley). I want to add that I appreciated the folks who posted their CBC reports on Tweeters (another nice use of Tweeters). I'll post the Twisp CBC report soon. Peter Wimberger Tacoma, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Jan 2 17:31:14 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Tweeters=2C_Below_is_the_article_I_sent_out_?= =?utf-8?q?on_December_24th-that_resulted_in_several_recent_interesting_co?= =?utf-8?q?mments_and_reports-Fwd=3A_Well=2C_This_Was_Unexpected!!=3A_?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=9CRiver_Otters_With_a_New_Taste_for_Pelican_Are_Changing?= =?utf-8?q?_a_California_Park=E2=80=99s_Ecology=E2=80=9D=7C_Audubon?= References: <53656F57-A5F9-4860-9929-54D90CDBB2FF@gmail.com> Message-ID: <737CA29D-E4B5-41A6-9829-897A23CCEDF8@gmail.com> Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: Dan Reiff > Date: December 24, 2023 at 11:51:10?PM PST > To: Tweeters > Subject: Well, This Was Unexpected!!: ?River Otters With a New Taste for Pelican Are Changing a California Park?s Ecology?| Audubon > > ?Hello Tweeters, > > Well, this was unexpected!! > Dan Reiff, PhD: > > https://www.audubon.org/news/river-otters-new-taste-pelican-are-changing-california-parks-ecology > > Sent from my iPhone -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Jan 2 17:39:38 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Ongoing_concerns_about_plastics_=28Relevant_?= =?utf-8?q?to_awareness_of_widespread_contamination_of_birds_and_humans=29?= =?utf-8?q?Fwd=3A_ARS_TECHNICA=3A_=E2=80=9CHurricane_Larry_dumped_100=2C00?= =?utf-8?q?0_microplastics_per_sq=2E_meter_on_Newfoundland_each_day?= =?utf-8?b?4oCd?= References: Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmdesilvey at gmail.com Wed Jan 3 06:12:40 2024 From: jmdesilvey at gmail.com (Josh DeSilvey) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swans and geese in Skagit County In-Reply-To: References: <9BC27C4F-88EA-4C3E-8B02-5A8C442F1AE9@gmail.com> Message-ID: Thanks to everyone who responded and offered their suggestions! They were quite helpful. In spite of a little rain, we were (not surprisingly) successful in finding geese and swans on Fir Island. Though the vast majority were out on the water, an occasional eagle would spook them and the great SNGO flock would rise to the air! The best views we had were from the North Fork Access at the end of Rawlins road. Totally worth the drive! Happy New Year! Josh DeSilvey On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 18:33 Alan Roedell wrote: > Wendy and I spent the afternoon in the Stillaguamish, Skagit and Samish > areas today. It was a grand day with Kestrels, eagles, Red-tails, Harriers, > Merlins, Rough-legs, Short-eared Owls and a few hundred swans. No Snow > Geese! Are they hanging out in the Sound, as someone suggested? > Anyway, get up there and take it in. > We love so close to a . magical area. > Alan Roedell, Seattle > > On Fri, Dec 29, 2023, 12:01 PM Karen Wosilait > wrote: > >> I?ll add to what Nancy said: look up and listen for Snow Geese too. >> Their ?vees? are rather disorganized and remind me of iron fillings under >> the influence of a magnet. >> >> Hayton is a great place to go early to try to catch them taking off for >> the day. I?ve also seen them settling in for the night on nearby fields >> from Hayton. >> >> Karen Wosilait (she/her) >> Seattle, WA >> karen.w.mobile@gmail.com >> >> On Dec 29, 2023, at 10:38?AM, Nancy Crowell wrote: >> >> ? >> I live up here. The snow geese seem to be hanging out on the water during >> the daytime - visible from Hayton (Fir Island Farm Reserve) & Jensen >> access. Swans are plentiful. Many hanging around the outskirts of La Conner >> lately. If you get lucky you might spot the great egret either near the >> ditch on Calhoun, or La Conner Whitney. >> >> Nancy >> "Images for the imagination." >> www.crowellphotography.com >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Tweeters on behalf >> of Jamie Holland >> *Sent:* Friday, December 29, 2023 10:24:16 AM >> *To:* Josh DeSilvey >> *Cc:* tweeters@u.washington.edu >> *Subject:* Re: [Tweeters] Swans and geese in Skagit County >> >> Hi Josh, >> >> I hope someone who has been up in the last day or two replies, as they >> seem to move around depending on the day. I didn't see a single (living) >> Snow Goose on our trip through that area just before Christmas, but the >> swans were much more widespread. I also wasn't scouring every small field, >> so perhaps more diligence would yield better results. >> >> To route the trip, I used the maps and driving directions located in the >> Birder's Guide to Washington. The Skagit section is here: >> https://wabirdguide.org/skagit-flats/, and the Samish section is here: >> https://wabirdguide.org/samish-flats/. >> >> If you have a whole day, I'd suggest starting in the Skagit flats as >> recommended in the Birder's Guide, at Exit 221 for Conway Road, and slowly >> working your way east and then north into the Samish flats. If you're >> looking purely for swans and geese, I'd skip the upland walk at Padilla >> Bay. That's likely to get you to the Samish East 90s corner by >> mid-afternoon, which seems to be a good time to spot dueling Short-Eared >> Owls and Northern Harriers. >> >> We actually thought we might've seen Snow Geese far out on the water when >> we were on Fir Island at Jenson Access, but my mom had just taken a spill >> and I was too distracted to set up the scope. I told myself they were >> probably gulls, but there was something ungullike in their appearance, and >> someone said recently that Snow Geese will take to the water in certain >> circumstances to do with the cycle of the moon. >> >> Jamie Holland >> >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 6:23?AM Josh DeSilvey >> wrote: >> >> Hello - if the weather is favorable on Saturday, I was planning a trip up >> to Skagit county to view the populations of swans and geese that winter >> there, (as read on Tweeters listserv). I took a look at eBird and it looks >> Fir Island could be a good place. But in thought I would ask here for some >> guidance as to where some of better fields are. >> >> Thanks for your help and happy new year! >> >> Josh DeSilvey >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From meetings at wos.org Wed Jan 3 08:02:41 2024 From: meetings at wos.org (meetings@wos.org) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?REMINDER=3A_WOS_Monthly_Meeting=2C_January_8?= =?utf-8?q?=2C_2024?= Message-ID: <20240103160241.16991.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our first Monthly Meeting of 2024 which will be held on Monday, January 8 (departing from our usual ?first Monday? to steer clear of New Year?s Day). We are very pleased to have as our speaker, Thomas P. Good, Ph.D., whose presentation is titled, "Caspian Terns in Puget Sound: caught between multiple rocks and hard places.? Regional Caspian Tern populations have fluctuated markedly in the last 40 years, due in part to their nomadic nature and nesting habitat needs. Plus they have a particular predilection for consuming salmonids as prey. Tom Good has been a research biologist for NOAA Fisheries at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle since 2001, where he works primarily on seabird-fishery interactions. A major emphasis of his has been field studies of Caspian Terns and their predation on juvenile salmonids. Tom will share his insights into the Caspian Tern and how their populations here in the Salish Sea are challenged by natural and man-made disasters, ranging from climate change to predator and/or human disturbance of colonies, to a global pandemic. 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 kelliekvinne at hotmail.com Wed Jan 3 08:53:04 2024 From: kelliekvinne at hotmail.com (Kellie Sagen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Love finding Black Oystercatchers Message-ID: Daoud, A super fun spot for oystercatchers is the county park on San Juan Island. In years past when we?ve camped there, they have delighted us with their loud vocalizations. If you don?t mind being woken up at 3 AM by it then it?s pretty cool, and if you?re extra lucky you can simultaneously hear the blows of our resident orcas in Haro Strait. BLOY are often foraging on the rocks at Lime Kiln and Cattle Point too. Best, Kellie Sagen ? From ucd880 at comcast.net Wed Jan 3 10:02:57 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Regarding river otter predation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <549013269.1195104.1704304977347@connect.xfinity.com> Years ago, there was video that was taken from a Lake Union houseboat. It was of a local semi-domestic Mallard swimming around the boat. It disappeared in a huge swirl. Looking closely at the video we thought we could make out an otter tail. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/02/2024 2:17 PM PST Peter Wimberger wrote: > > > The past several years at Big Twin Lake, Okanogan County (by Winthrop) there has been a mini-wildlife spectacle where, at dusk, hundreds of ducks fly into a small patch of open water kept open by a bubbler. Often one could see (and hear) 8-10 duck species in the aqueous mosh pit (mostly both species of goldeneyes, but also buffleheads, common and hooded mergansers, teal, mallards, scaup, wigeon, sometimes swans or geese), some arriving after dark. The ducks would depart by first light, presumably to avoid the ever present Bald Eagles. (BTW - the spectacle was discovered during a CBC). This year the massive numbers of ducks didn't show up. A few ducks would land at dusk and then quickly take off. Flocks of goldeneyes and mergansers would circle a few times and then fly elsewhere. We initially wondered if it was because it has been warmer and there was more open water around. We also noted at least one river otter regularly cruising around or lolling on a dock but didn't connect the dots. At the Twisp CBC potluck I mentioned this year's lack of ducks and also mentioned that the folks who came to see the ducks, got to see the otter as consolation. One of the many amazing naturalists who participate in the Twisp CBC mentioned that river otters can wreak havoc on waterfowl and showed me multiple photos of otters carrying scoters and other ducks. The next morning they watched a Hooded Merganser narrowly escape the otter. It's a cool example of the impact one or two predator individuals can have on the behavior of hundreds of individuals (likely the majority of the ducks overwintering in the upper Methow Valley). > > I want to add that I appreciated the folks who posted their CBC reports on Tweeters (another nice use of Tweeters). I'll post the Twisp CBC report soon. > > Peter Wimberger > Tacoma, WA > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tsbrennan at hotmail.com Wed Jan 3 13:44:44 2024 From: tsbrennan at hotmail.com (Tim Brennan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Southwest Washington birding blog updated Message-ID: Hey Tweets, The blog is all but finished with two posts added for December. https://southwestwashingtonbirding.blogspot.com/2024/01/december-28th-wahkiakum-christmas-bird.html and https://southwestwashingtonbirding.blogspot.com/2024/01/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-egrets.html Cloudy cloudy days. . . so if you're a sucker for poorly-lit photographs of birds, this'll be a good one. Cheers! Tim Brennan Renton -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Wed Jan 3 20:33:15 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240103203315.Horde.XY26mr4p5ksuRiJtwGcS0cE@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, We drove upriver today to see what the situation is with Bald Eagles and other birds. We went from Burlington to as far as Marblemount (yes, some of you don't consider some/all of that trip "upriver") and the trip included going up the Sauk and Cascade drainages and both sides of the Skagit between Concrete and Marblemount. We saw eagles - but not many and no large groups ... a single eagle here and there (almost always perched on a tree with a view of the water). We saw fewer Red-tailed Hawks but still a few. We were not looking for the smaller birds and did not note any of them - including Corvids and Passerines. We did not see any deer or elk - but weren't expecting them. No bear, coyote, or wolf. No squirrels or chipmunks. We didn't stop for long, rarely got out of the car, didn't hike. So what we did see was strictly the highlights. We did share an Excellent cheeseburger at the Cascade Burgers in Concrete. - Jim From ronpost4 at gmail.com Thu Jan 4 00:12:04 2024 From: ronpost4 at gmail.com (ronpost4@gmail.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report In-Reply-To: <20240103203315.Horde.XY26mr4p5ksuRiJtwGcS0cE@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240103203315.Horde.XY26mr4p5ksuRiJtwGcS0cE@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <6E26DEEE-AF4B-4AAB-8A98-C3C706FDE8E5@hxcore.ol> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From constancesidles at gmail.com Thu Jan 4 03:09:11 2024 From: constancesidles at gmail.com (Constance Sidles) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Beginners birding class Message-ID: <3EB98CE2-6B81-4F90-853B-184ABEC0DE09@gmail.com> Hey tweets, just wanted to alert you to a new class being offered through Birds Connect Seattle, taught by me and master birder Jean Trent. It's called Amazing Seattle Birds. Classes will be via Zoom; field trips in person. We're structuring the class around 4 habitats: our backyards, our green spaces, wetlands, and the Salish Sea coast. Most importantly, we will show how people throughout our region are helping sustain birds by stewarding the birds' environments. You can help, too. Find out how you can apply your new ID knowledge and be a voice for the birds, who cannot advocate for themselves. For a link to more info and sign-ups, email me privately off list. - Connie, Seattle constancesidles@gmail.com From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Thu Jan 4 08:15:06 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report In-Reply-To: <6E26DEEE-AF4B-4AAB-8A98-C3C706FDE8E5@hxcore.ol> References: <20240103203315.Horde.XY26mr4p5ksuRiJtwGcS0cE@webmail.jimbetz.com> <6E26DEEE-AF4B-4AAB-8A98-C3C706FDE8E5@hxcore.ol> Message-ID: <20240104081506.Horde.BENKjzzIyE3tVyBqf3H9mSD@webmail.jimbetz.com> Ron, Thanks for your response. We actually drove into and around Howard Miller yesterday. I "checked out" the eagle center and decided there wasn't anybody there (driving by between 11 and Noon approximately). If the center was open I didn't figure that out. Perhaps adding a lighted "Open" sign in the window that can be seen from the road below would help? BTW - the Bald Eagle population here in the lower Skagit valley - particularly anywhere West of Sedro Wooley - seems, to me, to be up from last year but down from the winter before. I go out to the Samish flats 2 or 3 times a week and have been seeing eagles 'every time' and 'everywhere' ... but not large quantities. I have a picture I took of that clump of trees behind the house near the East 90 that has 26 eagles in or flying around that clump (2020). As I said in my post - we were hoping to find some kind of concentration of eagles and hence we 'kept driving' ... even when we saw one bird. We never saw two at one time and it was usually several miles between eagle sightings. I did have reports of groups of eagles earlier in the fall - from a friend of mine who is a fisherman - he said they were there then and so we were hoping to find them yesterday. It was still a good day - just not very birdy ... but birdier than other similar survey trips in the same area in other recent years. I was prepared to find -zero- raptors which is a not uncommon experience in that area. Last winter I walked the river trail in Newhalem and got pictures of humpies spawning ... but did not see a single eagle that trip (go figure!). We actually probably saw about 10 eagles in all the time yesterday. - Jim in Burlington Quoting ronpost4@gmail.com: > > Jim, > > I am a current volunteer with the forest service bald eagle watch > stewardship program on that part of the Skagit. This winter is a year (as > happens in the odd years) that the winter chum run is down. Plus. for > reasons not clear, it has declined overall for nearly a decade. So unlike > past years when hundreds of migratory eagles (from Canada and Alaska) > gathered there, it is down to dozens. > > I recommend that people stop by our table in Howard Miller Steelhead Park > at Rockport any Saturday or Sunday until we finish the season late in > January. We have eagles in our scopes most of the day and our forest > service supervisors there know a great deal about all the fish and birds in > the area. > > Ron Post > > ? > > ? > > Sent from Mail[1] for Windows > > ? > > FROM: jimbetz@jimbetz.com > SENT: Wednesday, January 3, 2024 8:33 PM > TO: tweeters@u.washington.edu > SUBJECT: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report > > ? > > Hi, > > ? > > ?? We drove upriver today to see what the situation is with Bald Eagles > > and other birds.? We went from Burlington to as far as Marblemount > > (yes, some of you don't consider some/all of that trip "upriver") and > > the trip included going up the Sauk and Cascade drainages and both > > sides of the Skagit between Concrete and Marblemount. > > ?? We saw eagles - but not many and no large groups ... a single eagle > > here and there (almost always perched on a tree with a view of the > > water).? We saw fewer Red-tailed Hawks but still a few.? We were not > > looking for the smaller birds and did not note any of them - including > > Corvids and Passerines. > > ?? We did not see any deer or elk - but weren't expecting them.? No > bear, > > coyote, or wolf.? No squirrels or chipmunks. > > ?? We didn't stop for long, rarely got out of the car, didn't hike.? So > > what we did see was strictly the highlights. > > ? > > ?? We did share an Excellent cheeseburger at the Cascade Burgers in > > Concrete. > > ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? > - Jim > > ? > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > ? > > > > Links: > ------ > [1] https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986 From benedict.t at comcast.net Thu Jan 4 10:30:35 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report In-Reply-To: <6E26DEEE-AF4B-4AAB-8A98-C3C706FDE8E5@hxcore.ol> References: <20240103203315.Horde.XY26mr4p5ksuRiJtwGcS0cE@webmail.jimbetz.com> <6E26DEEE-AF4B-4AAB-8A98-C3C706FDE8E5@hxcore.ol> Message-ID: The eagles which normally come to the Skagit must have read about the Kokanee in Lake Coeur d?Alene and headed east. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 4, 2024, at 00:12, wrote: > > Jim, > I am a current volunteer with the forest service bald eagle watch stewardship program on that part of the Skagit. This winter is a year (as happens in the odd years) that the winter chum run is down. Plus. for reasons not clear, it has declined overall for nearly a decade. So unlike past years when hundreds of migratory eagles (from Canada and Alaska) gathered there, it is down to dozens. > I recommend that people stop by our table in Howard Miller Steelhead Park at Rockport any Saturday or Sunday until we finish the season late in January. We have eagles in our scopes most of the day and our forest service supervisors there know a great deal about all the fish and birds in the area. > Ron Post > > > From: jimbetz@jimbetz.com > Sent: Wednesday, January 3, 2024 8:33 PM > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Upriver Trip Report > > Hi, > > We drove upriver today to see what the situation is with Bald Eagles > and other birds. We went from Burlington to as far as Marblemount > (yes, some of you don't consider some/all of that trip "upriver") and > the trip included going up the Sauk and Cascade drainages and both > sides of the Skagit between Concrete and Marblemount. > We saw eagles - but not many and no large groups ... a single eagle > here and there (almost always perched on a tree with a view of the > water). We saw fewer Red-tailed Hawks but still a few. We were not > looking for the smaller birds and did not note any of them - including > Corvids and Passerines. > We did not see any deer or elk - but weren't expecting them. No bear, > coyote, or wolf. No squirrels or chipmunks. > We didn't stop for long, rarely got out of the car, didn't hike. So > what we did see was strictly the highlights. > > We did share an Excellent cheeseburger at the Cascade Burgers in > Concrete. > - Jim -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Jan 4 13:36:45 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-01-04 References: <1027374990.4802464.1704404205696.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1027374990.4802464.1704404205696@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - A pleasant enough day, with temps in the 40's, no wind, no fog until the end, and the predicted rain mostly a fiction.? It was birdy at first, and then became really quiet for the other 2/3rds of the walk.? Only four of us doing the walk, though. Highlights: ? ? Greater White-fronted Goose - Two, with Canadas ? ? Ducks - Nine species, total, with most below the weir ? ? Short-billed Gull - About 150, with a couple of RBGU and some GWGU; our first big flock of gulls on the ground this winter? ? ? Barred Owl - One at the east end of the boardwalk about 6:45 a.m. ? ? White-throated Sparrow - One near the Dog Area porta-potties, with Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows Misses today included Cooper's Hawk, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin. The boardwalk should be re-opened by next week.? For the day, 53 species. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm From jamietholland at gmail.com Thu Jan 4 14:26:58 2024 From: jamietholland at gmail.com (Jamie Holland) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Snow Goose in Bothell Message-ID: Hi birders, It occurs to me that someone might be interested in knowing that there is at least one rogue Snow Goose affiliated with a group of Canada Geese that hang out around the North Creek soccer fields in Bothell. It has been flocking with them for a couple of seasons. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3222659 My son says they are often there midday. He usually sees just one, but I see two were recently reported. This is a nice little suburban walk that you can gang with a trip across the street to Bothell South Pond, where we've seen some really cool birds as well as mammals. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1800066, or continue along the North Creek trail in either direction. I love convenient walks like this that let you sneak birdwatching into a normal day. Jamie Holland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peggy_busby at yahoo.com Thu Jan 4 14:54:17 2024 From: peggy_busby at yahoo.com (Peggy Mundy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Snow Goose in Bothell In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <268369197.8836416.1704408857689@mail.yahoo.com> I've even seen it there in summer! Peggy MundyBothell peggy_busby@yahoo.com@scenebypeggy on Instagram On Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 02:27:25 p.m. PST, Jamie Holland wrote: Hi birders, It occurs to me that someone might be interested in knowing that there is at least one rogue Snow Goose affiliated with a group of Canada Geese that hang out around the North Creek soccer fields in?Bothell. It has been flocking with them for a couple of seasons. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3222659 My son says they are often there midday. He usually sees just one, but I see two were recently reported.? This is a nice little suburban walk that you can gang with a trip across the street to Bothell South Pond, where we've seen some really cool birds as well as mammals. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1800066, or continue along the North Creek trail in either direction. I love convenient walks like this that let you sneak birdwatching into a normal day. Jamie Holland_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mattxyz at earthlink.net Thu Jan 4 15:58:36 2024 From: mattxyz at earthlink.net (Matt Bartels) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Seattle Christmas Bird Count results [17 Dec 2023]. Message-ID: <0D7484EC-55FD-4FCB-B88A-65B81E6D6925@earthlink.net> Hi Tweeters - Here?s a bit of a summary of the Dec 17 Seattle CBC, organized by Birds Connect Seattle. Full results and this summary will soon appear on the BCS website [https://birdsconnectsea.org/] - Thanks to all the participants and organizers: 2023 Seattle Christmas Bird Count 17 December 2023 127 species tallied (count day + count week) Count day: 124 species Count week: 3 additional species Individual birds: 50,650 [48,209 in-field, 2441 at feeders] Observers: 331 [250 in field + 81 feeder watchers] Overview The 2023 Seattle CBC was held on December 17, 2023. The weather was clear and sunny, continuing the trend of our warm December. Many observers reported a fun and birdy day of observing birds around the count circle. Our species total of 127 was right about at the 10-year average, coming in lower than six of the last ten years and higher than four of them. Our overall total - 50,560 - was a little higher than usual, with our third highest number of birds recorded of the past decade of counts. With 331 observers including 81 at feeders and 250 in the field, we beat last year?s record for the highest number of participants joining in in our 100+ years of Seattle CBCs. Highlights This year, we added two new species to our count: The long-staying Black-and-white Warbler at Green Lake seen on count day by the Green Lake team, and a Northern Waterthrush inside the count circle in north Seattle during count week. Other highlights included Ancient Murrelet [6], Black Oystercatcher [2], American Bittern [1], Swamp Sparrow [1] and a swallow sp. [1]. Notable misses Three species were only picked up as count week birds: Tundra Swan, Great Egret and Northern Waterthrush. Additional notable misses included: Snow Goose, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Marbled Murrelet, Herring Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Evening Grosbeak and Western Meadowlark. Record high counts For the modern period (1972-present), high counts were recorded for seven species. We set or tied record highs for: Ring-necked Duck [909], Black Oystercatcher [2], Hairy Woodpecker [11], Swamp Sparrow [1], White-throated Sparrow [12], Northern Waterthrush [count week] and Black-and-white Warbler [1]. Trends It?s always tough to be selective with the results to report, but here?s how a few groups fared. [numbers in brackets indicate the total number seen and the percentage as a ratio of the 10-year average on the count (excluding 2020). Species with a record-high count are noted with an *]. For example, a note of ?[100, 50%]? would indicate that 100 individuals were seen, and that this is just 50% of the norm for the past 10 years (the average # seen from 2012-2022 has been 200). Ducks & geese Goose numbers were a bit lower than usual, while swan numbers were up a bit. A few examples: Greater White-fronted Goose [4 found, 50% of the 10-year average], Brant [73, 74%], Cackling Goose [107, 54%], Canada Goose [1187, 109%], and Trumpeter Swans [18, 113%]. Dabbling ducks, in general came in below their 10-year average once again this year including Wood Duck [23, 38%], Northern Shoveler [68, 39%], Eurasian Wigeon [6, 61%], and American Wigeon [1815, 74%]. One exception to this trend were the high numbers recorded for Mallard [1818, 135%]. The story for diving ducks was a bit more mixed. A few came in higher than average, including Canvasback [200, 135%], Ring-necked Duck [909*, 173%], White-winged Scoter [8, 186%] and Common Merganser [461, 122%]. Below average numbers were recorded for species including Redhead [2, 27%], Greater Scaup [22, 11%], Lesser Scaup [57, 21%], Surf Scoter [490, 67%], Barrow?s Goldeneye [103, 42%], and Ruddy Duck [2, 21%]. Grebes, pigeons, hummingbirds and coots Western Grebes [654, 131%] were found in their highest number in a decade, while Pied-billed [137, 65%] and Red-necked Grebes [68, 68%] were low this year. We didn?t find any Eurasian Collared-Doves or Mourning Doves this year. Rock Pigeon [1274, 68%], and Band-tailed Pigeon [12, 24%] were low as well. Anna?s Hummingbird [705, 138%] were out in force in the good weather. American Coot [10,686, 173%] came in high, with over 20% of our total number of birds seen on the count. Shorebirds, alcids, gulls and loons Repeating last year?s treat, two Black Oystercatchers were present in the Kitsap corner of the circle, only the 3rd record for our CBC. Black Turnstone [75, 135%] numbers were high, while Surfbird [25, 40%] numbers were low. Sanderling [5, 6%] largely eluded us, and only a single Wilson?s Snipe [1, 7%] appeared for the count. Common Murre [49, 117%] and Pigeon Guillemot [48, 95%] showed up in normal numbers, while the six Ancient Murrelets [6, 450%] represented the second highest total in over 30 years. Gulls largely came in at expected levels including Short-billed Gull [1104, 110%], Ring-billed Gull [181, 104%] and California Gull [98, 263%]. Loons were found in quite low numbers across the board, with only 18 total when many years recently we?ve found over 50: Red-throated Loon [8, 34%], Pacific Loon [1, 6%], Common Loon [7, 77%]. Raptors and Owls Raptor numbers were pretty close to what we normally find, but overall a little lower than average: Bald Eagle [96, 97%], Sharp-shinned Hawk [7, 97%], Coopers Hawk [28, 118%], Red-tailed Hawk [28,72%], Merlin [8, 74%], and Peregrine Falcon [6, 84%]. Owls were found in pretty decent numbers this year. Barn Owl [4, 125%] and Northern Saw-whet Owl [4, 160%] were a bit above average, and Great Horned [2, 94%] and Barred Owl [6, 63%] were a little below the norm. Passerines Woodpeckers were present and found in solid numbers: Red-breasted Sapsucker [3, 33%] were a bit low, but others were higher, including Downy Woodpecker [96, 125%], Hairy Woodpecker [11*, 167%], Northern Flicker [366, 107%], and Pileated Woodpecker [18, 110%]. Corvid numbers are always a bit difficult to report with much confidence in their accuracy because of the potential for many (especially Crows and Ravens) to move from sector to sector during the day. All told, we came up with estimates of numbers mostly a little above our average: Steller?s Jay [211, 108%], California Scrub-Jay [22, 161%], American Crow [5978, 95%], Common Raven [18, 195%]. Chickadees, Wrens & Kinglets. Our totals for some of the ?little? species were pretty solid. Some came in a little below average, including Marsh Wren [7, 79%], Bewick?s Wren [253, 91%], and Golden-crowned Kinglet [673, 72%]. Others did a little better than normal: Chestnut-backed Chickadee [535, 137%], Red-breasted Nuthatch [243, 149%], Brown Creeper [135, 139%] and Ruby-crowned Kinglet [441, 129%]. Small ones right at their average but nevertheless impressive to me in their sheer numbers included Black-capped Chickadee [1634, 97%], Bushtit [1011, 104%] and Pacific Wren [207, 106%]. Finches: After looking like it was beginning as a good ?finch winter? this year, by our CBC the local finch numbers had diminished into lower-than-normal totals: House Finch [797, 108%] were a little high, an exception to the trend. Otherwise though, finch were represented by: Purple Finch [2, 9%], Red Crossbill [2, 2%], Pine Siskin [909, 71%], American Goldfinch [400, 82%] and no Evening Grosbeak or Common Redpolls. Sparrows: It was largely a good count for sparrows including a nice record of Swamp Sparrow, only the 2nd time found on our CBC. Two Savannah Sparrows on count day were another nice sparrow surprise ? something we?ve only found five times in the last 20 years on our CBC. White-throated Sparrow [12, 310%] also tied our record high count for that species. Others sparrow counts were largely closer to their normal numbers: Spotted Towhee [362, 107%], Fox Sparrow [75, 57%], Song Sparrow [875, 99%], White-crowned Sparrow [115, 148%], Golden-crowned Sparrow [285, 120%] and Dark-eyed Junco [1681, 93%]. Finally, Warblers: Our first CBC record for Black-and-white Warbler (from Green Lake), and of Northern Waterthrush (on the northern edge of the circle) were highlights of the count. In addition, we tallied three Orange-crowned Warblers [3, 55%], 376 Yellow-rumped Warblers [376, 147%], and twenty Townsend?s Warblers [20, 127%]. Thanks to all the participants who contributed to this year?s count. Matt Bartels Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jdanzenbaker at gmail.com Thu Jan 4 17:32:39 2024 From: jdanzenbaker at gmail.com (Jim Danzenbaker) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Clark County goose and crane extravaganza Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Just for starters, this report is not a rarity report - it's a report of some totally fun birding that I did at Frenchman's Bar Park on the western edge of the Vancouver Lowlands in Clark County this morning. I arrived at 7:30 in the hopes of witnessing the beginning of the goose and crane commute from Sauvie Island, Oregon (to the west of the Columbia River) to the Columbia Land Trust property to the south and east of Frenchman's Bar Park. I wasn't disappointed. In the roughly two hours that I was there counting geese and cranes, I saw about 14,162 Snow Geese and a final tally of 1,822 Sandhill Cranes. The cacophony of sound was wonderful! It more than satisfied my need for spectacle (biomass) birding. Afterwards, I pointed my bins closer to the bushes and found a huge flock of zonotrichia sparrows and juncos that held 3 White-throated Sparrows and a surprise immature Wilson's Warbler. All this fun made me almost forget that it was drizzling or heavier all the time while I was there. Another soggy day in paradise! Here's the ebird report with location information. https://ebird.org/checklist/S158097768 The park gate opens at 7 am and there's an entrance fee. Best to view this area on a non-hunt day which, right now, is Tuesday and Thursday. Don't know about the weekend. Best viewing is from the picnic table shelter at the south end of the road. Cranes will fly over often within 50 feet. Since I was keeping my eyes and ears skyward, I am now recovering. Jim -- Jim Danzenbaker Battle Ground, WA 360-702-9395 jdanzenbaker@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From paulapj29 at gmail.com Fri Jan 5 08:13:07 2024 From: paulapj29 at gmail.com (Paula Johnson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding in Austin Message-ID: <094302D8-51AD-4979-91C0-375403429E58@gmail.com> Searching for the name of a briding guide in the Austin area. Thanks. paula johnson Sent from my iPhone From nreiferb at gmail.com Fri Jan 5 11:25:35 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Be cautious Message-ID: Dear birders and hawk watchers? I don?t understand the idea of birders posting on the internet how long they will be away on birding vacations. This is not my projection. Be happy and be well. May all your accipiters be identified. Nelson Briefer? Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joshm at birdsconnectsea.org Fri Jan 5 16:05:13 2024 From: joshm at birdsconnectsea.org (Josh Morris) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Invitation to join winter 2024 Collision Monitoring Project In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, Birds Connect Seattle has been researching bird-window collisions in Seattle for the last three years. We?ve conducted more than 2,000 surveys around a variety of residential, institutional, and commercial buildings. I?ve crunched some numbers on our early results. A very conservative estimate of annual collision mortality in Seattle is around 40,000 birds per year. The true toll is likely much higher. We?re working to tighten this estimate up and we could use your help. The winter season of the collision monitoring project will run from January 15 through February 29. I?m hoping to find at least 25 more people to join the project as at home volunteers. The commitment is fairly light: we just ask you to complete at least one week of daily bird-window collision surveys around your own home. A survey typically takes between 5 to 15 minutes to complete. You can select the week to conduct your surveys any time between Jan 15 and Feb 29. You would submit the data you collect through an online form. You do not have to live in Seattle to join. Volunteers from around Washington are welcome ? If you?re interested in participating, we?ll be offing an online training next Thursday, January 11, from 6-7 pm. You can register for the training here. You can also learn more about the project by watching the recording of our most recent prospective volunteer information session here. I?m happy to answer any questions. Thanks for considering. Josh Joshua Morris Urban Conservation Manager pronouns: he/him desk: (206) 523-8243 ext. 113 joshm@birdsconnectsea.org [BCS-Logo-Signature] 8050 35th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 | birdsconnectsea.org Birds Connect Seattle, formerly Seattle Audubon, advocates and organizes for cities where people and birds thrive. Join us! Found a dead or injured bird? Submit a report at dbird.org. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 13349 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Fri Jan 5 16:34:21 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 1/4/2024 Message-ID: Dear Tweets, Approximately twenty of us had a nice, mostly dry, first Wednesday of the year at the Refuge with temperatures in the 40's degrees Fahrenheit and a High 14' Tide at 10:40am. We had light rain and wind between 12 noon and 1pm. Highlights included two GREATER WHITE FRONTED GEESE with a large flock of CACKLING GEESE, minima, along the old McAllister Creek Road; EURASIAN WIGEON and EURASIAN X AMERICAN WIGEON HYBRID in the flooded field adjacent to the Twing Barns; BARN SWALLOW foraging over the freshwater marsh from the Nisqually Estuary Trail; PACIFIC LOON scoped from the closure gate at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail on the Nisqually Reach; and upwards of 6 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER scoped and wintering in the far right of the surge plain from the Nisqually Estuary Trail. Another unexpected observation was a LITTLE BROWN BAT foraging over the pond beyond the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 4pm while we reviewed the sightings of the day. The Visitor Center Pond overlook continues to be good for BUFFLEHEAD and RING-NECKED DUCK. It took longer than usual this Autumn, but the pond is finally full of water which works well for the diving ducks. The Orchard was good for VARIED THRUSH and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. The flooded fields along the Access Road provide really great viewing of waterfowl and raptors. We had nice light and great looks of NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, EURASIAN WIGEON, AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK, CACKLING GEESE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, AMERICAN COOT, RED-TAILED HAWK and BALD EAGLE. Entering the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail we observed nice mixed flocks of SONG SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SPOTTED TOWHEE, BEWICKS WREN, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT BACKED CHICKADEE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, BROWN CREEPER and DOWNY WOODPECKER. A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER continued on the Big Maple Tree next to the first twin bench overlook and plenty of vocal MARSH WREN and PACIFIC WREN were heard. We had great looks of HAIRY WOODPECKER in the large Maple Trees in the picnic area adjacent to the Twin Barns. The Twin Barns Overlook was great for observing all waterfowl. We picked up WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in addition to the many GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. The overlook has been consistently good this winter for picking up HOUSE FINCH and other finch species (AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PINE SISKIN, and PURPLE FINCH) with all the short Alders and Himalayan Blackberry along the slough. The Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike was great for shorebirds. We observed over 1000 DUNLIN on the tideflats with a couple of wintering WESTERN SANDPIPER in the group. We observed one BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER roosting with GREATER YELLOWLEGS on the hide tide. Several groups of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER were seen and heard flying back and forth from salt to freshwater, upwards of 60 plus birds which I think is a high wintering count for this species. On the falling tide Lynn relocated upwards of 6 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER which had been wintering in the far right corner of the Surge Plain. Thousands of waterfowl were enjoyed, mostly AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL and AMERICAN WIGEON. There were plenty of NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GADWALL, HOODED MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON GOLDENEYE to see. Three LINCOLN'S SPARROW were located in the small flocks of sparrows. As well three WESTERN MEADOWLARK were located amongst the numerous RED-WING BLACKBIRDS and EUROPEAN STARLINGS. A MERLIN was perched in a small tree along Leschi Slough and upwards of 3-4 NORTHERN HARRIER were observed. Unexpectedly, we observed three BARN SWALLOWS foraging over the freshwater marsh. Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail we picked up SURF SCOTER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, HORNED GREBE and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. We observed both COMMON and RED-THROATED LOON in McAllister Creek. We had really nice looks of both GREATER YELLOWLEGS and LEAST SANDPIPER adjacent to the boards. Out at the end or closure gate 750 feet short of Puget Sound Observation Platform, we scoped the reach and picked up BRANDT'S CORMORANT on the Nisqually River channel marker. Elijah located a PACIFIC LOON on the reach which is a little unusual. As it drifted closer, the clean neckline and chin strap became clearer for the entire group to enjoy. On our return, we picked up COMMON MERGANSER at the Nisqually River Overlook. We were not able to relocate the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW heard earlier in the day by Ellen between the Ed Center Parking Lot and the east entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail. It's been two weeks since the Northern Saw-whet Owl was found by Whittier without relocating this species, and several weeks since the Red-shouldered Hawk has been heard or seen. Earlier in the week, BARRED OWL was seen on the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. While wrapping things up at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook we had great looks of LITTLE BROWN BAT. An additional surprise on top of our unexpected Barn Swallow over the freshwater marsh. I suspect there must be plenty of Midges/Bugs for these insectivores to enjoy when the weather conditions are mild. We observed 71 species for the day - see eBird list pasted below. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center, happy birding! Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jan 3, 2024 7:48 AM - 4:26 PM Protocol: Traveling 6.847 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with occasional light rain. Temperature in the 40?s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 14? Tide at 10:40am. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Sea Lion, and Little Brown Bat. 71 species (+6 other taxa) Greater White-fronted Goose (Western) 2 Cackling Goose (minima) 640 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 50 Northern Shoveler 150 Gadwall 35 Eurasian Wigeon 1 Flooded field south of Twin Barns. American Wigeon 700 Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 Twin Barns Overlook. Mallard 250 Northern Pintail 400 Green-winged Teal (American) 1000 Ring-necked Duck 3 Visitor Center Pond. Surf Scoter 30 Bufflehead 100 Common Goldeneye 30 Hooded Merganser 6 Common Merganser 4 Red-breasted Merganser 50 Horned Grebe 4 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3 Anna's Hummingbird 4 American Coot (Red-shielded) 75 Black-bellied Plover 1 Surge plain. Semipalmated Plover 6 Previously reported wintering birds in surge plain. Peep sized plover with one breast band. Long-billed Dowitcher 50 Greater Yellowlegs 30 Dunlin 1200 Least Sandpiper 60 Western Sandpiper 2 Previously reported wintering birds mixed in with Dunlin. Short-billed Gull 125 Ring-billed Gull 50 Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15 Larus sp. 100 Pacific Loon 1 Spotted by Elijah off the Nisqually Reach. Common Loon 3 Brandt's Cormorant 5 Nisqually River Channel Marker. Double-crested Cormorant 25 Great Blue Heron 20 Northern Harrier 3 Bald Eagle 14 Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 4 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-breasted Sapsucker 3 Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3 Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Maple Trees at Twin Barns Northern Flicker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 2 Merlin 1 Tidal mudflats. Steller's Jay 2 West side of McAllister Creek. American Crow 300 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 15 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 Barn Swallow (American) 3 Observed foraging over freshwater marsh from Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike. Dark topped, dark throated, one bird with orange breast and belly. Seen with binoculars and spotting scope, flying/foraging over freshwater marsh at 1/4 mile. One or two with forked tails. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet 20 Brown Creeper 6 Pacific Wren 6 Marsh Wren 10 Bewick's Wren 4 European Starling 150 Varied Thrush 1 Orchard. American Robin 30 House Finch 4 Pine Siskin 2 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 4 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 48 White-throated Sparrow 1 Heard by Ellen in the east side parking lot. Song Sparrow 21 Lincoln's Sparrow 3 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Spotted Towhee 9 Western Meadowlark 3 Nisqually Estuary Trail. Red-winged Blackbird 70 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S158005390 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Fri Jan 5 16:36:23 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wylie Slough - Open? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240105163623.Horde.HWF8uHVIYYkY4mfqIRwwXhU@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, I saw a checklist posted for Wylie Slough - is it open? Last time I drove there (2 weeks ago?) it was not. Last email I received from WDFW said "not yet - and we don't know when". I checked and it seems like a few checklist have been posted to eBird 'all along' ... Perhaps there is some way you can access it? Are people walking past the "do not enter (unless you are a contractor)" signs? I'm not willing to do that ... just curious about how/why eBird is showing postings for sightings in Wylie Slough. Maybe from a boat? - Jim From joshm at birdsconnectsea.org Fri Jan 5 16:49:56 2024 From: joshm at birdsconnectsea.org (Josh Morris) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Invitation to join winter Bird Collision Monitoring Project Message-ID: Hi all, Birds Connect Seattle has been researching bird-window collisions in Seattle for the last three years. We?ve conducted more than 2,000 surveys around a variety of residential, institutional, and commercial buildings. I?ve crunched some numbers on our early results. A very conservative estimate of annual collision mortality in Seattle is around 40,000 birds per year. The true toll is likely much higher. We?re working to tighten this estimate up and we could use your help. The winter season of the collision monitoring project will run from January 15 through February 29. I?m hoping to find at least 25 more people to join the project as at home volunteers. The commitment is fairly light: we just ask you to complete at least one week of daily bird-window collision surveys around your own home. A survey typically takes between 5 to 15 minutes to complete. You can select the week to conduct your surveys any time between Jan 15 and Feb 29. You would submit the data you collect through an online form. You do not have to live in Seattle to join. Volunteers from around Washington are welcome ? If you?re interested in participating, we?ll be offing an online training next Thursday, January 11, from 6-7 pm. You can register for the training here. You can also learn more about the project by watching the recording of our most recent prospective volunteer information session here. I?m happy to answer any questions. Thanks for considering. Josh Joshua Morris Urban Conservation Manager pronouns: he/him desk: (206) 523-8243 ext. 113 joshm@birdsconnectsea.org [BCS-Logo-Signature] 8050 35th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 | birdsconnectsea.org Birds Connect Seattle, formerly Seattle Audubon, advocates and organizes for cities where people and birds thrive. Join us! Found a dead or injured bird? Submit a report at dbird.org. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 13341 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From hank.heiberg at gmail.com Fri Jan 5 20:43:09 2024 From: hank.heiberg at gmail.com (Hank Heiberg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Heron Confrontation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Recently at Carkeek Park in Seattle we witnessed a confrontation between two Great Blue Herons when one landed close to another one in a tree. Here is a slide show of photos of that confrontation. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53444530477/in/photostream/ Hank & Karen Heiberg Issaquah, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From treesyes at gmail.com Sat Jan 6 09:00:40 2024 From: treesyes at gmail.com (Treesyes) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RFI guide for Southern Belize Message-ID: <205B2E12-36D6-48FB-A770-8A2B9D029262@gmail.com> Hi Tweets I will be in Belize next month. I have already arranged for a guide from Lamanai Lodge in the north part of the country. Can anyone recommend a guide in the south, near Placencia? I would appreciate suggestions. Please respond directly to me, off list. Treesyes@gmail.com Thanks. Tina Seattle From cariddellwa at gmail.com Sat Jan 6 14:04:50 2024 From: cariddellwa at gmail.com (Carol Riddell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup: November - December 2023 Message-ID: <79DA9E13-C3D7-49A1-A3E7-53CA2F8C4B7D@gmail.com> Hi Tweeters, We ended 2023 with 195 species. Here are the new species from November and December: Tufted Puffin (code 5), 1 at waterfront in flight heading south, 11-7-2023. Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (code 5), 2 at Brackett?s Landing North, 11-7-2023 and continuing through 11-15-2023. I was told that a Merlin carried one away. Northern Saw-whet Owl (code 5), 1 in a north Edmonds yard, 11-8-2023. Common Redpoll (code 4), 1 in a north Edmonds yard with some Pine Siskins, 12-11-2023. Yellow-billed Loon (code 5), 1 on the Sound in north Edmonds, 12-23-23 and continuing through the end of the year. Tundra Swan (code 4), 1 in flight over the Lake Ballinger neighborhood, 12-24-2023. Eurasian Wigeons have become much more difficult to find in Edmonds in recent years so it was nice to learn of a second 2023 sighting at Edmonds marsh on 12-26-2023. Perhaps of numeric interest are the year-end totals for the last few years: 2023 195 species 2022 190 species 2021 193 species 2020 185 species 2019 184 species As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or audio. 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. (It reflects a species total of 281, including Cassin?s Finch as a new species.) If eBirders will use the details field to add critical field marks for unusual Edmonds birds (code 3 or rarer), it will help us build the city year list. Photographs or recordings are also helpful. The 2023 checklist is posted in the bird information box at the Visitor Station at the base of the public pier and is up to date through December today. I will switch it out for a 2024 checklist after we look at January numbers. Good birding and happy new year, 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 jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sat Jan 6 16:56:15 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] An Important Lesson Learned ... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240106165615.Horde.Ki2G2q93YVd5sV3uDGNnW35@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, Here's something about backyard feeders I haven't seen mentioned ... When we went to Mexico for two weeks our seed feeder went empty. Before we left we were getting as many as two dozen birds at a time around and on the ground under the feeder ... so it was expected to go empty. As soon as we got back I refilled it and it took about 4 or 5 days before the numbers were back up to pre-trip levels. Then, about a week after that, we had a problem with our bird fountain and had to shut down the water. And, even though we still had seeds in the feeders ... the numbers of birds dropped way off again. Then a few days later after the pump was repaired the numbers came back up. There was water right at the base of the fountain - but not bubbling/moving. ===> Having a fountain, with water moving constantly, is important! - Jim in Burlington P.S. Of course, the down side of having so many birds coming to our backyard is the cost of seed. Grumble, grumble, grumble. *G* From phwimberger at pugetsound.edu Sat Jan 6 17:36:30 2024 From: phwimberger at pugetsound.edu (Peter Wimberger) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Twisp CBC report Message-ID: Here's the final report that was sent to the participants of the 36th Twisp CBC. Jen Walsh Fisher and I want to thank everyone who made the 36th Twisp Christmas Bird Count, held on December 16th, such a success. Despite many of the record 62 (!) participants (old record 56) noting that the overcast and mild day felt slow, the 80 species recorded was the second highest species total for the count (record - 81 species), and the 86 species noted during count week broke the old count week record of 84. We were a little lucky because for 17 species only a single individual was seen or heard. Some of these species, like Spotted Towhee and Red Crossbill, are count regulars, but two were new to the count - Rusty Blackbird and Long-eared Owl. For others it was only the second time they?ve been seen (Mountain Bluebird, Canada Jay, Brown-headed Cowbird). We saw 5006 birds on count day, slightly more than last year, and a bit above the average of the last 10 years (prior to that numbers were lower). Seventeen species tied or saw their highest numbers ever including the new species (another record): Canada Goose (160>59), Trumpeter Swan (9>1), American Wigeon (38>18), Eurasian Collared Dove (185>178), Belted Kingfisher (a lot of open water maybe a contributor) (18>11), Cooper?s Hawk (13>12), Canada Jay (2>1), Steller?s Jay (56>51), Pygmy Nuthatch (interesting side note ? PYNU were only noted once in the first 13 years of the count!), (60>58), European Starling (351>339), Pine Grosbeak (93>70), reflecting the irruption that is resulting in Pine Grosbeaks in far-flung places along the west coast, White-crowned Sparrow (44>32), Golden-crowned Sparrow (5>3), and two previously-seen species tied their high count of 1 (Marsh Wren, Brown-headed Cowbird). There were a few misses. For the second year in a row, no Pygmy Owls were seen or heard on count day; however one was spotted during count week. And not a Goshawk or Rough-legged Hawk was to be found, even during count week. Red-breasted Nuthatches and Dark-eyed Juncos were strikingly less abundant than recent years. Duck numbers, especially the goldeneyes (but not wigeons or mallards), were down this year relative to the past few years because the duck night roost (rave) on Big Twin Lake is on hiatus, likely due to a fat and happy otter terrorizing the ducks that decide to spend too much time there. Many of us (~25) finished the day eating delicious chili at Jen and Richard Fisher?s warm and inviting home, exchanging stories and making connections. Thank you! Perhaps the most remarkable tale of the day was Jamie and Bryan?s wolf sighting up Lookout. In keeping with the Twisp CBC tradition of rotating compilers every one or two years, Steve and Melinda Pruett-Jones and Wendy Sims kindly agreed to take on compiling for 2024. Thanks so much! We have had a great time compiling the last two years and want to thank all of the amazing folks without whom this fun, edifying and long-term community science thing wouldn?t be a thing. We also want to thank the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery for kindly opening their warm, aromatic space for us to gather in the dark, the Puget Sound Museum for printing and copying CBC material and Kent Woodruff, who provides so much historical perspective, local knowledge and indefatigable enthusiasm. Happy New Year! Jen Walsh Fisher and Peter Wimberger Peter Wimberger Tacoma, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birds at t-mansfield.com Sat Jan 6 20:48:52 2024 From: birds at t-mansfield.com (Tom Mansfield) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... In-Reply-To: <0c267452-e9a8-4474-8611-a9010e75ebf9@rainierconnect.com> References: <2adfd385cd3d420d8b9d4ddbfdc5bc6d@t-mansfield.com> <0c267452-e9a8-4474-8611-a9010e75ebf9@rainierconnect.com> Message-ID: No worries Marcus ? but I am proud to have been admitted to the 253. Cheers, tm. From: Marcus Roening Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2023 7:57 PM To: Tom Mansfield Subject: Re: FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... Hi Tom, Humble apologies! The really sad part is that I used eBird first and then added in folks from WA Birder off to the side on my paper list - which was you! I can't believe I did that and still left you off the list?! An Emperor Goose was an incredibly sweet bird to have be your #253. Here's to hoping you just might find another wonderful bird or two in the New Year. Good birding, Marcus On 12/30/2023 7:12 AM, Tom Mansfield wrote: Hey Marcus ? I just saw your post about the 253? Not certain why anyone didn?t pass it along but I?m also a member! Cheers and Happy New Year to Heather and you ? tm. PS ? I?m birding even less now than in 2021 but do still get out once in a while; got the YBLO in Edmonds yesterday. From: Tom Mansfield Sent: Saturday, November 6, 2021 8:18 PM To: Bruce LaBar (blabar@harbornet.com) ; phwimberger@pugetsouind.eu Subject: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... Hi Bruce and Peter ? I wanted you to know that I came down and spotted the EMGO today, my 253rd bird for Pierce County. I can?t bird anymore due to physical issues with my legs (I can?t spend a lot of time driving or standing or walking) but this was a goal I have been wanting to accomplish. Ironically, despite the doc telling me ?no? when I asked, I drove down to Puyallup this morning and in a pouring rain found a couple along West Pioneer who seemed to be scoping intently. I pulled up and to my surprise it was Andy and Ellen Stepniewski from Yakima, with whom I was involved with the Patrick Sullivan Young Birders Fund for 12 years before resigning last year. We had an amazing reunion, which I didn?t think would happen in this lifetime. But they didn?t have the EMGO. I had had a text 2 hours earlier from Matt Bartels who knew I was going to try and he last saw the bird at the Chalet Tavern. The Yakkers then followed me to the Chalet Tavern and lo and behold as soon as I started scanning with the scope I found the EMGO ? no sign of the SNGO. So, I got the Yakkers on it. But then had to head back for home. What a wonderful conclusion to my *like* third or fourth birding adventure of 2021. More importantly, I am honored and humbled to join your exclusive circle! Sending cheers and best, tm. -- Marcus Roening Tacoma WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tvulture at gmx.com Sun Jan 7 11:15:02 2024 From: tvulture at gmx.com (Diann MacRae) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] "Snowy" owl Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dantonijohn at yahoo.com Sun Jan 7 12:35:15 2024 From: dantonijohn at yahoo.com (john dantoni) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New eagle yard bird record for me References: <43573928.5335314.1704659715750.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <43573928.5335314.1704659715750@mail.yahoo.com> Happy New Year Tweeters!?? I had two juvenile eagles and 3 mature Bald Eagles in sight a couple of days ago here at the panhandle of Lake Cortez outside of Wenatchee.? ?My previous record was 4.? ?An assortment of ducks are the draw for them.? Always a thrill to see them!? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Good Birding,? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? John D'Antoni Malaga, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tcstonefam at gmail.com Sun Jan 7 14:49:49 2024 From: tcstonefam at gmail.com (Tom and Carol Stoner) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cedar Waxwings Message-ID: We had a large, active flock of robins and starlings in the neighborhood yesterday, and I was surprised to see at least 2 Cedar Waxwings with the group. I see them in Lincoln Park, but rarely are they yard birds for me. Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ksnyder75 at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 07:39:53 2024 From: ksnyder75 at gmail.com (Kathleen Snyder) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?A_Tale_of_Two_Puffins_=E2=80=93_Thursday=2C_?= =?utf-8?q?Jan_11=2C_7_pm_via_Zoom_or_in_person?= Message-ID: Dr Scott Pearson, WDFW, will introduce the marine habitats that are so important to both Tufted Puffins and Rhinoceros Auklets. He will provide insight into how these two puffin species have different natural histories and population trends and will summarize some of the ongoing research and conservation efforts to benefit Tufted Puffins. 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/tZYudeqpqT0jGdY9MLLY00lzxmeKOgp nfXjO -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 08:59:16 2024 From: zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com (Brian Zinke) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upcoming classes Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Pilchuck Audubon has just listed some new classes to start the year, including beginning birding, owls, and birding by ear. Learn more at: https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/classes Happy new year! 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 45.lisa at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 15:40:31 2024 From: 45.lisa at gmail.com (Lisa Weber) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Talk with Everett Herald reporter about hunters? Message-ID: <9181C6B7-F6AB-4332-85E7-F73434FE6E29@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mj.cygnus at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 16:54:44 2024 From: mj.cygnus at gmail.com (Martha Jordan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swan at McLean Nature Trail - Tumwater Message-ID: I got a report of a single, juvenile swan at the McLean Nature Trial. It appeared to be human tolerant as it swam near people on the boardwalk viewing area. From what I can determine, this is likely a Trumpeter Swan. However, one person reported it on eBird as a Tundra. WDFW swan specialist asked me to look into this. Does anyone out there have more information or pictures of this swan over the past few days? Do you know if it can fly? Please send information to me directly at martha@nwswans.org Thanks. Martha Jordan Everett, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mj.cygnus at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 17:16:57 2024 From: mj.cygnus at gmail.com (Martha Jordan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swan mid-winter survey volunteers needed Message-ID: Hello, Once again it is nearly time for the WDFW mid-winter swan surveys. While much of the area is officially covered by WDFW staff, there are areas where help is needed. This is especially true for Snohomish County south of U.S. 2 and in King County in the area outside of the Snoqualmie Valley all the way east to Lake Washington (including Lk Washington). Also the area west of the Enumclaw plateau zone. Contact me directly if you have an interest in doing a special area, have a few (2-4 hours) to volunteer for this important effort. I am coordinating these areas for this year. Thanks. And if you are out and about between Jan 16-28 and observe swans in King or south Snohomish counties, please let me know of your sightings. They may help to cover all the areas. Thanks. And may it warm up next week. Martha Jordan Contact: 206-713-3684 martha@nwswans.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From esellingson at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 19:17:40 2024 From: esellingson at gmail.com (Eric Ellingson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Synchronized diving and Pygmies Message-ID: A good day out birding on the 7th in south Bellingham. I finally found the Pygmy Nuthatches . They were out in the open and in good light, but rather high up on a deciduous tree. They were very actively foraging pecking around in bark crevices and mossy growths. These guys in the Fairhaven area of Bellingham have been getting a lot of visitors. After thoroughly enjoying watching these little guys, Canvasbacks were my next target. Off to Lake Whatcom. I had never seen so many Canvasbacks so close, around 70. They were all feeding and diving not long after being on the surface. And finally my video of the synchronized diving ducks . Is there a name for the ducks that dive like this? They are not dabbling ducks for sure. Eric Ellingson 360-820-6396 esellingson@gmail.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ Create your own email signature -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birds at t-mansfield.com Mon Jan 8 20:21:02 2024 From: birds at t-mansfield.com (Tom Mansfield) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... In-Reply-To: References: <2adfd385cd3d420d8b9d4ddbfdc5bc6d@t-mansfield.com> <0c267452-e9a8-4474-8611-a9010e75ebf9@rainierconnect.com> Message-ID: Oh Rick ? Tina always did have a great deal of taste. I can remember peeing behind your car while everyone was trying to focus on a VERY distant AND RARE bird with so many of us including Ruth Sullivan trying to focus cameras. And of course it wasn?t relevant in the long run because no one actually got a photo of the bird in question. You guys were stalwart competitors. And accomplished so much. If what we did had any benefit who knows? We llved in an incredible time when chasing and identifying birds was an ?honorable? pursuit and we added to the records in a tangible way. We came after the ?founding? stalwarts locally but we took it to NEW heights, with respect of course. I am on the final run; I am not sorry nor seeking sympathy. Life is as life does. As they used to say on Tweeters, may all your birds be identified but I can tell you, it?s the ones that aren?t that most interest me. Cheers tm From: Rick Taylor Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2024 5:29 PM To: Tom Mansfield Subject: RE: FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... Tom, Happy New Year. Tina I and were talking a couple of days ago that we hadn?t seen a post from you or Mary Francis in a while. I?m glad that you are still able to get out occasionally. Tina and I are doing well now. I was sidelined with cancer for a while; but, it is currently undetectable. So we are living life well while we can. I no longer have any stamina and am only good for half day birding or sightseeing; but we are making the most of it. We spent 16 weeks traveling last year. We spent 2 weeks in Antarctica watching penguins, did a couple of weeks in France, and spent 5 weeks in Australian and New Zealand. We picked up a lot of lifers down under. We haven?t been birding much locally, Tina got bored going to the same places to see the same birds? So, now I take her to new parts of the world to find new birds. It makes count listing seem downright cheap. Enjoy the New Year! Rick Rick Taylor Everett, WA From: Tweeters > On Behalf Of Tom Mansfield Sent: Saturday, January 6, 2024 8:49 PM To: Marcus Roening > Cc: Tweeters (E-mail) > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... No worries Marcus ? but I am proud to have been admitted to the 253. Cheers, tm. From: Marcus Roening > Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2023 7:57 PM To: Tom Mansfield > Subject: Re: FW: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... Hi Tom, Humble apologies! The really sad part is that I used eBird first and then added in folks from WA Birder off to the side on my paper list - which was you! I can't believe I did that and still left you off the list?! An Emperor Goose was an incredibly sweet bird to have be your #253. Here's to hoping you just might find another wonderful bird or two in the New Year. Good birding, Marcus On 12/30/2023 7:12 AM, Tom Mansfield wrote: Hey Marcus ? I just saw your post about the 253? Not certain why anyone didn?t pass it along but I?m also a member! Cheers and Happy New Year to Heather and you ? tm. PS ? I?m birding even less now than in 2021 but do still get out once in a while; got the YBLO in Edmonds yesterday. From: Tom Mansfield Sent: Saturday, November 6, 2021 8:18 PM To: Bruce LaBar (blabar@harbornet.com) ; phwimberger@pugetsouind.eu Subject: Hi guys; new member of your *253* fraternity.... Hi Bruce and Peter ? I wanted you to know that I came down and spotted the EMGO today, my 253rd bird for Pierce County. I can?t bird anymore due to physical issues with my legs (I can?t spend a lot of time driving or standing or walking) but this was a goal I have been wanting to accomplish. Ironically, despite the doc telling me ?no? when I asked, I drove down to Puyallup this morning and in a pouring rain found a couple along West Pioneer who seemed to be scoping intently. I pulled up and to my surprise it was Andy and Ellen Stepniewski from Yakima, with whom I was involved with the Patrick Sullivan Young Birders Fund for 12 years before resigning last year. We had an amazing reunion, which I didn?t think would happen in this lifetime. But they didn?t have the EMGO. I had had a text 2 hours earlier from Matt Bartels who knew I was going to try and he last saw the bird at the Chalet Tavern. The Yakkers then followed me to the Chalet Tavern and lo and behold as soon as I started scanning with the scope I found the EMGO ? no sign of the SNGO. So, I got the Yakkers on it. But then had to head back for home. What a wonderful conclusion to my *like* third or fourth birding adventure of 2021. More importantly, I am honored and humbled to join your exclusive circle! Sending cheers and best, tm. -- Marcus Roening Tacoma WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From seattlebirdpod at gmail.com Mon Jan 8 21:23:08 2024 From: seattlebirdpod at gmail.com (Seattle Bird) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Christmas Bird Countdown Message-ID: Hi I'm Leo, 9th grader and host of the Seattle Bird Podcast! Just wanted to share my most recent episode with y'all: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/M2ufWzB8cGb . Leo Want to discuss the podcast? Contact me at seattlebirdpod@gmail.com . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Mon Jan 8 23:17:38 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? Message-ID: I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting . Old name: Steller?s Jay New name: Stellar Jay I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 02:44:43 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= Message-ID: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> It?s Wikipedia, but interesting. My hope is there was some person named ?Common? so that some of my favorite, great birds, including, Common Poorwill, Common Nighthawk, Common Raven, Common Eider and Common Loon will finally be renamed with the respect they deserve. Also, I have never understood why the naming committee changed the name Rufous-sided Towhee to Spotted Towhee. It was such a great name, and descriptive, and fun to say! Who are these people that name bird species? While filming the Red Fox Sparrow at Ed N?s great backyard a few months ago, I was introduced to his neighbor. As we waited for the bird to arrive we discussed bird names that had changed. ?I have never gotten over the name change from Rufous-sided Towhee? I said. ?I still call them Rufous-sided Towhees? she said. I was refreshingly surprised by her response! Best regards and Happy New Year to the Tweets community! Dan Reiff Mercer Island Article listing all common bird names: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_by_common_name Sent from my iPhone From stevechampton at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 05:51:12 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Steller's Jay is probably on the docket for a name change regardless, as new research shows it diverged into two species a long time ago. Check out this paper, which has a cool map for Figure 1: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.9517 The protocol in a case like this is to come up with two fresh names to avoid confusion with the larger lumped species of the past. (That's why we lost Rufous-sided Towhee - or Roofasoddatowhee as my wife thought it was! - when it was split into Spotted Towhee and Eastern Towhee. I call our PNW birds Nearly Spotless Towhees!) I could imagine Steller's Jay split into Forest Jay for the Pacific birds and Mountain Jay for the interior, based on their habitat preferences, but that will be up to the new committee. Note that, up until now, English bird names have been selected by the North Am Checklist Committee, which are the taxonomists who do the lumps and splits. Under the new initiative, they'll still do all the science work, but a new and separate English Names Committee will be in charge of just the English names only. I expect they'll still follow the rules for handling lumps and splits as described above. The English names committee will differ from the taxonomy committee in three important ways: 1) it will have term limits; 2) its members will be appointed by an external body to ensure representation of a wide array of stakeholders; and 3) there will be a public process whereby the public can suggest and state a preference for new name options. good birding! On Mon, Jan 8, 2024 at 11:19?PM Tom Benedict wrote: > I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting > > . > > Old name: Steller?s Jay > New name: Stellar Jay > > I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg > Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. > And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > _______________________________________________ > 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 robfaucett at mac.com Tue Jan 9 06:42:40 2024 From: robfaucett at mac.com (Rob Faucett) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4158A1FB-37DB-4E02-AD0C-BF5CB7DC1A75@mac.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 09:18:15 2024 From: zinke.pilchuck at gmail.com (Brian Zinke) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Congratulations to Larry Schwitters! Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Please join me in congratulating our very own Larry Schwitters for receiving the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award! The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905. Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux?s Swift roosts across the Pacific Flyway, an effort known as Vaux?s Happening . His efforts to conserve this species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious award. Read more about Larry's contributions and the award: https://wa.audubon.org/news/larry-schwitters-wins-national-audubon-william-dutcher-award Hooray for Larry! 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 vikingcove at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 09:22:10 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Congratulations to Larry Schwitters! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Wow! Indeed most deserving! Congrats Larry! Kevin Lucas Yakima County, WA https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/ *Qui tacet consentire videtur* On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 9:18?AM Brian Zinke wrote: > Hi Tweets, > > Please join me in congratulating our very own Larry Schwitters for > receiving the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award! > > The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who > exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman > of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905. > > Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux?s Swift roosts across the Pacific > Flyway, an effort known as Vaux?s Happening > . His efforts to conserve this > species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is > truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he > does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious > award. > > Read more about Larry's contributions and the award: > > https://wa.audubon.org/news/larry-schwitters-wins-national-audubon-william-dutcher-award > > Hooray for Larry! > > 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] > _______________________________________________ > 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 Tue Jan 9 09:49:20 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Congratulations to Larry Schwitters! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: That great honor is surely deserved. Bob OBrien Portland. (P.S. A small connection. My wife's parents were friends with the Dutchers, way back when. On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 9:25?AM Brian Zinke wrote: > Hi Tweets, > > Please join me in congratulating our very own Larry Schwitters for > receiving the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award! > > The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who > exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman > of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905. > > Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux?s Swift roosts across the Pacific > Flyway, an effort known as Vaux?s Happening > . His efforts to conserve this > species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is > truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he > does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious > award. > > Read more about Larry's contributions and the award: > > https://wa.audubon.org/news/larry-schwitters-wins-national-audubon-william-dutcher-award > > Hooray for Larry! > > 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] > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From karlneice at icloud.com Tue Jan 9 10:06:50 2024 From: karlneice at icloud.com (Karl Neice) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cedar Waxwing visit Message-ID: <07913E8D-DDE0-41A1-892B-A6341B341FC2@icloud.com> We?ve had a pair of Cedar Waxwings in a motley crew of robins, starlings, yellow-dumped warblers and even a Townsends warbler last week in our yard in the Greenwood Seattle neighborhood. They were using our two Doug firs and three big-leaf maples to forage for the last of the ripe berries and some bugs out in the warmer than usual weather. From dennispaulson at comcast.net Tue Jan 9 11:16:18 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= In-Reply-To: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> References: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dan, at least that?s an easy one to answer. Rufous-sided was forever lost from towhee when the species was divided into Eastern and Spotted Towhees. One of the protocols of splitting species was (and I guess still is) not leaving the previous name with either of the two newly recognized species, entirely to avoid confusion. Blue-headed, Cassin?s and Plumbeous Vireos were the result of splitting of Solitary Vireo, just for another example. Sage Sparrow was split into Sagebrush and Bell?s Sparrows, Plain Titmouse split into Oak and Juniper Titmice. Etc. Dennis Paulson Seattle P.S. I still call them Mew Gulls, knowing all the while that I?m bringing shame on myself and my family. > On Jan 9, 2024, at 2:44 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > It?s Wikipedia, but interesting. > > My hope is there was some person named ?Common? so that some of my favorite, great birds, including, Common Poorwill, Common Nighthawk, Common Raven, Common Eider and Common Loon will finally be renamed with the respect they deserve. > Also, I have never understood why the naming committee changed the name Rufous-sided Towhee to Spotted Towhee. > It was such a great name, and descriptive, and fun to say! > Who are these people that name bird species? > > While filming the Red Fox Sparrow at Ed N?s great backyard a few months ago, I was introduced to his neighbor. As we waited for the bird to arrive we discussed bird names that had changed. > > ?I have never gotten over the name change from Rufous-sided Towhee? I said. > ?I still call them Rufous-sided Towhees? she said. > > I was refreshingly surprised by her response! > > Best regards and Happy New Year to the Tweets community! > > Dan Reiff > Mercer Island > > Article listing all common bird names: > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_by_common_name > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From dennispaulson at comcast.net Tue Jan 9 11:19:35 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= In-Reply-To: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> References: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> Message-ID: <40D68714-368C-46EB-88E3-0E9C5A691F70@comcast.net> And if I had read ahead, I would have seen that Steve Hampton already explained this. I hd 38 new emails when I opened my Mail this morning, and you?d think by now that I would have learned to start at the most recent, but old habits die hard. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 9, 2024, at 2:44 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > It?s Wikipedia, but interesting. > > My hope is there was some person named ?Common? so that some of my favorite, great birds, including, Common Poorwill, Common Nighthawk, Common Raven, Common Eider and Common Loon will finally be renamed with the respect they deserve. > Also, I have never understood why the naming committee changed the name Rufous-sided Towhee to Spotted Towhee. > It was such a great name, and descriptive, and fun to say! > Who are these people that name bird species? > > While filming the Red Fox Sparrow at Ed N?s great backyard a few months ago, I was introduced to his neighbor. As we waited for the bird to arrive we discussed bird names that had changed. > > ?I have never gotten over the name change from Rufous-sided Towhee? I said. > ?I still call them Rufous-sided Towhees? she said. > > I was refreshingly surprised by her response! > > Best regards and Happy New Year to the Tweets community! > > Dan Reiff > Mercer Island > > Article listing all common bird names: > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_by_common_name > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From louiserutter1000 at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 11:22:19 2024 From: louiserutter1000 at gmail.com (Louise) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= In-Reply-To: References: <7E8AE815-2579-409C-B8F7-C6CF7C0590A7@gmail.com> Message-ID: I can understand the theory, but then why is it not applied consistently? The east coast still has a winter wren, when we got a Pacific wren. Louise Rutter Kirkland On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 11:19?AM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Dan, at least that?s an easy one to answer. Rufous-sided was forever lost > from towhee when the species was divided into Eastern and Spotted Towhees. > One of the protocols of splitting species was (and I guess still is) not > leaving the previous name with either of the two newly recognized species, > entirely to avoid confusion. > > Blue-headed, Cassin?s and Plumbeous Vireos were the result of splitting of > Solitary Vireo, just for another example. Sage Sparrow was split into > Sagebrush and Bell?s Sparrows, Plain Titmouse split into Oak and Juniper > Titmice. Etc. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > P.S. I still call them Mew Gulls, knowing all the while that I?m bringing > shame on myself and my family. > > > On Jan 9, 2024, at 2:44 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > > > It?s Wikipedia, but interesting. > > > > My hope is there was some person named ?Common? so that some of my > favorite, great birds, including, Common Poorwill, Common Nighthawk, Common > Raven, Common Eider and Common Loon will finally be renamed with the > respect they deserve. > > Also, I have never understood why the naming committee changed the name > Rufous-sided Towhee to Spotted Towhee. > > It was such a great name, and descriptive, and fun to say! > > Who are these people that name bird species? > > > > While filming the Red Fox Sparrow at Ed N?s great backyard a few months > ago, I was introduced to his neighbor. As we waited for the bird to arrive > we discussed bird names that had changed. > > > > ?I have never gotten over the name change from Rufous-sided Towhee? I > said. > > ?I still call them Rufous-sided Towhees? she said. > > > > I was refreshingly surprised by her response! > > > > Best regards and Happy New Year to the Tweets community! > > > > Dan Reiff > > Mercer Island > > > > Article listing all common bird names: > > > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_by_common_name > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 kenbrownpls at comcast.net Tue Jan 9 11:32:52 2024 From: kenbrownpls at comcast.net (Kenneth Brown) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> I like it, but I would prefer Black and Blue Jay. > On 01/08/2024 11:17 PM PST Tom Benedict wrote: > > > I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting https://www.reddit.com/r/birding/comments/17m3i51/i_went_ahead_and_renamed_80_birds/?share_id=vY2MJPHK41wmnnvlwg5Xv&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1. > > Old name: Steller?s Jay > New name: Stellar Jay > > I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mollycvetovac at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 11:54:44 2024 From: mollycvetovac at gmail.com (Molly Cvetovac) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: What about Hooded Blue Jay? Non-birders always call them Blue Jays anyways? Molly Cvetovac Pronouns: they/she www.wildlifewanderingsphotography.com On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 11:33?AM Kenneth Brown wrote: > I like it, but I would prefer Black and Blue Jay. > > > On 01/08/2024 11:17 PM PST Tom Benedict wrote: > > > I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting > . > > > Old name: Steller?s Jay > New name: Stellar Jay > > I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg > Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. > And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > _______________________________________________ > 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 dennispaulson at comcast.net Tue Jan 9 12:03:27 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <31D28569-87F0-4C8C-B4A2-0D084A3393FD@comcast.net> Ken, that name is painful. > On Jan 9, 2024, at 11:32 AM, Kenneth Brown wrote: > > I like it, but I would prefer Black and Blue Jay. > >> On 01/08/2024 11:17 PM PST Tom Benedict wrote: >> >> >> I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting . >> >> Old name: Steller?s Jay >> New name: Stellar Jay >> >> I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. >> >> Tom Benedict >> Seahurst, WA >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 baro at pdx.edu Tue Jan 9 12:51:58 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay? In-Reply-To: <31D28569-87F0-4C8C-B4A2-0D084A3393FD@comcast.net> References: <1997104676.37336.1704828772763@connect.xfinity.com> <31D28569-87F0-4C8C-B4A2-0D084A3393FD@comcast.net> Message-ID: I would suggest that the name simply be changed from Steller's Jay to Stellar's Jay. That would meet the letter of the law and I misspell it all the time anyway. Bob OBrien Portland On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 12:28?PM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Ken, that name is painful. > > On Jan 9, 2024, at 11:32 AM, Kenneth Brown > wrote: > > I like it, but I would prefer Black and Blue Jay. > > > On 01/08/2024 11:17 PM PST Tom Benedict wrote: > > > I saw a suggestion for the new Steller?s Jay name on this posting > . > > > Old name: Steller?s Jay > New name: Stellar Jay > > I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don?t know who Georg > Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay. > And, like my son commented, ?That hairdo do be stellar!?. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From constancesidles at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 13:44:48 2024 From: constancesidles at gmail.com (Constance Sidles) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Congratulations to Larry Schwitters! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1B312870-AA09-42A4-8999-FBB5B4B5F37B@gmail.com> Dear Brian, thanks so much for letting our community know about Larry's honor. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more. Larry and his band of dedicated volunteers essentially saved the Monroe chimney Vaux's Swift roost from destruction, when the school district became worried about earhtquake safety. Because of the way that Larry went about saving that icon, the whole town of Monroe now celebrates with a festival that draws people from all over. (And here let's give a nod to State Senator Ken Jacobsen, who helped so much, too.) To my mind, this is an even greater achievement than saving the chimney or even coordinating the conservation efforts of swifts fans up and down the coast - wonderful as these achievements are. I say this because of the critical importance we birders owe to nature to draw in people who would otherwise not know or care about the natural wonders of our planet. Larry gives people the chance to make a personal and emotional connection to these little swifts, and by doing so, fosters love of nature among everyone. We birders can't save habitat alone - our numbers are too small. We need the general public and especially kids to fall in love with birds too. Larry's Vaux's Happening does that. Thank you Larry! - Connie, Seattle > On Jan 9, 2024, at 9:18?AM, Brian Zinke wrote: > > Hi Tweets, > > Please join me in congratulating our very own Larry Schwitters for receiving the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award! > > The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905. > > Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux?s Swift roosts across the Pacific Flyway, an effort known as Vaux?s Happening . His efforts to conserve this species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious award. > > Read more about Larry's contributions and the award: > https://wa.audubon.org/news/larry-schwitters-wins-national-audubon-william-dutcher-award > > Hooray for Larry! > > Brian > > -- > > Brian Zinke > Executive Director > phone: (425) 232-6811 > email: director@pilchuckaudubon.org > Pilchuck Audubon Society > 1429 Avenue D, PMB 198, Snohomish, WA 98290 > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From m.egger at comcast.net Tue Jan 9 14:37:28 2024 From: m.egger at comcast.net (Mark Egger) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] re Steller's Jay research Message-ID: <19A662AC-CB36-4C3C-BE22-92B24A749D42@comcast.net> Hi all, While I was amused by the suggestion of Stellar Jay as the ?new? name for Steller?s Jay (I?m still grumbling about the lame justification for ?new? names by the AOU), I was very impressed with the paper linked by Steve Hampton on Steller?s Jay evolution and the case for splitting the PNW and Rocky Mountains populations. This has been of interest for many for years, and this extensive paper seems to provide strong support for their splitting. But of even more interest to me is that the paper mentions the great morphological divergence of the birds in southern Mexico and Guatemala, which were NOT included in the analysis published in the paper. Hopefully that team or others will pursue the southern populations for full species recognition in the near future. I?ve seen the Steller?s Jays both in the Sierra Madre Occidentalis of Mexico (presumably the Rocky Mountains species) and in the Cuchumatanes Mountains in Guatemala, and the populations south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (a natural gap in the distributions) really are strikingly different visually. Here?s an example, from a post in iNaturalist from Chiapas in far southern Mexico, adjacent to Guatemala: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96626667#data_quality_assessment Here is the link again to the scientific paper, and it can be downloaded from this site as a free PDF: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.9517 Mark -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 21:51:24 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Congratulations to Larry Schwitters! In-Reply-To: <1B312870-AA09-42A4-8999-FBB5B4B5F37B@gmail.com> References: <1B312870-AA09-42A4-8999-FBB5B4B5F37B@gmail.com> Message-ID: <2D9C7B72-898B-45A4-9620-77193572BE2E@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Tue Jan 9 21:59:16 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stevechampton at gmail.com Wed Jan 10 06:24:57 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?List_of_birds_by_common_name_-_Wikipedia=3B_?= =?utf-8?b?YW5kIE15IOKAnENvbW1vbuKAnSBDb25jZXJu?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Agreed, the split of Winter Wren into Pacific, Winter (and I think Eurasian Wren as well) retained Winter in the East, which is clearly a violation of that policy. For exactly the reasons they were concerned about, when you say you saw a Winter Wren in the West before the split, people would be confused whether you mean today's Winter Wren or a Pacific Wren back when it was called Winter Wren. The split of Mew into Short-billed and Common raised the same issue in a different way. Many argued that Mew could be retained for North American birds because the Brits (and gull people in the North Am) already called the European one Common Gull anyway, and reserved Mew for just North America. So there was no problem with the split, because it was essentially already a reality with the English names on the ground. The only real confusion area would be vagrants - from either form - on the East Coast. But Short-billed was the original historic name for the subspecies in North America (*bracyrhynchos *means short-billed), so there was an obvious fallback. Had that historic name not existed, perhaps we would have kept Mew. Okay, enough nerding out for me, on to birding! On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 9:59?PM Dan Reiff wrote: > Agreed, Louise. > And thank you for your responses, Dennis. > I believe another example is: Eastern and Western Bluebirds. > Thank you, > Dan Reiff > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jan 9, 2024, at 11:23?AM, Louise wrote: > > ? > I can understand the theory, but then why is it not applied consistently? > The east coast still has a winter wren, when we got a Pacific wren. > > Louise Rutter > Kirkland > > On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 11:19?AM Dennis Paulson > wrote: > >> Dan, at least that?s an easy one to answer. Rufous-sided was forever lost >> from towhee when the species was divided into Eastern and Spotted Towhees. >> One of the protocols of splitting species was (and I guess still is) not >> leaving the previous name with either of the two newly recognized species, >> entirely to avoid confusion. >> >> Blue-headed, Cassin?s and Plumbeous Vireos were the result of splitting >> of Solitary Vireo, just for another example. Sage Sparrow was split into >> Sagebrush and Bell?s Sparrows, Plain Titmouse split into Oak and Juniper >> Titmice. Etc. >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> >> P.S. I still call them Mew Gulls, knowing all the while that I?m bringing >> shame on myself and my family. >> >> > On Jan 9, 2024, at 2:44 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: >> > >> > It?s Wikipedia, but interesting. >> > >> > My hope is there was some person named ?Common? so that some of my >> favorite, great birds, including, Common Poorwill, Common Nighthawk, Common >> Raven, Common Eider and Common Loon will finally be renamed with the >> respect they deserve. >> > Also, I have never understood why the naming committee changed the name >> Rufous-sided Towhee to Spotted Towhee. >> > It was such a great name, and descriptive, and fun to say! >> > Who are these people that name bird species? >> > >> > While filming the Red Fox Sparrow at Ed N?s great backyard a few months >> ago, I was introduced to his neighbor. As we waited for the bird to arrive >> we discussed bird names that had changed. >> > >> > ?I have never gotten over the name change from Rufous-sided Towhee? I >> said. >> > ?I still call them Rufous-sided Towhees? she said. >> > >> > I was refreshingly surprised by her response! >> > >> > Best regards and Happy New Year to the Tweets community! >> > >> > Dan Reiff >> > Mercer Island >> > >> > Article listing all common bird names: >> > >> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_by_common_name >> > >> > Sent from my iPhone >> > _______________________________________________ >> > 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 >> > _______________________________________________ > 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 nreiferb at gmail.com Wed Jan 10 09:10:46 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Complainers of name changers Message-ID: You complainers of changes of bird names. Why don?t you complain to the Union of Ornithologists or join that group? My name change still sticks. And it bothers both the name changers and the complainers of name changes. Keep yer eyes on the sky for the Common Goshawk. Nelson Briefer - Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From robfaucett at mac.com Wed Jan 10 09:17:28 2024 From: robfaucett at mac.com (Rob Faucett) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Complainers of name changers In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <12EE2A8B-3536-438E-80FE-44B52E6E09CB@mac.com> This post should be remvoed. It is directly at a specific group of people and has essentially NOTHING to with birds. If the word ?complainers? was replaced with any other demographic the post would warrant a stern warning (at least) to the poster. I find this offensive. And I?m really difficult to offend! Have a great day looking at birds! rcf -- Rob Faucett 206-619-5569 Seattle, WA > On Jan 10, 2024, at 9:10?AM, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > You complainers of changes of bird names. Why don?t you complain to the Union of Ornithologists or join that group? My name change still sticks. And it bothers both the name changers and the complainers of name changes. Keep yer eyes on the sky for the Common Goshawk. 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 halop at uw.edu Wed Jan 10 10:54:06 2024 From: halop at uw.edu (Hal Opperman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] ADMINISTRATIVE - Name changes Message-ID: Who would have thought that this name-swapping game could become a hot-button issue and therefore a banned subject on Tweeters? But there it is. Enough, already! Hal Opperman Tweeters list administrator (with Elaine Chuang) Seattle Hal Opperman Sent from my iPad From birder4184 at yahoo.com Wed Jan 10 12:22:52 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] AOS Species Name Change -Revising My Blog Post from June 2018 about Birds Named after Some Noted "Humans" References: <2091264166.6179552.1704918172295.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <2091264166.6179552.1704918172295@mail.yahoo.com> In June 2018 I published a blog post entitled "Audubon, Swainson, Cassin, Townsend, Steller, Pallas and Wilson and the Birds Named After Them". Avoiding all politics, it gave a little (maybe too little) history on these men (all men) who have played significant roles in American ornithological history.? It included my own history seeing species named after them and included photos of the men and the birds.? Being of interest to me, I thought this background might be of interest to others as well when seeing a Wilson's Warbler, or a Swainson's Thrush or a Steller's Jay etc.? That was it - nothing more, no politics, no angst - just birder (yes, white male birder) stuff.? I just revisited that post and added the following postscript which also serves as the reason for republishing the blog post - and sharing it again on Tweeters. Postscript:On October 3, 2023, the American Ornithological Society announced "three important commitments related to English common names of birds": - "The AOS commits to changing all English-language names of birds within its geographic jurisdiction that are named directly after people (eponyms), along with other names deemed offensive and exclusionary, focusing first on those species that occur primarily within the U.S. or Canada.? - The AOS commits to establishing a new committee to oversee the assignment of all English common names for species within the AOS?s jurisdiction; this committee will? broaden participation by including a diverse representation of individuals with expertise in the social sciences, communications, ornithology, and taxonomy.? - The AOS commits to actively involving the public in the process of selecting new English bird names." On its website answering why such action was being taken, the first response was: "Council is making these commitments to do two equally important things: to address past wrongs and to engage far more people in the study, protection, conservation, and enjoyment of birds.?The impact of bird names?reaches well beyond our membership. Therefore, when it was brought to our attention that some English bird names were viewed as harmful or exclusionary, including some named after?people who were perceived as symbols of racism and colonialism,?the AOS worked hard to reconcile its commitment to uphold stability in taxonomy and names while also addressing concerns of historical biases and social injustices." For the most part, national media reported this announcement with emphasis on the highlighted portion of the answer, with the?Washington Post?for example publishing an article under the title?Dozens of bird names honoring enslavers and racists will be changed...?The AOS of course gave other reasons for the change as but as with almost everything else in our social media driven world today, this action has created much discussion, difference of opinion and controversy. When I read "opinion pieces" (thoughtful and not), rants, explanations, arguments etc. on this subject, among other thoughts - which I will not express here - I recalled this blog post I had written and published some years ago about some of the men (it was all men) who have many species familiar to me and all birders named after them.?Whatever else they may have or not have been, they were all part of the history of birding in America and I was interested to know more about them and enjoyed my minimal research and finding and enjoy having that background when I hear or see these species.?I fully acknowledge that my research did not examine their personal lives, their politics, their opinions and behaviors - the part they played in "historical biases and social injustices".?Maybe that was/is an important omission.?Maybe there is a blog post by someone elsewhere that delves into these details and presents these men as they "really were" - outside of ornithology.?I stayed within ornithology and strictly from that perspective am republishing this blog post with this postscript. Here is the link to that postscripted blog post: https://blairbirding.com/2018/06/09/audubon-swainson-cassin-townsend-steller-pallas-and-wilson-and-the-birds-named-after-them/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Wed Jan 10 12:41:30 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] ADMINISTRATIVE - Name changes In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hats on and off three times for Hal Opperman and Elaine Chuang. On an up- coming post I will again tell you why I respect Hal and Elaine, don?t know them never met them. And yes this name deletion is not about birds. Nelson Briefer - Anacortes. On Wed, Jan 10, 2024 at 10:56?AM Hal Opperman wrote: > Who would have thought that this name-swapping game could become a > hot-button issue and therefore a banned subject on Tweeters? But there it > is. Enough, already! > > Hal Opperman > Tweeters list administrator (with Elaine Chuang) > Seattle > > Hal Opperman > Sent from my iPad > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From leschwitters at me.com Wed Jan 10 12:59:14 2024 From: leschwitters at me.com (Larry Schwitters) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bobcat Message-ID: <06BBB013-DBE4-40C3-A874-AEED25A93773@me.com> We just had a close encounter with a fat and fearless Bobcat at Lake Sammamish State Parks Sunset Beach. Upset the crows. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From birder4184 at yahoo.com Wed Jan 10 13:02:17 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] ADMINISTRATIVE - Name changes In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <463074368.6185580.1704920537287@mail.yahoo.com> Completely disagree.? This is not a rare bird alert site.? WhatsApp and Ebird serve that role.? If tweeters isn't for the birding community to talk about birding matters, what is?? The interest is obvious as is the impact and important underlying matters. Blair Bernson? On Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 12:42:07 PM PST, Nelson Briefer wrote: Hats on and off three times for Hal Opperman and Elaine Chuang. On an up- coming post I will again tell you why I respect Hal and Elaine, don?t know them never met them. And yes this name deletion is not about birds. Nelson Briefer - Anacortes. On Wed, Jan 10, 2024 at 10:56?AM Hal Opperman wrote: Who would have thought that this name-swapping game could become a hot-button issue and therefore a banned subject on Tweeters? But there it is. Enough, already! Hal Opperman Tweeters list administrator (with Elaine Chuang) Seattle Hal Opperman Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ 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 benedict.t at comcast.net Wed Jan 10 13:40:35 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Spinus pinus FOY Message-ID: A small flock of spinus pinus has returned to our feeder in Burien today. About 10 very smart looking males and females associated with a few poecile atricapillus and poecile rufescens as well as a pair of very shy thryomanes bewickii. We recently reinstated our feeder after taking it down for about 9 months due to rodent issues. We received a "bird seed wreath" from some friends. It?s made by Wild Birds Unlimited and includes chili powder which is supposed to make the seeds unpalatable to rodents and other non-bird critters. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA From 45.lisa at gmail.com Wed Jan 10 14:30:29 2024 From: 45.lisa at gmail.com (Lisa Weber) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Talk with Everett Herald reporter about hunters? Message-ID: <7DE6CD84-8FAB-4306-94D8-BB5E27D5E04F@gmail.com> Hi everyone, Let?s try this again, and see if I can get past the HTML scrubbing issue. I?m in contact with the environmental reporter from the Everett Herald. Would anyone in this group be interested in speaking with her? If yes, email me at 45.lisa (at) gmail.com and I?ll put you in touch with the reporter. Below is her request: ?I?m doing a story about confrontations/interactions between birders and hunters in areas like Spencer Island where members of the two groups sometimes overlap. Do you know of any birders who regularly go to areas like Leque, Ebey and Spencer Island who might have some perspectives on this?? Thank you. Good birding and happy 2024! Lisa Weber From vikingcove at gmail.com Thu Jan 11 10:59:45 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Black Phoebe plunge diving Message-ID: Wednesday after finishing a Winter Raptor Survey https://www.ecaudubon.org/projects/winter-raptor-survey/ I had just enough time before dark to visit the 1933 Pumphouse to try to see the Black Phoebe found by Debie & Ron Brown on Sunday. Nice find, and thanks to them for their phone call. When I opened my car door at 4:10 p.m. I heard it chipping and saw it immediately. It sallied a few times, but repeatedly plunge-dived (plunge-dove?). That was surprising and fun to watch, the first time I've seen a Black Phoebe plunging. I suppose there were small fish or aquatic buggers there, but the water surface was glassy, giving me no hint of them. I attached a series of high ISO images to my eBird checklist. eBird mucked up the order, despite their sequential timestamps and file naming. I wonder why. They're shown in this disorder: 4 2 3 7 6 9 5 8 1 10. The dirt road is muddy. A couple of free roaming dogs were nice. Other tied-up dogs were loud, but seemed nice. Here's a link to my eBird checklist with perched and plunging photos: https://ebird.org/pnw/checklist/S158612057 And the link to Debie & Ron Brown's checklist with photo: https://ebird.org/checklist/S158400837 This is Yakima County, near Toppenish Creek, 10 miles west of the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. My eBird checklist location is precisely on the 1933 pumphouse. This is 1.5 miles WSW of where a Black Phoebe wintered from 2015/2016 - 2018/2019, possibly more years. 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 shepthorp at gmail.com Thu Jan 11 11:16:59 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR - Wednesday Walk for 1/10/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 25 of us had a dry morning, and a damper afternoon at the Refuge with temperatures in the 30's to 40's degrees Fahrenheit and a high Low 9'4" Tide at 11:07am and a High 13'5" Tide at 3:18pm. Highlights included first of year BARRED OWL in the stand of woods behind the flag pole, AMERICAN BITTERN in the slough adjacent to the Twin Barns Overlook, NORTHERN SHRIKE perched proudly in the freshwater marsh, and a couple WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with high counts of LEAST SANDPIPER and DUNLIN on the mud flats and surge plain. We also had nice views of River Otter in McAllister Creek. The Orchard had good numbers of AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, SPOTTED TOWHEE and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. Ken located an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER adjacent to the technician building and our stragglers enjoyed a large mixed flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, and BROWN CREEPER at the slough adjacent to the Green Gate across from the Orchard. Jon spotted the BARRED OWL roosting in the stand of woods behind the flag pole, we initially viewed the owl along the Access Road. The Access Road was also good for waterfowl and raptors. NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and AMERICAN COOT. We had good looks of BALD EAGLE and RED-TAILED HAWK. A few of our group had up close eye level views of a PACIFIC WREN in the bushes between the west parking lot and the road. A second flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows was seen at the green gate to the restricted old McAllister Creek Access Road. The west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail had nice views of BROWN CREEPER-family group, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, Intergrade NORTHERN FLICKER, and RINGED-NECK DUCK. BEWICKS WREN, MARSH WREN, PINE SISKIN, and DOWNY WOODPECKER were also viewed. Jon and others spotted a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK that flew out from the Riparian Forest and west across the flooded fields south of the Twin Barns. The Twin Barns Overlook was great for AMERICAN BITTERNl. Laurie spotted the Bittern flying into the slough adjacent to the observation platform. Thank goodness she did, as the bird immediately disappeared with its excellent camouflaged plumage despite standing in plain sight next to Canary Reed Grass. HOUSE FINCH and additional waterfowl were also seen. The Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike had great looks of NORTHERN HARRIER and NORTHERN SHRIKE on both freshwater and tidal sides. Ken first spotted the Shrike in the freshwater marsh, it appears to be a first year bird with brown scaling on breast - see photo's in eBird list, and it was very visible throughout the day. Not as many as last week, but plenty of waterfowl to pick through, and our third flock of Golden-crowned Sparrow. On our return during the High Tide we got better looks of the high count DUNLIN flock. The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was great for closer views of WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a high count of 100 plus LEAST SANDPIPER on the mudflats adjacent to the trail. We also had really nice looks of COMMON LOON, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, SURF SCOTER, HORNED GREBE, COMMON GOLDEN-EYE and BUFFLEHEAD. Tom spotted a EURASIAN WIGEON in a large flock of American Wigeon in McAllister Creek south of the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform. Both GREATER YELLOWLEGS and SPOTTED SANDPIPER were seen along the way. We enjoyed a River Otter eating fish along the west bank of the McAllister Creek at the confluence with Shannon Slough. At the closure gate (should be open by February 5th) at the end of the boardwalk we scoped the reach and picked up RED-THROATED LOON and BRANDT'S CORMORANT. Jon and others spotted WHITE-WINGED SCOTER mixed in with a large group of SURF SCOTERS. Good numbers of SHORT-BILLED GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and WESTERN X GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Olympic) were easy to view on the tide flats and reach. On our return we picked up a single COMMON MERGANSER in the Nisqually River at the Nisqually River Overlook. And observed another nice flock/family group of Brown Creeper on the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. For the day we observed 67 species and have seen 81 species this year. Mammals seen included Easter Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, River Otter and Harbor Seal. eBird list pasted below with location notes and photos embedded. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, good birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jan 10, 2024 7:25 AM - 3:50 PM Protocol: Traveling 6.0 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with temperatures in the 30?s to 40?s degrees Fahrenheit. Light rain at 1pm. A high Low 9?4? Tide at 11:07am and a High 13?5? at 3:18pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, River Otter in McAllister Creek, and Harbor Seal. 67 species (+4 other taxa) Cackling Goose (minima) 1000 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 35 Northern Shoveler 150 Gadwall 4 Eurasian Wigeon 1 McAllister Creek south of McAllister Creek Observation Platform. American Wigeon 800 Mallard 250 Northern Pintail 239 Green-winged Teal (American) 500 Ring-necked Duck 2 Visitor Center Pond Surf Scoter 50 White-winged Scoter 1 Nisqually Reach. Bufflehead 200 Common Goldeneye 30 Hooded Merganser 4 Common Merganser 1 Nisqually River Red-breasted Merganser 30 Horned Grebe 6 American Coot 90 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs 30 Dunlin 1000 Least Sandpiper 250 Counted, possible more. Observed several flocks. One large flock of over 100 birds foraging on mudflats on the east side of the McAllister Creek Observation Platform with two Western Sandpipers in the group. Two groups of 50 Least Sandpiper flying around tributaries adjacent to the confluence of McAllister Creek and Shannon Slough, two flocks of upwards of 50 birds at the marsh plain adjacent to the closure gate at the end of the boardwalk. Western Sandpiper 2 Two to three birds viewed. Two seen with Least Sandpiper flock. Photo. One seen with a group of 1000 Dunlin. Larger peep then Least Sandpiper with white throat, longer less pointed bill, lighter gray back then Least and Dunlin. Short-billed Gull 100 Ring-billed Gull 100 Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 8 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Larus sp. 100 Red-throated Loon 1 Nisqually Reach Common Loon 3 Brandt's Cormorant 10 Double-crested Cormorant 25 American Bittern 1 Slough adjacent to Twin Barns Observation Platform. Great Blue Heron 20 Northern Harrier 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Flooded field south of Twin Barns. Bald Eagle 12 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Barred Owl 1 Stand of woods behind flag pole. Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 West side of Twin Barns Loop Trail. Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 5 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1 Flicker with Red and Black Malar Strip seen from west side of Twin Barns Loop Trail. Peregrine Falcon 1 Old dike foot print on tide flats. Northern Shrike 1 Freshwater Marsh. Steller's Jay 1 West side of McAllister Creek. American Crow 100 Black-capped Chickadee 5 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet 15 Brown Creeper 8 Pacific Wren 2 Marsh Wren 4 Bewick's Wren 1 European Starling 100 Varied Thrush 4 Orchard and Loop Trail. American Robin 19 House Finch 1 Twin Barns Observation Platform. Pine Siskin 2 West side of Twin Barns Loop Trail. Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 4 Dark-eyed Junco 1 Orchard. Golden-crowned Sparrow 40 Song Sparrow 19 Spotted Towhee 6 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Orchard. View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S158642230 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Jan 11 13:49:09 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-01-11 References: <242483580.254992.1705009749660.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <242483580.254992.1705009749660@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - After a beautiful pre-dawn, it was dark and cold this morning.? For parts of the morning we had a few drops, and quite a few snow pellets, and occasional cold winds.? The starting temp was 33 degrees, and it was 40 by 11:30, but I'm pretty sure it was colder somewhere in the middle there.? Not terribly surprisingly, it was not terribly birdy. Highlights: ? ? ?Trumpeter Swan - Flyby of 6 birds, heading south.? First of Year (FOY) ? ? ?Wood Duck - One male in the slough near the lake (FOY) ? ? ?Pileated Woodpecker - Heard many times, never seen (FOY) ? ? ?Merlin - One flew over the Pea Patch (FOY) ? ? ?Varied Thrush - Pair SW of the mansion (FOY) ? ? ? Heard-only VIRGINIA RAIL and heard-only HAIRY WOODPECKER were also FOY, as were some PINE SISKIN that turned up at the Rowing Club parking lot just after most everyone else had left. No owls this morning, and a rather poor showing of raptors, wrens, and finches. Misses today included Anna's Hummingbird, Killdeer, Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Shrike, Marsh Wren, and Purple Finch. For the day, 52 species.? For 2024, we're at 61 species. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm From ednewbold1 at yahoo.com Thu Jan 11 14:39:46 2024 From: ednewbold1 at yahoo.com (Ed Newbold) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Flycatchers and Vireos--and only these--plunge-bathe in Pumphouse Lake References: <1758872269.355915.1705012786714.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1758872269.355915.1705012786714@mail.yahoo.com> Hi all and Kevin, I was interested to read Kevin Lucas's post about a Black Phoebe plunge-diving--how interesting, and thanks Kevin. I'm thinking it is likely that this was just bathing rather than foraging. Here at Butyl Creek all the birds that come in for a bath do sit-bathing, the kind made popular by Bobby Darin, ("Splish Splash....") That's except for all members of the Flycatcher and Vireo families we have seen, which in our anecdotal memory never sit-bathe but always plunge-bathe.? They don't use Butyl Creek, which is shallow, but only the little pond it flows into which we hyperbolically call Pumphouse Lake. They fly in like a Kingfisher and fly back out immediately, wasting no time in the water whatsoever--just as Kevin described although we've sadly never had a Black Phoebe here. I have very faint notions or understanding of bird taxonomy, but I think these two family groups both arose in South America (didn't they?) and my thought was there could be/have been/ an aquatic predator there, such as young Morlitz Crocodiles (?), that made sit-bathing a dead-end street for many years in that part of the world. Thanks all, interesting comments Blair and have great Birding, Ed Newbold Beacon Hill, Seattle . ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonbirder at comcast.net Thu Jan 11 19:01:55 2024 From: jonbirder at comcast.net (Jon Houghton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Warblering in the ?snow? Message-ID: <2009310975.1273637.1705028515452@connect.xfinity.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From marvbreece at q.com Fri Jan 12 06:29:30 2024 From: marvbreece at q.com (MARVIN BREECE) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] (no subject) Kent Valley Birding 1.11.24 Message-ID: Yesterday (1.11.24) there was a RED FOX SPARROW at Whistling Train Farm in Kent. https://flic.kr/p/2prZK9z Along S 285th St where it dead ends at Hwy 167, I counted 152 KILLDEER in the field to the north. Mixed among the Killdeer were at least 6 LEAST SANDPIPERS. The adult NORTHERN RED-TAILED HAWK ( Buteo jamaicensis abieticola ) continues at M Street, west of Emerald Downs, in Auburn. It has been there since at least 11.18.23. For more information about this red-tail see: https://ebird.org/canada/news/identifying-northern-red-tailed-hawks/ I have put several videos of this bird on Flickr since 11.18.23: https://flic.kr/ps/376fhN I have not seen the Eastern, or the light or dark morph Harlan's for several days, but the adult northern is usually present and is relatively easy to spot with a scope at the north end of the area. This particular individual has a pure white throat. A white throat and a red tail is not a common combination among western red-tails. Marv BreeceTukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hank.heiberg at gmail.com Fri Jan 12 09:36:31 2024 From: hank.heiberg at gmail.com (Hank Heiberg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath Message-ID: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> I noticed two Juncos at the rim of our frozen bird bath. So I took a pot of boiling water and poured it on the ice. Not all of the ice melted, but there was then a layer of water on top of the ice that was comfortable to my touch. I went back in the house and noticed that immediately there were 3 Juncos drinking from the bird bath and a Towhee nearby. Hank Heiberg Issaquah, WA From winskie at frontier.com Fri Jan 12 09:42:01 2024 From: winskie at frontier.com (John & Anne Winskie) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath In-Reply-To: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> References: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> Message-ID: <629951248.445424.1705081321916@mail.yahoo.com> I put fresh hummer water out this morning, and it froze solid within half an hour. I brought it back inside and thawed it out, put it back out, and there was a hummer there within minutes. She had a long drink, then flew off! On Friday, January 12, 2024 at 09:37:14 AM PST, Hank Heiberg wrote: I noticed two Juncos at the rim of our frozen bird bath.? So I took a pot of boiling water and poured it on the ice.? Not all of the ice melted, but there was then a layer of water on top of the ice that was comfortable to my touch.? I went back in the house and noticed that immediately there were 3 Juncos drinking from the bird bath and a Towhee nearby. Hank Heiberg Issaquah, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From info at shelflifestories.com Fri Jan 12 09:49:28 2024 From: info at shelflifestories.com (Shelf Life Community Story Project) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath In-Reply-To: <629951248.445424.1705081321916@mail.yahoo.com> References: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> <629951248.445424.1705081321916@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Some strategies I?ve used for keeping hummer feeders and bird water thawed. Incandescent Christmas lights, the old kind that get a little warm, not the LED kind, can be wrapped around a feeder to keep it warm. Or one of those ceramic bulbs used for pet reptiles. I plug one in and point it at the feeder a few inches away. If there?s no electricity nearby, you can get some of the more affordable electric socks that come with a little battery that keeps them warm. Charge those up and wrap a sock around the feeder with a rubber band. Those mats people use to keep seedlings warm can go under a pan of water. Jill > On Jan 12, 2024, at 9:42 AM, John & Anne Winskie wrote: > > I put fresh hummer water out this morning, and it froze solid within half an hour. I brought it back inside and thawed it out, put it back out, and there was a hummer there within minutes. She had a long drink, then flew off! > > > > > > > On Friday, January 12, 2024 at 09:37:14 AM PST, Hank Heiberg wrote: > > > > > > I noticed two Juncos at the rim of our frozen bird bath. So I took a pot of boiling water and poured it on the ice. Not all of the ice melted, but there was then a layer of water on top of the ice that was comfortable to my touch. I went back in the house and noticed that immediately there were 3 Juncos drinking from the bird bath and a Towhee nearby. > > Hank Heiberg > Issaquah, WA > _______________________________________________ > 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 From plkoyama at comcast.net Fri Jan 12 10:05:02 2024 From: plkoyama at comcast.net (PENNY & DAVID KOYAMA) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Feeder Excitement-Redpoll Message-ID: <1361294062.135415.1705082702118@connect.xfinity.com> Tweets, Was watching the feeder this a.m., noting the regular appearance of one Male Varied Thrush and a White-throated Sparrow, both of which have been with us since late Oct. It was busy with a full seed feeder, suet, and patio mix thrown onto the gravel below the feeders. I was completely gob-smacked to see a Common Redpoll come in with the goldfinch and siskins. It few back and forth from the seed feeder to the deciduous junk just in back, with it's red head all but shining! I'm still waiting for its return, but no luck so far. Has anyone seen redpolls yet this winter? This one was by itself and Ive only seen them in flocks before, mostly at Green Lake or E WA. Matt B, mark me down for a King Co CORE if no one else has taken that spot! Penny Koyama, Bothell -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From plkoyama at comcast.net Fri Jan 12 10:16:44 2024 From: plkoyama at comcast.net (PENNY & DAVID KOYAMA) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fwd: Feeder Excitement-Redpoll In-Reply-To: <282313998.135387.1705082645300@oxapp-hob-44o.email.comcast.net> References: <282313998.135387.1705082645300@oxapp-hob-44o.email.comcast.net> Message-ID: <421152504.135870.1705083404864@connect.xfinity.com> Note: I realize CORE isn't the correct 4 letter code, but I am an Avysys freak for recording and that's how the system works! Penny K, Bothell > ---------- Original Message ---------- > From: PENNY & DAVID KOYAMA > To: Tweeters > Date: 01/12/2024 10:04 AM PST > Subject: Feeder Excitement-Redpoll > > > Tweets, > > Was watching the feeder this a.m., noting the regular appearance of one Male Varied Thrush and a White-throated Sparrow, both of which have been with us since late Oct. It was busy with a full seed feeder, suet, and patio mix thrown onto the gravel below the feeders. I was completely gob-smacked to see a Common Redpoll come in with the goldfinch and siskins. It few back and forth from the seed feeder to the deciduous junk just in back, with it's red head all but shining! > I'm still waiting for its return, but no luck so far. > > Has anyone seen redpolls yet this winter? This one was by itself and Ive only seen them in flocks before, mostly at Green Lake or E WA. > > Matt B, mark me down for a King Co CORE if no one else has taken that spot! > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Fri Jan 12 13:08:01 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] bird activity Message-ID: <8942C47C-1494-4030-9BDC-F8D62DF6EE20@comcast.net> Hello, tweets. I?m having trouble getting any work done because the yard is aflutter in avian activity, and it?s hard to take my eyes away from the window. At one time I saw nine goldfinches and three siskins fighting for the six perches on our tube feeder. There are at least 30 and possibly up to 50 juncos. We have three hummingbird feeders out, but they are freezing within an hour of putting them out. We have a light (Wild Birds Unlimited) attached to one, however, and I just photographed three Anna?s Hummingbirds drinking from it at once, a first for our yard. At least one of each sex, wasn?t sure about a poor view of the third bird. I guess the male gave up vigorously defending the two feeders he could see at once. Two or three male and a female Varied Thrush are in the yard all the time. We put out mixed seeds on the window ledge outside my second-floor office, and it is thronging with birds, those visiting today including Steller?s Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick?s Wren, Varied Thrush, Song Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin and Townsend?s Warbler. The warbler has been drinking from a central cup on the hummer feeder that we always fill up, but I?m surprised to see it apparently swallowing millet seeds on the ledge. Two flickers and a Pileated have visited the suet, along with chickadees, nuthatches, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Song and Golden-crowned Sparrows and Spotted Towhees are scarfing up millet that we sprinkled all over the yard. I hope everyone is putting out lots of food for the birds today. I don?t think there are many if any feeders very near us, which I guess is why we have so many birds. Dennis Paulson Seattle From dgrainger at birdsbydave.com Fri Jan 12 13:08:56 2024 From: dgrainger at birdsbydave.com (dgrainger@birdsbydave.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath In-Reply-To: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> References: <3D4E20DB-8258-4A70-AE3A-F3E23AA96DAE@gmail.com> Message-ID: <6b2bd9937829c5c074ffeeabb373e6bd@birdsbydave.com> There are bird bath heaters available on Amazon and also from Wild Birds Unlimited. Ours works very well. We also have a warmer underneath ur main hummingbird feeder - which is close to the house, partially sheltered- and which is still seeing a number of Annas visiting. The hummer feeder heater consists of an enclosed low wattage lightbulb inside of a red plastic shade that grasps the bottom of the feeder. We also got that from Wild Birds On 2024-01-12 10:36, Hank Heiberg wrote: > I noticed two Juncos at the rim of our frozen bird bath. So I took a > pot of boiling water and poured it on the ice. Not all of the ice > melted, but there was then a layer of water on top of the ice that was > comfortable to my touch. I went back in the house and noticed that > immediately there were 3 Juncos drinking from the bird bath and a > Towhee nearby. > > Hank Heiberg > Issaquah, WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From clmssh at comcast.net Fri Jan 12 16:38:47 2024 From: clmssh at comcast.net (Sharon Howard) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] De-icer for frozen birdbath Message-ID: <013AD879-4FCD-4C0B-96D2-B75E4DD6B718@comcast.net> Looking out this morning I saw birds walking around the edge of the birdbath which was frozen solid. Needing some birdseed and suet blocks anyway, I went over to the Seattle Nature Shop to get the seed and suet, and I also bought an electric de-icer for the birdbath. The Nature Shop had 3 different sizes. Once back home, after some difficulty getting the frozen ice out of the birdbath, I washed it, and refilled the basin. Then I put in the de-icer and plugged it. Very shortly there were several birds coming to the birdbath drinking and standing on the edge. It is so cold out that there is water vapor rising from the birdbath, but at least it won?t freeze. Made me very happy with my winterization efforts. Stay warm everyone. Sharon Howard Ballard From golsson19 at gmail.com Fri Jan 12 17:39:24 2024 From: golsson19 at gmail.com (Gayle Olsson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Flock of birds north of Edmonds jetty Message-ID: I don't have strong lens to actually see characteristics of birds that congregated north of the Edmonds jetty and are likely still in the dive park. I know Brandt gather in the area. I'm not sure if what I'm seeing are Brandt. Any ideas for me? Thanks! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dschone8 at donobi.net Fri Jan 12 18:00:49 2024 From: dschone8 at donobi.net (dschone8@donobi.net) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath Message-ID: <1705111249.85qrjuitgk84s4go@webmail.sitestar.net> Tweets, Heated pet water bowls work just as well as bird bowls and baths and are often less expensive. A bowl with a few rocks to give the birds something to sit on while they drink or bath improves there use dramatically. The only drawback is a plug-in is necessary. The birds love my fountain but when it is as cold as it is now it still will freeze up. Next year I will clean the tank and when I do I'll add a water heater. Then come winter when it starts to get cold I can plug in the heater and keep the water warm enough it won't freeze. Doug Schonewald -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nearpost at gmail.com Fri Jan 12 18:03:06 2024 From: nearpost at gmail.com (Scott Ramos) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Bay CBC 2023 results Message-ID: The 37th edition of the Skagit Bay CBC took place on January 1, 2024. Not associated with any birding society, this count nevertheless includes a dedicated group of stalwart birders. This year, our 11 sectors were counted by 32 people, and we had 5 feeder watchers contribute as well. Past years have had challenging weather with either ice-covered water bodies, high winds and/or sub-freezing temperatures. We had none of these this year, although low-lying fog hindered some sectors in the morning hours. We had 124 species this year which is a little higher than the average of 121 species across all years. A total of 111421 birds were seen which is also just a little over the average of 103344. Of the 184 different species seen over the history of this count, 63 have been seen every year. As usual, our most abundant bird was Snow Goose (33112 [28742]), followed by Dunlin (21285 [20636]) and Mallard (15159 [14204]) (averages shown in [square brackets]). Other high counts included American Wigeon (7819 [4047]), European Starling (6357 [5173]), Trumpeter Swan (3405 [2024]), and Brewer's Blackbird (2292 [1418]). This year produced several species with the highest numbers for the survey. Red-breasted Merganser, at 277 [average 47], was more than double the second highest count of 136, in 2019, and a remarkable contrast to a total of only 7 last year. Mourning Dove (354 [132]), Virginia Rail (15 [4]), Short-billed Gull (451 [106]), Cooper's Hawk (22 [7]), Northern Flicker (154 [82]), and Brown-headed Cowbird (52 [8]) were other species with new high counts. The Cowbirds in particular follow an increasing trend which began in 2018. While not the highest survey count, a Northern Pygmy-Owl made the list for only the third time; it was in the yard of a feeder-watcher. Should all of us who feed the birds be so lucky! Great Horned Owl (13 [4]) was the second highest for the survey and a Barn Owl appeared again after an absence of 6 years. A single California Scrub-Jay appeared for only the 5th time, and 2 Barn Swallows were seen, only the 3rd observation. Following a decline in the last 3 years, Anna's Hummingbird rebounded to the third highest total (115 [25]). On the other hand, some expected species were either absent or in unusually low numbers. Only a single Long-tailed Duck was seen [average 7, seen 23 years], while no Harlequin Ducks [average 5, seen 27 years] nor Eared Grebes [average 2, seen 24 years] were found. Rough-legged Hawk has been seen every year, but only 1 [7] was found this year. A single Red Crossbill [average 25] was seen. American Crow (101 [553]) continues a steady decline of at least 15 years. A big thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2023 (in 2024!) count. With temperatures now below 20 F for the first time in a long while, hoping you all enjoy a real winter with the birds. Scott Ramos Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vikingcove at gmail.com Fri Jan 12 18:11:38 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Frozen Bird Bath In-Reply-To: <1705111249.85qrjuitgk84s4go@webmail.sitestar.net> References: <1705111249.85qrjuitgk84s4go@webmail.sitestar.net> Message-ID: <18d0096c790.28de.72de57011b8194b7f6cd87b3d7546c36@gmail.com> I second using heated pet bowls. Ours work well. To them I add a second plastic bowl that nests inside to work like a double boiler. That liner bowl is easy to pull out and quickly scrub clean in our laundry room washtub, without having to unplug the heater bowl. Our bowls trigger on at about 40 degrees. Good Birding, https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/ Kevin Lucas Yakima County, WA Sent with AquaMail for Android http://www.aqua-mail.com On January 12, 2024 6:01:33 PM dschone8@donobi.net wrote: > > > Tweets, > Heated pet water bowls work just as well as bird bowls and baths and are > often less expensive. A bowl with a few rocks to give the birds something > to sit on while they drink or bath improves there use dramatically. The > only drawback is a plug-in is necessary. The birds love my fountain but > when it is as cold as it is now it still will freeze up. Next year I will > clean the tank and when I do I'll add a water heater. Then come winter when > it starts to get cold I can plug in the heater and keep the water warm > enough it won't freeze. > > Doug Schonewald > > > > > ---------- > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dave.slager at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 11:33:42 2024 From: dave.slager at gmail.com (Dave Slager) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Audio equipment found at Green Lake, Seattle Message-ID: Tweeters, I recently found some audio recording equipment at Green Lake in Seattle. If it was yours, please get in touch with me and I can figure out a way to get it back to you. Good birding, Dave Slager Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 13:29:11 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Small gulls n of Edmonds Jetty 1/12 Message-ID: There were many small gulls skimming the surging waves around 4 pm on Friday, some picking up fish. Can anyone tell me if these were mew gulls? Thank you. Blythe Horman Lynnwood, W -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 13:31:14 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] flock of birds north of Edmonds Jetty Message-ID: Hi Gayle, I was able to identify a large raft of American Widgeon at that location at 4 pm on Friday. Cheers, Blythe -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Sat Jan 13 13:35:54 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Small gulls n of Edmonds Jetty 1/12 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Yes, Mew (now Short-billed) Gulls feed like that, and they are common off Edmonds. There are often a few Bonaparte?s Gulls with them. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 13, 2024, at 1:29 PM, Blythe Horman wrote: > > There were many small gulls skimming the surging waves around 4 pm on Friday, some picking up fish. Can anyone tell me if these were mew gulls? Thank you. > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood, W > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From mmgwalton at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 13:45:15 2024 From: mmgwalton at gmail.com (Mark Walton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Small gulls n of Edmonds Jetty 1/12 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I did see a decent sized group of short billed gulls north of Brackett's Landing on Friday. On Sat, Jan 13, 2024, 1:29?PM Blythe Horman wrote: > There were many small gulls skimming the surging waves around 4 pm on > Friday, some picking up fish. Can anyone tell me if these were mew gulls? > Thank you. > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood, W > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 13:46:05 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Small gulls n of Edmonds Jetty 1/12 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks, Dennis! How do I tell the two species apart? Blythe Horman Lynnwood On Sat, Jan 13, 2024 at 1:36?PM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Yes, Mew (now Short-billed) Gulls feed like that, and they are common off > Edmonds. There are often a few Bonaparte?s Gulls with them. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jan 13, 2024, at 1:29 PM, Blythe Horman > wrote: > > > > There were many small gulls skimming the surging waves around 4 pm on > Friday, some picking up fish. Can anyone tell me if these were mew gulls? > Thank you. > > Blythe Horman > > Lynnwood, W > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 14:14:32 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] THE GUARDIAN: Grouse and kestrels on the wane as climate crisis hits Scottish wildlife Message-ID: <041E619A-8688-4207-BC59-BC5B23A50448@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jacknolan62 at comcast.net Sat Jan 13 14:23:39 2024 From: jacknolan62 at comcast.net (Jack Nolan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird bath heater plus Message-ID: <1C03994D-0A51-44B4-9EC7-AB8ABBCFA6AC@comcast.net> There are some low tech solutions out there but I couldn?t help myself. Found a heater/ fountain in one for about twenty bucks. Be here tomorrow. Enjoy the backyard birding! Sent from my iPhone. Pardon my brevity and typos. From cmborre1 at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 16:21:01 2024 From: cmborre1 at gmail.com (Cara Borre) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] 2023 CSWA reminder to unhide checklists and recap Message-ID: Happy New Year tweets! Here's a late reminder (and thank you) for everyone who hid last year's CSWA sighting to unhide your checklists. To unhide a previously hidden checklist, go to the checklist, click "Checklist Tools" and from the drop down select "Show in eBird Output". Here's a summary of significant events, in short I'm not sure the birds successfully mated: 6-8-23: Asta and I discover the bird singing and I quickly post it to eBird. 6-13-23: John Puschock discovers a second bird, a female, and sees it collecting nesting material and likely bringing it to a nesting site. Asta and I see both birds in the afternoon 6-15-23: Asta and I see (and photograph) the female collecting nesting material from the gravel road. THIS CHECKLIST IS NOW UNHIDDEN 6-23-23: The last time we saw both birds, but most days we are walking dogs and don't have optics, aren't looking too hard for the quiet female 7-3-23: Ryan Merrill sees both birds for the last time 7-4-23: The last time we see the male (also had a bear sighting). We would return 1-3 times per week through the Fall scouting for the bird(s) unsuccessfully. Cheers! Cara Borre Gig Harbor -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kersti.e.muul at gmail.com Sat Jan 13 16:29:32 2024 From: kersti.e.muul at gmail.com (Kersti Muul) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Heated bird bath with rocks Message-ID: Putting rocks in the bird bath year-round is also very favorable for the bees. So many pollinators drown im bird baths in the summer. Rocks give them a place to sit, above the water while getting a little sip, and not losing their life. 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 Sat Jan 13 19:45:35 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Nectar Feeder Management During Cold Snaps Message-ID: <2ECE2D6F-117D-42E5-84B3-E7FDE2D5886F@comcast.net> As others have mentioned recently, keeping nectar feeders thawed out is a challenge when temps drop. A 4:1 sucrose/water mixture will freeze around 26-27F. Given that we?ve had lows around 11F here in Burien, it hasn?t taken long, usually 2-3 hours, to freeze solid. Two of our feeders are near single pane windows, so they get a little heat which extends them a bit longer. Even then we have to thaw or replace the nectar 3-4 times a day. There have been plenty of ways suggested to solve this. One that was suggested was to bring the feeders in at night. I think that?s a good idea, but make sure you don?t bring them in prematurely. These birds have much better night vision than I do. I say this because last evening I went out to bring in the nectar feeder at 7:00pm, two hours after sunset, and I got buzzed by two calypte anna. They must have been making a final pass to grab a couple of calories to hold them through their nightly torpor. They probably start their morning rounds similarly, so I try to get the feeders back out by 5:30 or 6:00am. The suggestions to add a tiny heater adjacent to the feeder are starting to appeal to me. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA From mj.cygnus at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 14:00:01 2024 From: mj.cygnus at gmail.com (Martha Jordan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swan survey this coming week Message-ID: Hi all, Are there folks out there who are willing to do some survey work in the Lake Washington area. Specifically looking at Juanita Park all the way north to Kenmore. Also, Newport area (I have a specific location to check) as well as Lake Union and Foster Island area, also Mathews Beach area and nearby lakes in Seattle (they were there a few times in the last few years). Or other places you may be aware they are hanging out this year. The official count day is Friday, Jan 19th. However, any sightings during this week or over next weekend will be welcomed. Let me know if anyone would like to help. Martha Jordan 206-713-3684 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From thefedderns at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 14:01:59 2024 From: thefedderns at gmail.com (Hans-Joachim Feddern) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FOY Hermit Thrush Message-ID: I saw my first-of-the-year Hermit Thrush earlier this afternoon on the lawn at Treasure Island Park, Twin Lakes, Federal Way. It was loosely associating with several American Robins and Varied Thrushes. What made it unique was having all three in my binoculars at the same time! Good Birding! Hans -- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA thefedderns@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From marcydaddio89 at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 15:05:36 2024 From: marcydaddio89 at gmail.com (Marcy D'Addio) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house Message-ID: I found a hummer in my house after being away about 4 hrs. She is alive and can grasp the perches on a feeder. What can I do? I have tried drops of sugar water on her beak but she doesn' stick out her tongue. Marcy D'Addio Redmond WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at shelflifestories.com Sun Jan 14 15:31:18 2024 From: info at shelflifestories.com (Shelf Life Community Story Project) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: If she won't fly, but her in a box with good ventilation and a little bit of warmth underneath the box (like a heating pad on low). Put some sugar water in there in a jar lid. Put the box somewhere quiet and leave her alone while you call PAWS for their advice. On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 3:07?PM Marcy D'Addio wrote: > I found a hummer in my house after being away about 4 hrs. She is alive > and can grasp the perches on a feeder. > What can I do? > I have tried drops of sugar water on her beak but she doesn' stick out her > tongue. > Marcy D'Addio > Redmond WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 16:41:41 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Probable Red Breasted Sapsucker Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, I just got a peekaboo glimpse of a slim robin-sized woodpecker foraging about 2 feet off the ground on a tall cedar or fir (need to brush up on my trees) with a very distinctly red head. Unfortunately, someone walking by flushed it and it flew away out of my line of sight. Could it be anything other than a Red Breasted Sapsucker? I?ve never seen one foraging so close to the ground. It also seemed lighter than the dark phase usually seen out here. Walking over to the tree, I didn?t see any fresh holes, although if it was foraging for insects, the bark was old and full of many pits and crevices. Thank you. Blythe Horman Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Sun Jan 14 17:54:09 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Probable Red Breasted Sapsucker In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: We had a FOY sphyrapicus ruber hammering on an Atlas Cedar in our yard this afternoon. There?s not much else that hangs on the side of a tree and hammers and has a completely red head. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 14, 2024, at 16:41, Blythe Horman wrote: > > Hi Tweeters, > > I just got a peekaboo glimpse of a slim robin-sized woodpecker foraging about 2 feet off the ground on a tall cedar or fir (need to brush up on my trees) with a very distinctly red head. Unfortunately, someone walking by flushed it and it flew away out of my line of sight. > > Could it be anything other than a Red Breasted Sapsucker? I?ve never seen one foraging so close to the ground. It also seemed lighter than the dark phase usually seen out here. > > Walking over to the tree, I didn?t see any fresh holes, although if it was foraging for insects, the bark was old and full of many pits and crevices. > > Thank you. > > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood From mikiconway at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 17:58:18 2024 From: mikiconway at gmail.com (Carla Conway) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Marcy and Tweeters, This message and link were posted on the Oregon Birds Online listserv today. I hope the information is helpful. Carla Hi all, This is a blog post about all things winter hummingbirds. One of my hummingbird rehabilitator mentors provided much of this information. She had rescued hummers for 20 years. Other information is gleaned from Birds of the World resources and from rescuing these birds myself for the last 15 years. Please know that hummingbirds are far less tough than we give them credit for. Many who overwinter (at least those dealing with cold temps and snow), don't always make it. A 25-watt bulb, even in the valley, is a good idea. In Central Oregon, a 25-watt bulb right now means you would be wise to bring the feeder in at night, as it cannot keep the feeder from going to slush overnight. Anyhoo. Read it if interested. Caring for Winter Hummingbirds Elise Wolf Native Bird Care Sisters, OR 541-728-8208 On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 3:31?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: > If she won't fly, but her in a box with good ventilation and a little bit > of warmth underneath the box (like a heating pad on low). Put some sugar > water in there in a jar lid. Put the box somewhere quiet and leave her > alone while you call PAWS for their advice. > > On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 3:07?PM Marcy D'Addio > wrote: > >> I found a hummer in my house after being away about 4 hrs. She is alive >> and can grasp the perches on a feeder. >> What can I do? >> I have tried drops of sugar water on her beak but she doesn' stick out >> her tongue. >> Marcy D'Addio >> Redmond WA >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 blythe.horman at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 19:16:24 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Probable Red Breasted Sapsucker In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks, Tom. Blythe Horman Lynnwood, WA On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 5:54?PM Tom Benedict wrote: > We had a FOY sphyrapicus ruber hammering on an Atlas Cedar in our yard > this afternoon. There?s not much else that hangs on the side of a tree and > hammers and has a completely red head. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > > > On Jan 14, 2024, at 16:41, Blythe Horman > wrote: > > > > Hi Tweeters, > > > > I just got a peekaboo glimpse of a slim robin-sized woodpecker foraging > about 2 feet off the ground on a tall cedar or fir (need to brush up on my > trees) with a very distinctly red head. Unfortunately, someone walking by > flushed it and it flew away out of my line of sight. > > > > Could it be anything other than a Red Breasted Sapsucker? I?ve never > seen one foraging so close to the ground. It also seemed lighter than the > dark phase usually seen out here. > > > > Walking over to the tree, I didn?t see any fresh holes, although if it > was foraging for insects, the bark was old and full of many pits and > crevices. > > > > Thank you. > > > > Blythe Horman > > Lynnwood > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From esellingson at gmail.com Sun Jan 14 21:40:30 2024 From: esellingson at gmail.com (Eric Ellingson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's Message-ID: Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path. The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca Enjoy. What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days? Eric Ellingson 360-820-6396 esellingson@gmail.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Sun Jan 14 22:01:44 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <24E3A693-E330-42EC-92F9-DFCDEA3BC5B9@comcast.net> Those are truly astounding close up photos of regulus calendula. The last frame in the video is calendar worthy! Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 14, 2024, at 21:40, Eric Ellingson wrote: > > Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. > > So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path. > > The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? > > Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. > > The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca Enjoy. > > What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From benedict.t at comcast.net Mon Jan 15 08:15:09 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: <24E3A693-E330-42EC-92F9-DFCDEA3BC5B9@comcast.net> References: <24E3A693-E330-42EC-92F9-DFCDEA3BC5B9@comcast.net> Message-ID: <58F75971-C33F-4B61-B2E5-D5A6C475A640@comcast.net> I?m thinking that the high-visibility of the frequently hidden bright red ?crown? is due to the ?feather puffing? the bird was employing due to the extreme cold. As the feathers stick out more directly from the bird, they reveal the ruby jewel beneath. The normally somewhat slim bird was a much more rounded ball in this series of photos. I had similar experience this morning as I checked the hummingbird feeders. A calypte anna was perched on the feeder but it didn?t fly off as it normally would. It barely moved, then took a few sips. I checked a few minutes later and it was still there. Eventually it flew off and I replaced the slush with fresh nectar. Another case of hunger overriding their flight distance fear response. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 14, 2024, at 22:01, Tom Benedict wrote: > > Those are truly astounding close up photos of regulus calendula. The last frame in the video is calendar worthy! > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > >> On Jan 14, 2024, at 21:40, Eric Ellingson wrote: >> >> Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. >> >> So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path. >> >> The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? >> >> Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. >> >> The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca Enjoy. >> >> What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days. >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sleebottoms at yahoo.com Mon Jan 15 08:50:41 2024 From: sleebottoms at yahoo.com (sherry bottoms) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: <58F75971-C33F-4B61-B2E5-D5A6C475A640@comcast.net> References: <24E3A693-E330-42EC-92F9-DFCDEA3BC5B9@comcast.net> <58F75971-C33F-4B61-B2E5-D5A6C475A640@comcast.net> Message-ID: <1316753396.1845195.1705337441108@mail.yahoo.com> Great video? Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone On Monday, January 15, 2024, 8:16 AM, Tom Benedict wrote: I?m thinking that the high-visibility of the frequently hidden bright red ?crown? is due to the ?feather puffing? the bird was employing due to the extreme cold. As the feathers stick out more directly from the bird, they reveal the ruby jewel beneath. The normally somewhat slim bird was a much more rounded ball in this series of photos. I had similar experience this morning as I checked the hummingbird feeders. A calypte anna was perched on the feeder but it didn?t fly off as it normally would. It barely moved, then took a few sips. I checked a few minutes later and it was still there. Eventually it flew off and I replaced the slush with fresh nectar. Another case of hunger overriding their flight distance fear response. Tom BenedictSeahurst, WA On Jan 14, 2024, at 22:01, Tom Benedict wrote: Those are truly astounding close up photos of regulus calendula. The last frame in the video is calendar worthy! Tom BenedictSeahurst, WA On Jan 14, 2024, at 21:40, Eric Ellingson wrote: ? Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times?closer to eye level. However, even at?eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of.? Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path.? The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm.? ?My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity.? I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them.? If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the?scarlet crown and foraging successes.? Watch it here:?https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca? Enjoy. What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days. | | | _______________________________________________ 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 dennispaulson at comcast.net Mon Jan 15 09:18:56 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Eric, It has long been noticed that Golden-crowned Kinglets come down to the ground to forage in really adverse weather conditions, so we can add Ruby-crowned to that list as well. Be sure to let us know if anyone sees a Brown Creeper doing this! Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 14, 2024, at 9:40 PM, Eric Ellingson wrote: > > Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. > > So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path. > > The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? > > Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. > > The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca Enjoy. > > What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days? > > > Eric Ellingson > 360-820-6396 > esellingson@gmail.com > https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From paul.bannick at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 10:04:33 2024 From: paul.bannick at gmail.com (Paul Bannick) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I have also seen them do this in nice weather, although in those cases I assumed it was for a good feeding opportunity Sent from Gmail Mobile On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 9:19?AM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Eric, > > It has long been noticed that Golden-crowned Kinglets come down to the > ground to forage in really adverse weather conditions, so we can add > Ruby-crowned to that list as well. > > Be sure to let us know if anyone sees a Brown Creeper doing this! > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > On Jan 14, 2024, at 9:40 PM, Eric Ellingson wrote: > > Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in > bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. > However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. > Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as > a red flash. > > So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the > trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the > middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and > continuing along the path. > > The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. > This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not > the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high > winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was > blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. > Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? > > Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took > many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come > toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a > small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to > eat it. > > The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet > crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca > Enjoy. > > What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past > few days? > > > Eric Ellingson > > 360-820-6396 > esellingson@gmail.com > https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 benedict.t at comcast.net Mon Jan 15 10:19:15 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKIs and ANHUs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <3478D75F-17B0-4004-B2C6-22FC50F28AD6@comcast.net> Just now, I spent 15 minutes watching two calypte Anna battle for dominance of one of our nectar feeders. Back and forth they chased, one would get a sip then be knocked off by the other, then they would chase some more. Even if I approached the feeder, they continued their combat, ignoring me. At one point they were on the ground (concrete sidewalk) and one had the other pinned down. I was afraid that avian homicide might be imminent, so I intervened and they broke up for a short while, until they tangled, literally, in mid-air and tumbled to the ground again. Maybe I should have followed the prime directive and not stepped in, but my 'instinct? caused me to act! Eventually they shared the feeder, but only for a few moments. Then they retreated to adjacent trees. My surprised was that I expected that the birds' low energy reserves would lead them to tolerate competition, at least temporarily. I?ve read other accounts of battling calypte anna and I seem to recall that larger groups tend to cooperate more than smaller groups. I haven?t seen more than two at a time this winter, but we have three feeders on different sides of the house so there may be others around which aren?t fighting. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 15, 2024, at 10:04, Paul Bannick wrote: > > I have also seen them do this in nice weather, although in those cases I assumed it was for a good feeding opportunity > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > > On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 9:19?AM Dennis Paulson > wrote: >> Eric, >> >> It has long been noticed that Golden-crowned Kinglets come down to the ground to forage in really adverse weather conditions, so we can add Ruby-crowned to that list as well. >> >> Be sure to let us know if anyone sees a Brown Creeper doing this! >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> >>> On Jan 14, 2024, at 9:40 PM, Eric Ellingson > wrote: >>> >>> Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as a red flash. >>> >>> So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and continuing along the path. >>> >>> The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? >>> >>> Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to eat it. >>> >>> The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca Enjoy. >>> >>> What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past few days? >>> >>> >>> Eric Ellingson >>> 360-820-6396 >>> esellingson@gmail.com >>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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 Jan 15 10:36:42 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birds in winter Message-ID: Speaking of bird behavior in winter, I keep seeing new examples. We put mixed seeds on the ledge of the window in my office, where I look out at the back yard full of feeders while working. I?ve been amazed to see both Townsend?s and (Audubon?s) Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on SEEDS on the ledge, have actually watched them swallow them. I had never considered warblers as seed-eaters, but under these conditions, these two species do so, probably another behavioral attribute that allows them to winter this far north and survive the weather. It will be interesting to see if the Black-and-white Warbler at Green Lake can do so by finding enough insects in those trees. Another thing. We put out warmed hummingbird feeders while it is still dark, and we put on lights that light up the yard. As we watched, one Varied Thrush after another came into the lighted area and began feeding on millet, picking up seed after seed and swallowing it. Some chased others fiercely, but I was really surprised at a rough-and-tumble fight between two of them, clutching each other and rolling on the ground with wings outspread and fluttering. That was serious stuff, and then they both flew off. But I?m sure they returned quickly, as at one point I was able to count 10 Varied Thrushes on the ground, reminiscent of last winter when I counted 17 at once feeding on the snow. They were coming and going, and there could well have been more than 10. Also interesting that a robin or two came in and spent half of their time feeding on cotoneaster fruits, the other half chasing the thrushes. There have never been so many birds in the yard, and I really think they arrive from the surrounding area and then stay because of the food available. I don?t think any of our neighbors have feeders out, so we?re the only game in town right here. Dennis Paulson Seattle From adrienne at nwveggie.com Mon Jan 15 13:30:52 2024 From: adrienne at nwveggie.com (Adrienne Dorf) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker Message-ID: I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. I have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? Adrienne Dorf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From paul.bannick at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 14:57:46 2024 From: paul.bannick at gmail.com (Paul Bannick) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Adrienne, What a wonderful surprise that must have been. You may have had a Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, but you more likely had an intergrade between the Red-shafted and Yelllow-shafted races showing more yellow-shafted features. These intergrades are quite common during the winter as the ranges between the two blend in band of area straddling the Great Plans and the Rocky Mountains moving North and West from the Mexican Border to Alaska. During the winter some of the interegradeds from that "band" migrate into our area. Over the time since I was a boy intergrades have become more common in all seasons but the most dramatically mixed ones are still winter visitors. You can see a couple of my examples here: https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=2&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= Regards, Paul On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:31?PM Adrienne Dorf wrote: > I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. > I have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? > > Adrienne Dorf > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- Now Available: Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at: http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/ Paul Bannick Photography www.paulbannick.com 206-940-7835 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From adrienne at nwveggie.com Mon Jan 15 16:33:28 2024 From: adrienne at nwveggie.com (Adrienne Dorf) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Very interesting Paul! The flicker was a female and I also noted that her face was more buff than grey. She was very beautiful and I am thrilled that I got to see her. Adrienne On Mon, Jan 15, 2024, 2:57?PM Paul Bannick wrote: > Hi Adrienne, > What a wonderful surprise that must have been. You may have had a > Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, but you more likely had an intergrade > between the Red-shafted and Yelllow-shafted races showing more > yellow-shafted features. > > These intergrades are quite common during the winter as the ranges between > the two blend in band of area straddling the Great Plans and the Rocky > Mountains moving North and West from the Mexican Border to Alaska. During > the winter some of the interegradeds from that "band" migrate into our > area. Over the time since I was a boy intergrades have become more > common in all seasons but the most dramatically mixed ones are still winter > visitors. > > You can see a couple of my examples here: > > https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=2&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= > > > https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= > > Regards, > > Paul > > On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:31?PM Adrienne Dorf > wrote: > >> I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. >> I have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? >> >> Adrienne Dorf >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > > > -- > Now Available: > Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at: > http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/ > > > Paul Bannick Photography > www.paulbannick.com > 206-940-7835 > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mj.cygnus at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 16:39:11 2024 From: mj.cygnus at gmail.com (Martha Jordan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Alaska ravens Message-ID: My friend is spending time in Juneau, AK this week. It snowed and is still snowing...likely about 3 feet total. Meanwhile, while is shoveling the driveway, the ravens have been around and appearing to be having a bit of play: They call as they fly through the big trees, landing on a branch covered with snow. Landing enough to cause the branch to move as much as possible. They appear to be hoping that the snow will fall from the branch and create a "snow bomb" that splats on the ground or on an object or a person. What my friend also noted was that the ravens who land on a branch and no snow falls off will grab the branch with their feet and flap hard to raise the branch then let it go to dislodge the snow. Snow bombs. At least one raven seems to do this over a person or at least near them. When a snow bomb happens the raven's call changes, other ravens chatter in and they fly to a new spot for another try. They sometimes play like this in the trees for hours. Has anyone else observed this behavior in ravens here in WA or elsewhere? Martha Jordan -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From linda_phillips1252 at msn.com Mon Jan 15 17:14:08 2024 From: linda_phillips1252 at msn.com (Linda Phillips) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird behavior in winter Message-ID: Hello Tweeters, I have enjoyed reading people?s observations of odd bird behavior during this cold snap. My story relates to Fox Sparrows. For the most part FOSP in my yard keep a low profile at the edge of the woods. The past few days they have joined my regular back yard birds around the feeder. Most of the time I see a single bird but lately 3 have been foraging in the wood chips under my sunflower seed feeders. This morning I observed a FOSP flatten its breast against the frozen chips (as if incubating) then step back and pick food up from the surface it had just defrosted. Enjoying the birds in Kenmore, Linda Phillips Sent from Mail for Windows -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stevechampton at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 18:01:08 2024 From: stevechampton at gmail.com (Steve Hampton) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Song Thrush karma points in Port Angeles Message-ID: Barry McKenzie and I spent much of the day canvassing the neighborhood in Port Angeles where the Song Thrush was photographed on Friday. We covered roughly the square cornered by 10th & A and 7th & E, twice. There are scattered groups of Am Robin and Varied Thrush feeding frenzies at various apple trees and berry bushes. I suspect the Song Thrush is still in the area, or perhaps a little beyond that perimeter. I understand from European friends that, in winter, they can often be solo, though are not shy like a Hermit Thrush, and are often on lawns, under suet, and call frequently. The photographed bird was in the company of juncos and Varied Thrushes - and there are plenty of other species around. Our most interesting bird was a stunning pied leucistic robin. Pics at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159004671. The original Song Thrush report (with photos) is here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S158946747 good birding, -- Steve Hampton Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From marcydaddio89 at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 19:15:40 2024 From: marcydaddio89 at gmail.com (Marcy D'Addio) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Carla, thank you so much for the informative link. I've bookmarked it for reference and shared with a friend who had an at risk hummer this am. Secondly, my husband and I transported our female hummer to PAWS in Lynnwood. Ours was one of 10 hummers received at the wildlife center on Sunday. Doing good work there. Marcy D'Addio Redmond. WA On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 5:58 PM Carla Conway wrote: > Hi Marcy and Tweeters, > > This message and link were posted on the Oregon Birds Online listserv > today. I hope the information is helpful. > > Carla > > Hi all, > This is a blog post about all things winter hummingbirds. One of my > hummingbird rehabilitator mentors provided much of this information. She > had rescued hummers for 20 years. > Other information is gleaned from Birds of the World resources and from > rescuing these birds myself for the last 15 years. > Please know that hummingbirds are far less tough than we give them > credit > for. Many who overwinter (at least those dealing with cold temps and snow), > don't always make it. > A 25-watt bulb, even in the valley, is a good idea. In Central Oregon, a > 25-watt bulb right now means you would be wise to bring the feeder in at > night, as it cannot keep the feeder from going to slush overnight. > Anyhoo. Read it if interested. > > Caring for Winter Hummingbirds > > > Elise Wolf > Native Bird Care > Sisters, OR > 541-728-8208 > > On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 3:31?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < > info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: > >> If she won't fly, but her in a box with good ventilation and a little bit >> of warmth underneath the box (like a heating pad on low). Put some sugar >> water in there in a jar lid. Put the box somewhere quiet and leave her >> alone while you call PAWS for their advice. >> >> On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 3:07?PM Marcy D'Addio >> wrote: >> >>> I found a hummer in my house after being away about 4 hrs. She is alive >>> and can grasp the perches on a feeder. >>> What can I do? >>> I have tried drops of sugar water on her beak but she doesn' stick out >>> her tongue. >>> Marcy D'Addio >>> Redmond WA >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 tcstonefam at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 19:20:45 2024 From: tcstonefam at gmail.com (Tom and Carol Stoner) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold Weather behavior Message-ID: I've been enjoying all the observations of birds coping with our cold weather. Our neighborhood crows have been coming down to the wooden railing and standing flat-footed, crouched down to warm their toes while they scan for food. Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nearpost at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 20:17:30 2024 From: nearpost at gmail.com (Scott Ramos) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: This past Sunday, it was in the high teens at Magnuson Park and the cold certainly did seem to modify some bird behavior. As Eric mentioned, Ruby-crowned Kinglets--at least half the birds I saw--were foraging on the ground, some walking toward me to the point I could no longer focus my camera. They only seemed to notice my presence when I attempted to drop to a lower profile. RCKI - https://flic.kr/p/2psBtci Along the Lake Washington shoreline, while overhanging branches were laden with icicles built from splashing waves, the ground up to about a meter above the water line was not frozen, unlike the rest of the open areas. As a result, there were several species that came to feed along the shore that are normally not seen there. Well, Song Sparrows were abundant as they always are, but there were also several Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, even a Bewick's Wren feeding around the pebbles. The hard freeze over the weekend softened some of the rose hips and a couple of Spotted Towhee were taking advantage. Normally, no one bothers with rose hips, they are just too hard. SPTO - https://flic.kr/p/2psG7tt There are often many Killdeer along the cobble beach adjacent the Sail Pavilion in the north end of the park. On Sunday, there were none. Instead several Killdeer were out in the middle of the grassy sportfields. Why? These fields were frozen solid. And, the huge flocks of Short-billed Gulls, sometimes numbering ~200 birds, that normally cruise the sportsfields looking for worms, were absent. Why? Because these fields were frozen solid. A few dozen were on the swim platform but all the others were AWOL. Scott Ramos Seattle On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 9:41?PM Eric Ellingson wrote: > Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in > bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. > However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. > Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as > a red flash. > > So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the > trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the > middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and > continuing along the path. > > The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. > This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not > the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high > winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was > blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. > Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? > > Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took > many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come > toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a > small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to > eat it. > > The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet > crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca > Enjoy. > > What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past > few days? > > > Eric Ellingson > > 360-820-6396 > esellingson@gmail.com > https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jennjarstad at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 22:03:23 2024 From: jennjarstad at gmail.com (Jenn Jarstad) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house Message-ID: So heartbroken when a friend told me a hummingbird entered her apartment Friday night. I went over early Saturday morning to help lure it out. I brought a feeder from my backyard (torn about taking a food source from my super territorial yard), but very much wanted to help her situation. I left her place a couple hours later, as my friend was not fond of having her front door open allowing super cold temps inside. The bird flew in front of the door numerous times, but did not want to exit. When I returned hours later, she told me the Anna's had died. Don't think there was much hope even if I had successfully set her outside, but still found it heartbreaking. I feel gratitude for those who have published similar posts. Jenn Jarstad Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sowersalexander1 at gmail.com Mon Jan 15 23:08:12 2024 From: sowersalexander1 at gmail.com (Alex Sowers) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Today's Highlights in Asotin County Message-ID: Hey Tweets, Today Jacob Miller, Luiz Stern, Sara Schneider, and I, headed down to the Clarkston area in hopes of finding a continuing Glaucous Gull and escaping the monotony that is birding Pullman in the winter. It was a clear day though the single digit temperature didn't help. We ended up birding around Asotin county the whole day and ended up with a pretty nice list of highlights starting around sunrise. Here's a recap of some of the nice finds and the itinerary: Hells Canyon Marina: - As we entered Clarkston around sunrise I scanned a flock of gulls from the car with my bins. It soon became apparent that our GLAUCOUS GULL was waiting for us right at Hells Canyon Marina! As it was 3 degrees and the Snake was mostly frozen over, we were able to walk out and get decent looks of it napping with some other gulls on the ice. Chief Timothy Park: - Sometime after crossing the bridge to the island, Jacob and I heard some tapping from a nearby Ponderosa. Hoping it was the Red-breasted Sapsucker that Dave Koehler had reported the day before, Jacob walked over to investigate. He declared it was a WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER and soon the whole group had views of an adult male flying tree to tree away from us. We caught up with it and were rewarded with nice views. It was in the same area (east end of campground) when we left. While I expected Red-breasted to be pushed to the interior following the cold front so I was quite surprised to see that a Williamson's had also been seen the same day on the Idaho side of the Snake! - After tracking down the Williamson's at the east end of the campground, we happened upon the rather loud continuing RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. This is the first Asotin county record on eBird. Always nice to find two sapsuckers out here! - Other notables included nice Aythya numbers with Canvasback (25), Redhead (12), and Ring-necked Ducks (310) notably present. Two BARN OWLs and three chickadee species were also seen. Swallows Park - Having found two in the same location last December, it was no surprise to come to stumble upon a small flock (4) of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEEs in a wooded row along the river. Chestnut-backed Chickadees appear to be a lowland rarity in Asotin county, though this winter has seemingly been good for them. - Ice appeared to have brought in a fair number of ducks as well as a small gull flock to the inlet. There were two THAYER'S GULLs in this flock - a first winter and adult. While flagged in the county, they seem pretty regular in small numbers. Anatone Flats - No Gyrfalcon though we had nice looks at a PRAIRIE FALCON chasing a smaller bird. Maybe a Merlin? Also quite a few Gray Partridge, Wild Turkeys, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, plus the county high count of Red-tailed Hawks (26)! Notably few Rough-legged Hawks (1) which seems about right considering what we've been seeing Whitman this winter. I'll note that the Gray Partridge were doing the interesting behavior of burying themselves in the snow up to their necks. Jacob made a nice catch spotting them as their floating heads simply looked like rocks to me. Snake River Rd. - Common Goldeneye was the most abundant duck on the river with only a few Barrow's nearby. A calling Canyon Wren was nice to get but did not make up for the unfortunate miss of Golden Eagle. Asotin Regional Landfill - Refound the continuing first winter GLAUCOUS GULL with a flock that included two adult THAYER'S GULLs. We're assuming this Glaucous is the same one we saw earlier at the marina. There was also a first winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL which seems typical for large gull flocks in the area. Right before heading out Jacob and I got on a bird flying away from us with a few other gulls. There is a very low chance this bird wasn't an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, though we only saw it flying directly away. Around 150 Horned Larks were also present which seems about typical from what we observed throughout the day. Peola Rd. - Got our target SHORT-EARED OWL while driving Peola Rd at sunset. A few had been seen the previous day so we had our hopes up and fortunately spotted one on a distant post. Driving these rural roads this time of year around dusk always proves to be productive for gallinaceous birds. We counted the county high count of 107 GRAY PARTRIDGE while scanning the fields for owls. All in all a pretty productive day and a nice break from Pullman with 82 species. Good birding, Alex Sowers -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From marvbreece at q.com Tue Jan 16 09:39:31 2024 From: marvbreece at q.com (MARVIN BREECE) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Red Fox Sparrow Message-ID: Yesterday (1.15.24) I got a better look at presumably the same RED FOX SPARROW I saw a few days ago in Kent. Although the wing bars and the streaking on the back are faint, other field marks look very good for Red Fox Sparrow. video: https://flic.kr/p/2psH1sK Marv BreeceTukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Tue Jan 16 14:01:48 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] JBLM Eagles Pride Golf Course Monthly Birdwalk - Thursday, January 18 - 9AM Start Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, The Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagles Pride Golf Course (GC) birdwalk is scheduled for Thursday, January 18. The JBLM Eagles Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of every month. We meet at 9:00AM through February 2024. (Change to 8AM in March.) 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! Interesting weather, so check it out and dress for success! 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 gaknip at gmail.com Tue Jan 16 15:11:08 2024 From: gaknip at gmail.com (gaknip@gmail.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird behavior in winter, FOSP Message-ID: <0F28DF56-01DD-4A84-B230-CC1F95B93814@gmail.com> Linda, The FOSP warming the leaf litter etc is very interesting! I saw a FOSP this morning scratching and pecking in an area so intensively he appeared to have created a depression as deep as half his height. Gretchen Sent from my iPad > On Jan 16, 2024, at 12:07?PM, tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu wrote: > > ?Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to > tweeters@u.washington.edu > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu > > You can reach the person managing the list at > tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Yellow Shafted flicker (Adrienne Dorf) > 2. Re: Yellow Shafted flicker (Paul Bannick) > 3. Re: Yellow Shafted flicker (Adrienne Dorf) > 4. Alaska ravens (Martha Jordan) > 5. Bird behavior in winter (Linda Phillips) > 6. Song Thrush karma points in Port Angeles (Steve Hampton) > 7. Re: Hummingbird in house (Marcy D'Addio) > 8. Cold Weather behavior (Tom and Carol Stoner) > 9. Re: Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's (Scott Ramos) > 10. Re: Hummingbird in house (Jenn Jarstad) > 11. Today's Highlights in Asotin County (Alex Sowers) > 12. Kent Red Fox Sparrow (MARVIN BREECE) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 13:30:52 -0800 > From: Adrienne Dorf > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. I > have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? > > Adrienne Dorf > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 14:57:46 -0800 > From: Paul Bannick > To: Adrienne Dorf > Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hi Adrienne, > What a wonderful surprise that must have been. You may have had a > Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, but you more likely had an intergrade > between the Red-shafted and Yelllow-shafted races showing more > yellow-shafted features. > > These intergrades are quite common during the winter as the ranges between > the two blend in band of area straddling the Great Plans and the Rocky > Mountains moving North and West from the Mexican Border to Alaska. During > the winter some of the interegradeds from that "band" migrate into our > area. Over the time since I was a boy intergrades have become more > common in all seasons but the most dramatically mixed ones are still winter > visitors. > > You can see a couple of my examples here: > https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=2&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= > > https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= > > Regards, > > Paul > >> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:31?PM Adrienne Dorf wrote: >> >> I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. >> I have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? >> >> Adrienne Dorf >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > > > -- > Now Available: > Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at: > http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/ > > > Paul Bannick Photography > www.paulbannick.com > 206-940-7835 > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:33:28 -0800 > From: Adrienne Dorf > To: Paul Bannick > Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Yellow Shafted flicker > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Very interesting Paul! The flicker was a female and I also noted that her > face was more buff than grey. She was very beautiful and I am thrilled > that I got to see her. > > Adrienne > >> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024, 2:57?PM Paul Bannick wrote: >> >> Hi Adrienne, >> What a wonderful surprise that must have been. You may have had a >> Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, but you more likely had an intergrade >> between the Red-shafted and Yelllow-shafted races showing more >> yellow-shafted features. >> >> These intergrades are quite common during the winter as the ranges between >> the two blend in band of area straddling the Great Plans and the Rocky >> Mountains moving North and West from the Mexican Border to Alaska. During >> the winter some of the interegradeds from that "band" migrate into our >> area. Over the time since I was a boy intergrades have become more >> common in all seasons but the most dramatically mixed ones are still winter >> visitors. >> >> You can see a couple of my examples here: >> >> https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=2&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= >> >> >> https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxzC8oIK4mwDDcw8wqJcPJxC8hOTE8JccwrNc.3MrMyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybmVeSWpRelJiSquYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJQ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAcfodcA--&GI_ID= >> >> Regards, >> >> Paul >> >> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:31?PM Adrienne Dorf >> wrote: >> >>> I just had a "Yellow Shafted" flicker at my suet feeder in North Seattle. >>> I have never seen one before. Are they often in the PNW in the winter? >>> >>> Adrienne Dorf >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Tweeters mailing list >>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >>> >> >> >> -- >> Now Available: >> Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at: >> http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/ >> >> >> Paul Bannick Photography >> www.paulbannick.com >> 206-940-7835 >> > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:39:11 -0800 > From: Martha Jordan > To: Tweeters > Subject: [Tweeters] Alaska ravens > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > My friend is spending time in Juneau, AK this week. It snowed and is still > snowing...likely about 3 feet total. Meanwhile, while is shoveling the > driveway, the ravens have been around and appearing to be having a bit of > play: > They call as they fly through the big trees, landing on a branch > covered with snow. Landing enough to cause the branch to move as much as > possible. They appear to be hoping that the snow will fall from the branch > and create a "snow bomb" that splats on the ground or on an object or a > person. What my friend also noted was that the ravens who land on a branch > and no snow falls off will grab the branch with their feet and flap hard to > raise the branch then let it go to dislodge the snow. Snow bombs. At > least one raven seems to do this over a person or at least near them. When > a snow bomb happens the raven's call changes, other ravens chatter in and > they fly to a new spot for another try. They sometimes play like this in > the trees for hours. > > Has anyone else observed this behavior in ravens here in WA or elsewhere? > > Martha Jordan > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 01:14:08 +0000 > From: Linda Phillips > To: "tweeters@u.washington.edu" > Subject: [Tweeters] Bird behavior in winter > Message-ID: > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" > > > Hello Tweeters, > > I have enjoyed reading people?s observations of odd bird behavior during this cold snap. > My story relates to Fox Sparrows. For the most part FOSP in my yard keep a low profile at the edge of the woods. The past few days they have joined my regular back yard birds around the feeder. Most of the time I see a single bird but lately 3 have been foraging in the wood chips under my sunflower seed feeders. > This morning I observed a FOSP flatten its breast against the frozen chips (as if incubating) then step back and pick food up from the surface it had just defrosted. > > Enjoying the birds in Kenmore, > Linda Phillips > > Sent from Mail for Windows > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:01:08 -0800 > From: Steve Hampton > To: TWEETERS tweeters > Subject: [Tweeters] Song Thrush karma points in Port Angeles > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Barry McKenzie and I spent much of the day canvassing the neighborhood in > Port Angeles where the Song Thrush was photographed on Friday. We covered > roughly the square cornered by 10th & A and 7th & E, twice. There are > scattered groups of Am Robin and Varied Thrush feeding frenzies at various > apple trees and berry bushes. I suspect the Song Thrush is still in the > area, or perhaps a little beyond that perimeter. > > I understand from European friends that, in winter, they can often be solo, > though are not shy like a Hermit Thrush, and are often on lawns, under > suet, and call frequently. The photographed bird was in the company of > juncos and Varied Thrushes - and there are plenty of other species around. > > Our most interesting bird was a stunning pied leucistic robin. Pics at > https://ebird.org/checklist/S159004671. > > The original Song Thrush report (with photos) is here: > https://ebird.org/checklist/S158946747 > > good birding, > > -- > Steve Hampton > Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 19:15:40 -0800 > From: "Marcy D'Addio" > To: Carla Conway > Cc: Dear Tweeters > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Carla, thank you so much for the informative link. I've bookmarked it for > reference and shared with a friend who had an at risk hummer this am. > > Secondly, my husband and I transported our female hummer to PAWS in > Lynnwood. Ours was one of 10 hummers received at the wildlife center on > Sunday. Doing good work there. > Marcy D'Addio > Redmond. WA > >> On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 5:58 PM Carla Conway wrote: >> >> Hi Marcy and Tweeters, >> >> This message and link were posted on the Oregon Birds Online listserv >> today. I hope the information is helpful. >> >> Carla >> >> Hi all, >> This is a blog post about all things winter hummingbirds. One of my >> hummingbird rehabilitator mentors provided much of this information. She >> had rescued hummers for 20 years. >> Other information is gleaned from Birds of the World resources and from >> rescuing these birds myself for the last 15 years. >> Please know that hummingbirds are far less tough than we give them >> credit >> for. Many who overwinter (at least those dealing with cold temps and snow), >> don't always make it. >> A 25-watt bulb, even in the valley, is a good idea. In Central Oregon, a >> 25-watt bulb right now means you would be wise to bring the feeder in at >> night, as it cannot keep the feeder from going to slush overnight. >> Anyhoo. Read it if interested. >> >> Caring for Winter Hummingbirds >> >> >> Elise Wolf >> Native Bird Care >> Sisters, OR >> 541-728-8208 >> >> On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 3:31?PM Shelf Life Community Story Project < >> info@shelflifestories.com> wrote: >> >>> If she won't fly, but her in a box with good ventilation and a little bit >>> of warmth underneath the box (like a heating pad on low). Put some sugar >>> water in there in a jar lid. Put the box somewhere quiet and leave her >>> alone while you call PAWS for their advice. >>> >>> On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 3:07?PM Marcy D'Addio >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I found a hummer in my house after being away about 4 hrs. She is alive >>>> and can grasp the perches on a feeder. >>>> What can I do? >>>> I have tried drops of sugar water on her beak but she doesn' stick out >>>> her tongue. >>>> Marcy D'Addio >>>> Redmond WA >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 8 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 19:20:45 -0800 > From: Tom and Carol Stoner > To: Tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Cold Weather behavior > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I've been enjoying all the observations of birds coping with our cold > weather. Our neighborhood crows have been coming down to the wooden > railing and standing flat-footed, crouched down to warm their toes while > they scan for food. > > Carol Stoner > West Seattle > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 9 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:17:30 -0800 > From: Scott Ramos > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > This past Sunday, it was in the high teens at Magnuson Park and the cold > certainly did seem to modify some bird behavior. As Eric mentioned, > Ruby-crowned Kinglets--at least half the birds I saw--were foraging on the > ground, some walking toward me to the point I could no longer focus my > camera. They only seemed to notice my presence when I attempted to drop to > a lower profile. > RCKI - https://flic.kr/p/2psBtci > Along the Lake Washington shoreline, while overhanging branches were laden > with icicles built from splashing waves, the ground up to about a meter > above the water line was not frozen, unlike the rest of the open areas. As > a result, there were several species that came to feed along the shore that > are normally not seen there. Well, Song Sparrows were abundant as they > always are, but there were also several Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned > Sparrow, even a Bewick's Wren feeding around the pebbles. > The hard freeze over the weekend softened some of the rose hips and a > couple of Spotted Towhee were taking advantage. Normally, no one bothers > with rose hips, they are just too hard. > SPTO - https://flic.kr/p/2psG7tt > There are often many Killdeer along the cobble beach adjacent the Sail > Pavilion in the north end of the park. On Sunday, there were none. Instead > several Killdeer were out in the middle of the grassy sportfields. Why? > These fields were frozen solid. > And, the huge flocks of Short-billed Gulls, sometimes numbering ~200 birds, > that normally cruise the sportsfields looking for worms, were absent. Why? > Because these fields were frozen solid. A few dozen were on the swim > platform but all the others were AWOL. > > Scott Ramos > Seattle > > On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 9:41?PM Eric Ellingson > wrote: > >> Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in >> bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. >> However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. >> Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as >> a red flash. >> >> So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the >> trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the >> middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and >> continuing along the path. >> >> The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. >> This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not >> the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high >> winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was >> blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. >> Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? >> >> Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took >> many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come >> toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a >> small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to >> eat it. >> >> The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet >> crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca >> Enjoy. >> >> What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past >> few days? >> >> >> Eric Ellingson >> >> 360-820-6396 >> esellingson@gmail.com >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 10 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 22:03:23 -0800 > From: Jenn Jarstad > To: Tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Hummingbird in house > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > So heartbroken when a friend told me a hummingbird entered her apartment > Friday night. I went over early Saturday morning to help lure it out. I > brought a feeder from my backyard (torn about taking a food source from my > super territorial yard), but very much wanted to help her situation. I left > her place a couple hours later, as my friend was not fond of having her > front door open allowing super cold temps inside. The bird flew in front of > the door numerous times, but did not want to exit. > > When I returned hours later, she told me the Anna's had died. Don't think > there was much hope even if I had successfully set her outside, but still > found it heartbreaking. I feel gratitude for those who have published > similar posts. > Jenn Jarstad > Seattle, WA > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 11 > Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 23:08:12 -0800 > From: Alex Sowers > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Today's Highlights in Asotin County > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hey Tweets, > > Today Jacob Miller, Luiz Stern, Sara Schneider, and I, headed down to the > Clarkston area in hopes of finding a continuing Glaucous Gull and escaping > the monotony that is birding Pullman in the winter. It was a clear day > though the single digit temperature didn't help. We ended up birding around > Asotin county the whole day and ended up with a pretty nice list of > highlights starting around sunrise. Here's a recap of some of the nice > finds and the itinerary: > > Hells Canyon Marina: > - As we entered Clarkston around sunrise I scanned a flock of gulls from > the car with my bins. It soon became apparent that our GLAUCOUS GULL was > waiting for us right at Hells Canyon Marina! As it was 3 degrees and the > Snake was mostly frozen over, we were able to walk out and get decent looks > of it napping with some other gulls on the ice. > > Chief Timothy Park: > - Sometime after crossing the bridge to the island, Jacob and I heard some > tapping from a nearby Ponderosa. Hoping it was the Red-breasted Sapsucker > that Dave Koehler had reported the day before, Jacob walked over to > investigate. He declared it was a WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER and soon the whole > group had views of an adult male flying tree to tree away from us. We > caught up with it and were rewarded with nice views. It was in the same > area (east end of campground) when we left. While I expected Red-breasted > to be pushed to the interior following the cold front so I was quite > surprised to see that a Williamson's had also been seen the same day on the > Idaho side of the Snake! > - After tracking down the Williamson's at the east end of the campground, > we happened upon the rather loud continuing RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. This is > the first Asotin county record on eBird. Always nice to find two sapsuckers > out here! > - Other notables included nice Aythya numbers with Canvasback (25), Redhead > (12), and Ring-necked Ducks (310) notably present. Two BARN OWLs and three > chickadee species were also seen. > > Swallows Park > - Having found two in the same location last December, it was no > surprise to come to stumble upon a small flock (4) of CHESTNUT-BACKED > CHICKADEEs in a wooded row along the river. Chestnut-backed Chickadees > appear to be a lowland rarity in Asotin county, though this winter has > seemingly been good for them. > - Ice appeared to have brought in a fair number of ducks as well as a small > gull flock to the inlet. There were two THAYER'S GULLs in this flock - a > first winter and adult. While flagged in the county, they seem pretty > regular in small numbers. > > Anatone Flats > - No Gyrfalcon though we had nice looks at a PRAIRIE FALCON chasing a > smaller bird. Maybe a Merlin? Also quite a few Gray Partridge, Wild > Turkeys, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, plus the county high count of Red-tailed Hawks > (26)! Notably few Rough-legged Hawks (1) which seems about right > considering what we've been seeing Whitman this winter. I'll note that the > Gray Partridge were doing the interesting behavior of burying themselves in > the snow up to their necks. Jacob made a nice catch spotting them as their > floating heads simply looked like rocks to me. > > Snake River Rd. > - Common Goldeneye was the most abundant duck on the river with only a few > Barrow's nearby. A calling Canyon Wren was nice to get but did not make up > for the unfortunate miss of Golden Eagle. > > Asotin Regional Landfill > - Refound the continuing first winter GLAUCOUS GULL with a flock that > included two adult THAYER'S GULLs. We're assuming this Glaucous is the same > one we saw earlier at the marina. There was also a first winter > GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL which seems typical for large gull flocks in the area. > Right before heading out Jacob and I got on a bird flying away from us with > a few other gulls. There is a very low chance this bird wasn't an adult > Lesser Black-backed Gull, though we only saw it flying directly away. > Around 150 Horned Larks were also present which seems about typical from > what we observed throughout the day. > > Peola Rd. > - Got our target SHORT-EARED OWL while driving Peola Rd at sunset. A few > had been seen the previous day so we had our hopes up and fortunately > spotted one on a distant post. Driving these rural roads this time of year > around dusk always proves to be productive for gallinaceous birds. We > counted the county high count of 107 GRAY PARTRIDGE while scanning the > fields for owls. > > All in all a pretty productive day and a nice break from Pullman with 82 > species. > > Good birding, > Alex Sowers > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 12 > Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 09:39:31 -0800 > From: MARVIN BREECE > To: Tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Red Fox Sparrow > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Yesterday (1.15.24) I got a better look at presumably the same RED FOX SPARROW I saw a few days ago in Kent. Although the wing bars and the streaking on the back are faint, other field marks look very good for Red Fox Sparrow. > > > video: https://flic.kr/p/2psH1sK > > > > > > Marv BreeceTukwila, WA > marvbreece@q.com > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > ------------------------------ > > End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 233, Issue 16 > ***************************************** From dantonijohn at yahoo.com Tue Jan 16 16:55:13 2024 From: dantonijohn at yahoo.com (john dantoni) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Very, very cold California Quail References: <754956257.1349932.1705452913216.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <754956257.1349932.1705452913216@mail.yahoo.com> Hi Tweeters,The poor cold birds have been miserable here in Malaga as well.? Glad I had food for them on hand.? Here's a photo of a small covey of quail huddling together in the driveway doing their best to avoid exposure to the frigid air. ? ?https://www.flickr.com/photos/131774887@N06/53467939662/in/datetaken/ I have seen 3 Towhees feeding which is one more than I've ever seen at a time. ?? I remember how excited I was after planting a bunch of ferns in my old Northgate house in Seattle and having them appear!? I think the cold has been good to the hawks.? Lots of them around and they're having success with squirrel, quail, and juncos. All the best,John D'AntoniMalaga, just outside of Wenatchee, WA ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Tue Jan 16 17:25:45 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Very, very cold California Quail Message-ID: May all yer accipiters be identified Ha Ha. Nelson Briefer - Anacortes -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fleckenstein1 at COMCAST.NET Tue Jan 16 18:17:15 2024 From: fleckenstein1 at COMCAST.NET (Fleckenstein) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Vietnam bird book Message-ID: Friends, My wife and I are going to spend a month in China and Vietnam. Since I?ve never been to Asia, I think I?ll see some new birds. I've ordered a copy of the new Birds of China and expect to receive it in the next few days. I see that ?Field Guide to the Birds of Vietnam? by Craik & Minh is due to be reprinted this year, but probably not before we leave on our trip. Does anyone have a copy I could borrow or buy? I?ll happily pay for shipping or come get it. John Fleckenstein -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hank.heiberg at gmail.com Tue Jan 16 19:49:52 2024 From: hank.heiberg at gmail.com (Hank Heiberg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Anna=E2=80=99s_Hummingbird_=40_27_F?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Here is a video of an Anna?s Hummingbird perched outside one of our windows this morning with the temperature at 27 F. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53469463950/in/dateposted/ Hank Heiberg Issaquah, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From 41cdcook at gmail.com Wed Jan 17 09:24:26 2024 From: 41cdcook at gmail.com (David Cook) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] last minute birding opportunity in Ecuador Message-ID: I have organized a 14 day Ecuador birding tour from January 26 - February 8 that includes time in the Amazon, the eastern slope of the Andes and the Mindo area. You are probably aware that there is currently unrest in Ecuador. This has led 3 people to drop out of the trip, so there is an opening for 1 or 2 people to fill their spaces. You could choose to join for the entire trip or for just a part of the time. I have been in close contact with our Ecuadorian guide and all the lodges where we have booked reservations and have been told that there are no safety concerns in those locations. If you have any interest in considering joining us on very short notice, I would be happy to talk to you about details including what I know about security. Email me offline at 41cdcook@gmail.com or call me at 206-725-6886. Dave Cook Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Wed Jan 17 12:28:56 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird Behavior in winter In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240117122856.Horde.jA6sJmBWD9prxS0BgN_mJkp@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, We're seeing lots of finches and Juncos, a few doves, a few Towhees, and even a Flicker or two here in our backyard (seed feeder and bushes used as "waiting places"). I have even caught a Junco pecking at the snow on top of the branch it was sitting on - presumably getting a small drink of water. The numbers are good - not noticeably up nor down from 'normal' (whatever that is this time of year) ... so the weather not really affecting the passerines that frequent our feeder. I have not seen (just not caught?) a hummer today. It has been snowing on and off since sometime after midnight. The perch for the hummer feeder is about 2" deep so I'm guessing it's not in use today. *G* I'll find my boots and go out and clear it off - but the nectar inside may/may not be frozen from the temps last night. - sheltering in place in Burlington ... Jim From rvbirder at myyahoo.com Wed Jan 17 14:09:00 2024 From: rvbirder at myyahoo.com (David Buckley) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RFI: Need Bird Guide in July References: <1542902562.3126923.1705529340268.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1542902562.3126923.1705529340268@mail.yahoo.com> Professional guides, but also interested "birding pals" who just want to go out and see birds with out-of-state rv travelers.? Not really interested in "scheduled tours". Reply off line.? If appropriate I will summarize and repost later. David Buckleyrvbirder@myyahoo.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Wed Jan 17 19:15:49 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR - Wednesday Walk for 1/17/2024 Message-ID: Dear Tweets! Sixteen intrepid birders endured a cold and wet Wednesday at the Refuge with cloudy skies and light rain in the morning, and partly cloudy skies and sun breaks in the afternoon. Temperatures were in the 30's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 15'5" Tide at 10:08am. Highlights included high counts of VARIED THRUSH along the entrance road and FOX SPARROW in several locations, BRANT GEESE from the closure gate at the end of Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, and continuing WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with Dunlin and wintering SEMIPALMATED PLOVER in the surge plain. There were high counts of DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, LEAST SANDPIPER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS with the 15 foot tide. We observed 58 species for the day, and have seen 85 species this year. Sightings of KILLDEER, WILSON'S SNIPE, LESSER SCAUP, and BRANT GEESE were FOY. eBird list pasted below with notes on locations. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook. Happy birding, stay dry and warm. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jan 17, 2024 7:41 AM - 2:58 PM Protocol: Traveling 6.262 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with rain in the morning and sun breaks in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 30?s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 15?5? Tide at 10:08 am. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer and Harbor Seal. 58 species (+5 other taxa) Brant 12 Scoped on reach from closure gate at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Cackling Goose (minima) 750 Northern Shoveler 100 Gadwall 45 Visitor Center Pond Overlook and Surge Plain Eurasian Wigeon 1 Surge plain. Seen from Nisqually Estuary Trail. American Wigeon 600 Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 Surge plain. Seen from Nisqually Estuary Trail. Mallard 200 Northern Pintail 150 Green-winged Teal (American) 600 Lesser Scaup 1 Roosting on marsh plain west of Leschi Slough. Peaked head behind the eye, typical Scaup bill. Surf Scoter 70 McAllister Creek and Nisqually Reach. Bufflehead 125 Common Goldeneye 15 Hooded Merganser 2 Surge Plain Common Merganser 13 Nisqually River Overlook. Red-breasted Merganser 40 McAllister Creek Horned Grebe 4 McAllister Creek. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2 American Coot 80 Killdeer 7 Semipalmated Plover 6 Counted, right side of surge plain. Continuing wintering birds. Scoped from Nisqually Estuary Trail near aqueduct. Small peep sized plover with single breast band. Long-billed Dowitcher 40 Freshwater marsh and tide flats. Wilson's Snipe 4 Perched and flying from near edge of surge plain over the Nisqually Estuary Trail into the freshwater marsh. Greater Yellowlegs 50 Dunlin 3000 1200 birds seen in freshwater marsh, 2000 plus birds seen in multiple flocks in surge plain, tide flats and Nisqually Reach. Least Sandpiper 200 Counted, probably more. Multiple small and moderate sized flocks seen along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail and mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail. Western Sandpiper 8 Two seen with a large flock of Dunlin in the freshwater marsh. At least 6 seen in a large flock of Dunlin foraging on the mud west of Leschi Slough. Lighter gray back with white throat in comparison to surrounding larger Dunlin. Short-billed Gull 100 Ring-billed Gull 100 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 5 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 30 Common Loon 3 McAllister Creek. Brandt's Cormorant 11 Nisqually River Channel Marker on reach. Double-crested Cormorant 30 Great Blue Heron 5 Northern Harrier 2 Bald Eagle 10 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Belted Kingfisher 1 Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 4 Northern Flicker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 4 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1 Steller's Jay 1 West Bank of McAllister Creek. American Crow 300 Black-capped Chickadee 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 Brown Creeper 5 Pacific Wren 2 Marsh Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 2 European Starling 50 Varied Thrush 20 Many foraging along the entrance road and around the parking lots. American Robin 30 Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 15 High count. Seen in the Orchard, west entrance to Twin Barns Loop Trail, access road to Twin Barns Loop Trail on the west side, and adjacent to the Twin Barns. Golden-crowned Sparrow 25 Song Sparrow 25 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 6 Western Meadowlark 4 Freshwater marsh from the Nisqually Estuary Trail Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 15 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159173673 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 07:38:01 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_think_of_this=3F=3A?= =?utf-8?q?_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_First-Ever_Smart_Binoculars_Can_Identify_90?= =?utf-8?q?00_Birds_Thanks_To_Built-In_AI=E2=80=9D_by?= Message-ID: <3A6DEF05-CA76-4867-BBE5-E05CE5BBC7C1@gmail.com> ? Hello Tweeters, Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? Dan Reiff, PhD The link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ve1/bcfede26b6298cbf9d6c6e2e9dd67e8f.mp4?mid=3948 Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 07:45:35 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binocul?= =?utf-8?q?ars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digita?= =?utf-8?q?l_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= Message-ID: ? Hello Tweeters, Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? Dan Reiff, PhD ? The correct link: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai Sent from my iPhone From dennispaulson at comcast.net Thu Jan 18 08:25:46 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binocul?= =?utf-8?q?ars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digita?= =?utf-8?q?l_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > Hello Tweeters, > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > Dan Reiff, PhD > ? > The correct link: > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From constancesidles at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 09:37:03 2024 From: constancesidles at gmail.com (Constance Sidles) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Beginning birder ID class Message-ID: Hey tweets, just to let you know that Birds Connect Seattle has made it easy to sign up for a class that I and master birder Jean Trent will be teaching called Our Amazing Seattle Birds. It's a Zoom class geared toward beginning birders and includes numerous field trips (I haven't led any field trips since the pandemic began). To access information about this 8-week class, go to BCS's calendar page, hit the 02/01/24 search button, and scroll down to the class. - Connie, Seattle From birder4184 at yahoo.com Thu Jan 18 10:14:53 2024 From: birder4184 at yahoo.com (B B) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binocul?= =?utf-8?q?ars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digita?= =?utf-8?q?l_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> Message-ID: <415596317.8334.1705601693967@mail.yahoo.com> They are working on a newer model.? You will be able to progam it to only show you birds that are on your "needs" lists (county, state, country, world whatever).? If you are looking at one not on those lists, it will instead show images of cute kittens, puppies or toddlers. Another feature will be the ability to not allow you to look at species named after people...it is called the "woke" feature. On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 08:26:24 AM PST, Dennis Paulson wrote: Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > Hello Tweeters, > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > Dan Reiff, PhD > ? > The correct link: > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > 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 ucd880 at comcast.net Thu Jan 18 10:58:33 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binocul?= =?utf-8?q?ars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digita?= =?utf-8?q?l_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> Message-ID: <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. Hal Michael Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson wrote: > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > ? > > The correct link: > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 From 1northraven at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 12:15:41 2024 From: 1northraven at gmail.com (J Christian Kessler) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_?= =?utf-8?q?binoculars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in?= =?utf-8?q?_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: software that tells us how to drive to our destination, or what bird, tree, etc that is, are all leading us to not develop or maintain the intellectual skills - memory, analysis - that our ancestors took for granted. software programs that "pop out" the answer are making us stupider. Lewis & Clark, or Native Americans, and their contemporaries, didn't have these aids, they had to figure it out. we're losing that capability, step by step. Chris Kessler On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL wrote: > One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all > they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn > behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the > things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is > X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. > > > Hal Michael > Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) > Olympia WA > 360-459-4005 > 360-791-7702 (C) > ucd880@comcast.net > > > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson > wrote: > > > > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? > The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory > Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things > won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > > > Dennis Paulson > > Seattle > > > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff > wrote: > > > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many > unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I > would have imagined. > > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > > ? > > > The correct link: > > > > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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 jimullrich at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 13:19:59 2024 From: jimullrich at gmail.com (jimullrich) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swarovski AX Visio AI Supported Binocular Message-ID: <777CD681-6CFD-4B4C-908B-7A809F4E1CDE@gmail.com> ?Hello Tweets: The Swarovski AC Visio AI Supported Binocular will be another tool in the box of toys that birders enjoy. Yes, an expensive one but certainly revolutionary in all that it will provide when they start shipping end of February. Birders will still be birders using field marks, behavior, etc., to ensure proper ID., but maybe this new Swarovski AC Visio may get more people around the globe to gain an interest in wildlife & our beloved birds. Dealer price on the binocs will be $4319 Yours for the Birds n? the Bees Jim Ullrich Sent from my iPhone From drisseq.n at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 13:25:57 2024 From: drisseq.n at gmail.com (N D) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_?= =?utf-8?q?binoculars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in?= =?utf-8?q?_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: Hi Tweets, After reading the entire article, it's important to realize the potential benefits of this equipment instead of a knee-jerk reaction. Consider overall how we are only at the beginning of the AI age. There are many potentials to this tech: Birders easily slam down 2-5K on camera equipment; these binoculars might be a much better choice. They will prevent folks from missing birds while trying to ID using a phone app or book. One will INSTANTLY be able to get photos to document the species, and this equipment will probably evolve into containing an actual guide app teaching features and ID marks to birders. Peterson will not turn but jump for joy in his grave as his publication evolves! Merlin is not Swarovski. Merlin is free for a reason. Everyone could have access to become a master birder, in their own time. Isn't this what technology is already allowing us to do? Work from home, work out own hours, have more independence... For those in rural areas or with no access to teachers, those with medical conditions and disabilities who are unable to join groups, it's a game changer. Those who find birding a huge challenge on it's own. Imagine being on a pelagic with this. It's hard to take photos on a boat! (Btw you don't have to have the ID part on to use them.) With a built-in camera, a magnification that is better/as good as a telephoto lens, and a retail price cheaper than many birders spend on equipment; Hopefully a SCOPE with the same specifications will be on the way! That, many would buy, if it was accurate, I argue. More people would be out looking for cool birds! More rare WA birds will be identified by less experienced birders; Thus bringing more birders into the field, Thus bringing higher, new (and non-new) species totals to the state. I imagine now our esteemed WBRC secretary must be close to losing it with excitement! In fact, I know he is! ;) Seriously, it can be the inability to ID birds that stops some people from birding or from becoming better birders. How many give up after buying the wrong binoculars or the wrong book or after having a bad experience after their accurate ID has been put down? With photos and AI, the playing field is leveling and it's going to get more even. And when we get the amount of data from a Nat Geo onto this... Sure they're taking a short cut but if that's the price for having more of the population into birding, and therefore more folks understanding that development and skyscraper lights kill birds, then perhaps these issues will have more impact so that they can be ameliorated. One mustn't assume that self-teaching technology will turn the world into autonomous idiocracy. Sometimes people don't scope or bird on their own because they can't id the birds on their own even with an app or book! I look at all the Facebook questions for IDs on female RWBL and I say to you all; surely this is better than a Facebook group ID? It's faster and we don't have to spend time answering the same ID questions. I have observed and discussed with friends (ok, with Raphael) that birders prefer to bird together at Discovery Point because they help each other or spur each other on, but if there's no one else there, then they tend to go home sooner and probably miss rarities. This could be the equivalent of a birding buddy. Experienced birders may condescend at this new tech because it took them 500 years to learn birding, but what if this AI eventually teaches greener birders HOW to ID what they're looking at AND FASTER? The only difference between this and having a Sibley ID guide app could be that it is faster and you won't miss birds by having a nose in a book/app. Classes can still be taught but field trips will be better with these bins becoming functional aids that trip leaders can employ to teach the ways of ID, and so they can spend more time teaching! Many folks can't afford a trip to PR and a guide and photographic equipment. But they can choose a hotel, and bird on their own if this AI improves to include geographical information. Let's remove any negative attachment to technological progress and see with wider awareness what this equipment can truly evolve into and do for birding and for our community. While this invention may not help those who can't afford them, one hopes that individuals with wealth will be more drawn to birding and devote more financial and political contribution to helping birds. I welcome our new AI binocular overlords. Let's widen the gap between birders and non birders. Let's draw down the social barriers that cause superiority as opposed to equanimity. Let's use our imagination positively and this will empower those pathways to manifestation. Swarovski are not just making sales. They're making great equipment and also changing the rules for a reason. And hopefully these will come down in price too. N Drisseq (Former research molecular biologist, now retired) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From drisseq.n at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 13:38:21 2024 From: drisseq.n at gmail.com (N D) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_?= =?utf-8?q?binoculars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in?= =?utf-8?q?_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: Correction: Let's NOT widen the gap between birders and non birders! (Heh) On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 13:25 N D wrote: > Hi Tweets, > After reading the entire article, it's important to realize the potential > benefits of this equipment instead of a knee-jerk reaction. > > Consider overall how we are only at the beginning of the AI age. There > are many potentials to this tech: > > Birders easily slam down 2-5K on camera equipment; these binoculars might > be a much better choice. > > > They will prevent folks from missing birds while trying to ID using a > phone app or book. One will INSTANTLY be able to get photos to document the > species, and this equipment will probably evolve into containing an actual > guide app teaching features and ID marks to birders. Peterson will not turn > but jump for joy in his grave as his publication evolves! Merlin is not > Swarovski. Merlin is free for a reason. > > > Everyone could have access to become a master birder, in their own time. > Isn't this what technology is already allowing us to do? Work from home, > work out own hours, have more independence... > > > For those in rural areas or with no access to teachers, those with medical > conditions and disabilities who are unable to join groups, it's a game > changer. > > Those who find birding a huge challenge on it's own. > > Imagine being on a pelagic with this. > > It's hard to take photos on a boat! (Btw you don't have to have the ID > part on to use them.) > > > With a built-in camera, a magnification that is better/as good as a > telephoto lens, and a retail price cheaper than many birders spend on > equipment; Hopefully a SCOPE with the same specifications will be on the > way! That, many would buy, if it was accurate, I argue. > > > More people would be out looking for cool birds! More rare WA birds will > be identified by less experienced birders; Thus bringing more birders > into the field, Thus bringing higher, new (and non-new) species totals to > the state. > > > I imagine now our esteemed WBRC secretary must be close to losing it with > excitement! In fact, I know he is! ;) > > > Seriously, it can be the inability to ID birds that stops some people from > birding or from becoming better birders. How many give up after buying the > wrong binoculars or the wrong book or after having a bad experience after > their accurate ID has been put down? With photos and AI, the playing field > is leveling and it's going to get more even. And when we get the amount > of data from a Nat Geo onto this... > > > Sure they're taking a short cut but if that's the price for having more of > the population into birding, and therefore more folks understanding that > development and skyscraper lights kill birds, then perhaps these issues > will have more impact so that they can be ameliorated. > > One mustn't assume that self-teaching technology will turn the world into > autonomous idiocracy. > > Sometimes people don't scope or bird on their own because they can't id > the birds on their own even with an app or book! > > I look at all the Facebook questions for IDs on female RWBL and I say to > you all; surely this is better than a Facebook group ID? It's faster and we > don't have to spend time answering the same ID questions. > > I have observed and discussed with friends (ok, with Raphael) that birders > prefer to bird together at Discovery Point because they help each other or > spur each other on, but if there's no one else there, then they tend to go > home sooner and probably miss rarities. This could be the equivalent of a > birding buddy. > > Experienced birders may condescend at this new tech because it took them > 500 years to learn birding, but what if this AI eventually teaches greener > birders HOW to ID what they're looking at AND FASTER? The only difference > between this and having a Sibley ID guide app could be that it is faster > and you won't miss birds by having a nose in a book/app. > > > Classes can still be taught but field trips will be better with these bins > becoming functional aids that trip leaders can employ to teach the ways of > ID, and so they can spend more time teaching! > > Many folks can't afford a trip to PR and a guide and photographic > equipment. But they can choose a hotel, and bird on their own if this AI > improves to include geographical information. > > Let's remove any negative attachment to technological progress and see > with wider awareness what this equipment can truly evolve into and do for > birding and for our community. > > While this invention may not help those who can't afford them, one hopes > that individuals with wealth will be more drawn to birding and devote more > financial and political contribution to helping birds. > > I welcome our new AI binocular overlords. Let's widen the gap between > birders and non birders. Let's draw down the social barriers that cause > superiority as opposed to equanimity. > > Let's use our imagination positively and this will empower those pathways > to manifestation. > > Swarovski are not just making sales. They're making great equipment and > also changing the rules for a reason. > > And hopefully these will come down in price too. > > N Drisseq > > (Former research molecular biologist, now retired) > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Jan 18 13:59:26 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-01-18 References: <879281192.71424.1705615166213.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <879281192.71424.1705615166213@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - For the first time in ages, I did the Thursday survey solo.? Matt had to work, some people are traveling, and maybe just maybe some people decided the weather was too sucky, I don't know.? Incessant drizzle, dark clouds, gusty winds, temps in the chilly 30's; and puddles on top of glare ice; what could be better?? ?Being the only observer, I got all twisted up trying to see and hear everything, everywhere, all at once.? I'm sure I missed a few things for want of more eyes and ears. Highlights:? ? ?Greater White-fronted Goose - One with Canadas and a few Cacklers on the grass soccer fields? ? ?American Wigeon - 55+ on large puddles on the grass soccer fields? ? ?Northern Flicker - ONE - and that was the only woodpecker? ? ?Varied Thrush - Five, I think, all together north of the windmill? ? ?FOX SPARROW - 38 - an actual and highly conservative count!? ? ?Lincoln's Sparrow - One at the "Compost Piles" - First of Year (FOY) and first in 5 weeks? ? ?Spotted Towhee - Associating with the Fox Sparrows, and also numerous.? 18+? ? ?Yellow-rumped Warbler - One seen well, another couple heard (FOY) For a long while I thought I was going to have no woodpeckers at all;?the lone flicker was near my car when I was done. ?Given that they can make their own, I presume the rest of the the woodpeckers are all holed-up somewheres warm.?? Misses today were notable:? Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Anna's Hummingbird, Double-crested Cormorant, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Bushtit, Purple Finch, and White-crowned Sparrow.?? Despite those many misses of usually common birds, I still managed 46 species.? For the year, we're at 63 species, I believe. = Michael Hobbs= birdmarymoor@gmail.com= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rwlawson5593 at outlook.com Thu Jan 18 13:59:58 2024 From: rwlawson5593 at outlook.com (Rachel Lawson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_think_of_this=3F=3A?= =?utf-8?q?_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binoculars_can_identify_9?= =?utf-8?q?=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World?= =?utf-8?b?4oCd?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: To put this in perspective, in about 370 BCE, Plato argued against the new invention of writing in his dialogue "Phaedrus": "If men learn this, it will plant forgetfulness in their souls. They will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks." Ironically, we only know today what Plato said then because someone wrote it down.+ (Quote from The Brain Food Newsletter, Farnam Street Media) Rachel Lawson Seattle rwlawson5593@outlook.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of J Christian Kessler <1northraven@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2024 12:15 PM To: HAL MICHAEL Cc: Tweeters Subject: Re: [Tweeters] (Correct Link)-Well Tweeters, what do think of this?: ?World's first-ever smart binoculars can identify 9,000 birds thanks to built-in AI | Digital Camera World? software that tells us how to drive to our destination, or what bird, tree, etc that is, are all leading us to not develop or maintain the intellectual skills - memory, analysis - that our ancestors took for granted. software programs that "pop out" the answer are making us stupider. Lewis & Clark, or Native Americans, and their contemporaries, didn't have these aids, they had to figure it out. we're losing that capability, step by step. Chris Kessler On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL > wrote: One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. Hal Michael Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson > wrote: > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff > wrote: > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > ? > > The correct link: > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 vikingcove at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 16:02:04 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_?= =?utf-8?q?binoculars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in?= =?utf-8?q?_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: "Merlin says" isn't sufficient justification. I do think it's valuable to put in my checklists what Merlin identified a bird as, and whether it's based on an audio recording or image analysis, and whether I agree. In recent bird watching in Texas, using the Merlin app on my phone I recorded Ladder-backed Woodpeckers repeatedly. I was watching the birds calling. Every single time Merlin mis-identified Ladder-backs as being Downy Woodpeckers. I could tell the difference by ear, and easily by sight. I put that in each of my checklists. I think including that information in my checklists is valuable. (I also corresponded with a local eBird reviewer there about it.) Similarly, when I'm reading others' checklist reports of rare birds, even with written descriptions that would fit, I consider the observer's credibility since I've learned here that what is reported can be both mistaken and falsified, sometimes with photos used of a different bird or from a different time or at a different location, even by experts. Merlin brings to my attention birds I'm hearing that I'm not noticing. And when Merlin is misidentifying birds, as with nuthatches and woodpeckers in Texas, I'm at first frustrated, then interested in why it's making the mistake -- does it have the same tempo, overall pitch, melody,...? Is the frequency response of my phone's microphone throwing it a curve? It gets me thinking and listening differently. I don't just tick a box then move on. I continue to listen more keenly. Is Merlin's bird actually there too? Am I mistaken in my identification? Is it hearing something that I'm not? I think I'd do the same with these AI binocs. Years back on a Toppenish winter raptor field trip two local experts were talking about a hawk, identifying it differently than I was. They were looking through a Pentax and a Swarovski scope. I kept disagreeing, describing what I saw and my identification. Finally, annoyed, one of them came over and looked through my Zeiss scope. After fussing about for a bit to be sure it was the same hawk on the same power pole, he realized that the image in my scope was much better, and that their identification was wrong. I couldn't imagine why they were calling it what they were. They thought that I was wrong, maybe based on my lack of experience or their very high self-confidence. They were the local experts. I simply had a different, and better, view. Sometimes only one or two of my photos in a series of hundreds reveals a key field mark, or shows true colors, with others often misleading. I truly enjoy going through them to see what seems whacked. I spend loads of time watching single birds outside, observing how different aspects of their appearance change. That's the best part of birding for me. Accepting an identification as correct or true without question is inappropriate whether from Merlin, Swarovski, beginners, or experienced and trusted ornithologists or competitive birders. AI might catch a fleeting bit that nails it, missed by even the fastest, best birder. IBM's Deep Blue beat Gary Kasparov, a chess master, back in 1997. I often note in my checklists when I think a bird has been misidentified by Merlin or by people. Cornell's presentations about Merlin are clear that misidentification is part of their program. Good birders recognize and accept that about themselves too. Besides giving credit where it's truly due, one of the reasons I want to know who the person is who found a rarity is because sometimes I ask them what made them realize it was a rarity -- not just the field marks, but HOW they were birdwatching, or what they were focusing on. How could I change my approach so I'm more likely to see something unusual or new? I don't see these Swarovski binocs effecting that just yet, but maybe someday. Before the rarity came into view, what other birds were seen? They could have the GPS time/date/location embedded,.... That could be hacked to falsify I suppose, like swapping out a photo of a Cooper's for a Sharpie in the newsletter, or putting today's bird photo into a checklist created a week earlier, but we might learn some new ways of looking for and identifying birds. AI might also help catch frauds and cheats. Catherine Hamilton, an artist drawing stints and peeps, noticed a difference in their gape notch that I think hadn't been recognized before. I thought that was awesome. Artificial Intelligence seems likely to similarly come up with loads more for us to recognize and realize and ways to see differently. I can't run out and buy a pair of these AI binocs, but I'd love to play with them to see what I see. Even better, I'd love to have them as a spare on my shoulder to hand to folks who ask me, "What are you looking at?" Sharing my digiscoping / phone scoping display view elicits wondrous responses. Seeing those responses is right up there with my watching a birds' appearance change so amazingly as I watch. Oh, what we could share. Here's a link to an article about Catherine Hamilton's stints and peeps gape notch observation: https://blog.aba.org/2017/11/open-mic-a-new-field-mark-for-differentiating-stints-and-peeps.html Good Birding, https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/ Kevin Lucas Naturally Learning more and more, mostly in Yakima County, WA *Qui tacet consentire videtur* I apologize for inivitable errors. -K Yep. The last one was intintional. The more eyes the better. On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL wrote: > One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all > they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn > behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the > things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is > X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. > > > Hal Michael > Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) > Olympia WA > 360-459-4005 > 360-791-7702 (C) > ucd880@comcast.net > > > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson > wrote: > > > > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? > The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory > Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things > won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > > > Dennis Paulson > > Seattle > > > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff > wrote: > > > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many > unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I > would have imagined. > > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > > ? > > > The correct link: > > > > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackstephens.edmonds at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 16:20:46 2024 From: jackstephens.edmonds at gmail.com (Jack Stephens) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RFI Columbia Message-ID: Tweeters, I am investigating options for birding tours in Columbia. All the websites for tour companies in the country look somewhat similar. Any personal recommendations would be appreciated. Many thanks, Jack Stephens Edmonds, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Thu Jan 18 16:51:07 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 1-18-2024 Message-ID: Tweeters, Seven of us made it through steady rain and cold (35degF start - balmy 37degF end) at the JBLM Eagle's Pride GC. All the ponds and the lake were still frozen with no waterfowl (except flyover Mallards) - a winter's first. No finches of any kind, either. One raptor: a COOPER'S HAWK, at the end of the walk. Two bright male TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS ("Jolts of Joy," per Ken B) were a definite highlight. Other notables include the following: GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS - Several flocks feeding low with nice views for everyone. RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS - Two, with one close-up and very cooperative for viewing. MOURNING DOVES - Twenty-four at the usual spot in the Dupont housing area. The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM except for November through February, when the start time is 9:00AM. 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: * February 15 (start time - 9AM) * March 21 (start time - 8AM) * April 18 (start time - 8AM) Everyone is welcome to join us! >From the eBird PNW report: 24 species Mallard 18 Two flocks of flyovers Mourning Dove 24 In trees at usual spot at Dupont housing area. Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Steller's Jay 7 California Scrub-Jay 1 American Crow 12 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 22 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 27 Red-breasted Nuthatch 5 Brown Creeper 1 Pacific Wren 3 Bewick's Wren 1 European Starling 5 Varied Thrush 7 American Robin 18 Fox Sparrow 4 Dark-eyed Junco 9 Golden-crowned Sparrow 6 Song Sparrow 3 Townsend's Warbler 2 One was feeding mostly on the ground. View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS159237752&data=05%7C02%7C%7C7b2f5065e4a94a98248a08dc1885ef36%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638412210728442048%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rwXyntMSaLxBZruDW5%2FRRihKQQIxmnpX57b9TlhU4l8%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 benedict.t at comcast.net Thu Jan 18 17:59:50 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binocul?= =?utf-8?q?ars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digita?= =?utf-8?q?l_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: If they can identify immature gulls I would strongly consider buying a pair. Tom Benedict Seahurst, wA On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL > wrote: > One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. >> > Hal Michael > Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) > Olympia WA > 360-459-4005 > 360-791-7702 (C) > ucd880@comcast.net > > > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson > wrote: > > > > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > > > Dennis Paulson > > Seattle > > > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff > wrote: > > > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > > ? > > > The correct link: > > > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From byers345 at comcast.net Thu Jan 18 19:03:32 2024 From: byers345 at comcast.net (byers345@comcast.net) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off topic--birding in Panama Message-ID: <002501da4a84$16cf8c10$446ea430$@comcast.net> Hello Tweeters, Bill and I bravely (for us) decided we could handle a trip outside the US as far as Panama. We joined a tour there in late December and stayed through early January. We stayed in Panama City for one day, but our main lodging was in western Panama in El Valle de Anton, which I hadn't realized was located inside the caldera of an ancient volcano. The valley is high enough to avoid the heat of the coast, but as a payback, is wet. We stayed at Canopy Lodge, which is one of a trio of accommodations owned by Raul Arias and his wife Denise. Everything is aimed at making a birder happy. https://www.flickr.com/photos/29258421@N07/albums/72177720313956550 Since I just shared a Flickr album of photos from Washington last month, I was hesitant to post another one so soon. However, Ed Newbold and Delia Scholes were kind enough to say I should. So via the included hyperlink, you can see some of what we saw: mostly birds, but also people, scenery, and other critters. The photos are from the Panama Canal area near Panama City, the Metro Park in Panama City and from the area in and around Canopy Lodge. Best regards and Happy New Year, Charlotte Byers, Edmonds -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vikingcove at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 19:11:58 2024 From: vikingcove at gmail.com (Kevin Lucas) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?=28Correct_Link=29-Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_?= =?utf-8?q?think_of_this=3F=3A_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_?= =?utf-8?q?binoculars_can_identify_9=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in?= =?utf-8?q?_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World=E2=80=9D?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <18d1fb42c30.28de.72de57011b8194b7f6cd87b3d7546c36@gmail.com> Identify immature gulls >>> accurately? Artificial Indeed AI ;-) Kevin Lucas Yakima County, WA Sent with AquaMail for Android http://www.aqua-mail.com On January 18, 2024 6:00:44 PM Tom Benedict wrote: > If they can identify immature gulls I would strongly consider buying a pair. > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, wA > > On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL > wrote: >> One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all >> they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn >> behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the >> things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is >> X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. >>> >> Hal Michael >> Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) >> Olympia WA >> 360-459-4005 >> 360-791-7702 (C) >> ucd880@comcast.net >> >> > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson > > wrote: >> > >> > >> > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? >> The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory >> Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things >> won?t have much of that happening very soon. >> > >> > Dennis Paulson >> > Seattle >> > >> > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff > > wrote: >> > > >> > > Hello Tweeters, >> > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! >> > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many >> unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I >> would have imagined. >> > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? >> > > Dan Reiff, PhD >> > > ? >> > > The correct link: >> > > >> > > >> https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai >> > > > > > ---------- > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kenbrownpls at comcast.net Thu Jan 18 19:24:19 2024 From: kenbrownpls at comcast.net (Kenneth Brown) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Well_Tweeters=2C_what_do_think_of_this=3F=3A?= =?utf-8?q?_=E2=80=9CWorld=27s_first-ever_smart_binoculars_can_identify_9?= =?utf-8?q?=2C000_birds_thanks_to_built-in_AI_=7C_Digital_Camera_World?= =?utf-8?b?4oCd?= In-Reply-To: References: <761E155A-1B97-476F-BCCA-618EBC90B725@comcast.net> <2146519924.343692.1705604313886@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <272876044.347072.1705634659585@connect.xfinity.com> Go Plato! Nice ironic reference. > On 01/18/2024 1:59 PM PST Rachel Lawson wrote: > > > To put this in perspective, in about 370 BCE, Plato argued against the new invention of writing in his dialogue "Phaedrus": > > "If men learn this, it will plant forgetfulness in their souls. They will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks." > > Ironically, we only know today what Plato said then because someone wrote it down.+ > > (Quote from The Brain Food Newsletter, Farnam Street Media) > > Rachel Lawson > Seattle > rwlawson5593@outlook.com > > > > > --------------------------------------------- > From: Tweeters on behalf of J Christian Kessler <1northraven@gmail.com> > Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2024 12:15 PM > To: HAL MICHAEL > Cc: Tweeters > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] (Correct Link)-Well Tweeters, what do think of this?: ?World's first-ever smart binoculars can identify 9,000 birds thanks to built-in AI | Digital Camera World? > > software that tells us how to drive to our destination, or what bird, tree, etc that is, are all leading us to not develop or maintain the intellectual skills - memory, analysis - that our ancestors took for granted. software programs that "pop out" the answer are making us stupider. Lewis & Clark, or Native Americans, and their contemporaries, didn't have these aids, they had to figure it out. we're losing that capability, step by step. > > Chris Kessler > > On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 10:59?AM HAL MICHAEL wrote: > > > One of my big concerns about the growth in AI and bird ID apps is that all they do is tell you what an object might be. One doesn't need to learn behavior, field marks, jazz, and so on. Just point and shoot. One of the things drilled into me with ID (of anything) is "Why do you think it is X?". For me, "Merlin says" is not acceptable. > > > > > > Hal Michael > > Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) > > Olympia WA > > 360-459-4005 > > 360-791-7702 (C) > > ucd880@comcast.net mailto:ucd880@comcast.net > > > > > On 01/18/2024 8:25 AM PST Dennis Paulson wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hmm, the loss of all neurons associated with learning to identify birds? The death of the bird-book industry? No more bird ID classes? Roger Tory Peterson turning over in his grave? But I presume the price of those things won?t have much of that happening very soon. > > > > > > Dennis Paulson > > > Seattle > > > > > > > On Jan 18, 2024, at 7:45 AM, Dan Reiff wrote: > > > > > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > > > Any other year, I would check the date to see if was April 1st! > > > > But, another way AI will continue to surprise us all in the many unexpected ways it will affect our options and lives. And faster than I would have imagined. > > > > What?s your reaction to reading about these new high-end binoculars? > > > > Dan Reiff, PhD > > > > > > > > The correct link: > > > > > > > > https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/worlds-first-ever-smart-binoculars-can-identify-up-to-9000-birds-thanks-built-in-ai > > > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Tweeters mailing list > > > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Tweeters mailing list > > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > -- > "moderation in everything, including moderation" > Rustin Thompson > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alanroedell at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 20:04:11 2024 From: alanroedell at gmail.com (Alan Roedell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off topic--birding in Panama In-Reply-To: <002501da4a84$16cf8c10$446ea430$@comcast.net> References: <002501da4a84$16cf8c10$446ea430$@comcast.net> Message-ID: Thank you, thank you! Beautiful photos. Just what an old Birder needed on a rainy day in Seattle. On Thu, Jan 18, 2024, 7:04 PM wrote: > Hello Tweeters, > > Bill and I bravely (for us) decided we could handle a trip > outside the US as far as Panama. We joined a tour there in late December > and stayed through early January. We stayed in Panama City for one day, > but our main lodging was in western Panama in El Valle de Anton, which I > hadn?t realized was located inside the caldera of an ancient volcano. The > valley is high enough to avoid the heat of the coast, but as a payback, is > wet. We stayed at Canopy Lodge, which is one of a trio of accommodations > owned by Raul Arias and his wife Denise. Everything is aimed at making a > birder happy. > > > > https://www.flickr.com/photos/29258421@N07/albums/72177720313956550 > > > > Since I just shared a Flickr album of photos from Washington > last month, I was hesitant to post another one so soon. However, Ed > Newbold and Delia Scholes were kind enough to say I should. So via the > included hyperlink, you can see some of what we saw: mostly birds, but > also people, scenery, and other critters. The photos are from the Panama > Canal area near Panama City, the Metro Park in Panama City and from the > area in and around Canopy Lodge. > > > > Best regards and Happy New Year, Charlotte Byers, Edmonds > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From michaelfleming0607 at gmail.com Thu Jan 18 21:13:36 2024 From: michaelfleming0607 at gmail.com (Michael Fleming) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off topic--birding in Panama In-Reply-To: References: <002501da4a84$16cf8c10$446ea430$@comcast.net> Message-ID: Great photos -- Thank you for posting them Charlotte. On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 8:04?PM Alan Roedell wrote: > Thank you, thank you! Beautiful photos. > Just what an old Birder needed on a rainy day in Seattle. > > On Thu, Jan 18, 2024, 7:04 PM wrote: > >> Hello Tweeters, >> >> Bill and I bravely (for us) decided we could handle a trip >> outside the US as far as Panama. We joined a tour there in late December >> and stayed through early January. We stayed in Panama City for one day, >> but our main lodging was in western Panama in El Valle de Anton, which I >> hadn?t realized was located inside the caldera of an ancient volcano. The >> valley is high enough to avoid the heat of the coast, but as a payback, is >> wet. We stayed at Canopy Lodge, which is one of a trio of accommodations >> owned by Raul Arias and his wife Denise. Everything is aimed at making a >> birder happy. >> >> >> >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/29258421@N07/albums/72177720313956550 >> >> >> >> Since I just shared a Flickr album of photos from Washington >> last month, I was hesitant to post another one so soon. However, Ed >> Newbold and Delia Scholes were kind enough to say I should. So via the >> included hyperlink, you can see some of what we saw: mostly birds, but >> also people, scenery, and other critters. The photos are from the Panama >> Canal area near Panama City, the Metro Park in Panama City and from the >> area in and around Canopy Lodge. >> >> >> >> Best regards and Happy New Year, Charlotte Byers, Edmonds >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > -- Michael Fleming Ballard, Washington MichaelFleming0607 AT gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nagi.aboulenein at gmail.com Fri Jan 19 08:48:17 2024 From: nagi.aboulenein at gmail.com (Nagi Aboulenein) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off topic--birding in Panama In-Reply-To: References: <002501da4a84$16cf8c10$446ea430$@comcast.net> Message-ID: <350eb04b-74cb-4584-ba62-64d95f20252e@Spark> Wonderful photos, Charlotte - especially the Sapphire-throated Hummingbird. That one eluded us when we visited Panama a couple of years ago. Thanks, Nagi On Jan 18, 2024 at 21:14 -0800, Michael Fleming , wrote: > ? ?Great photos -- Thank you for posting them Charlotte. > > > On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at 8:04?PM Alan Roedell wrote: > > > Thank you, thank you! Beautiful photos. > > > Just what an old Birder needed on a rainy day in Seattle. > > > > > > > On Thu, Jan 18, 2024, 7:04 PM wrote: > > > > > Hello Tweeters, > > > > > ??????????? Bill and I bravely (for us) decided we could handle a trip outside the US as far as Panama.? We joined a tour there in late December and stayed through early January.? We stayed in Panama City for one day, but our main lodging was in western Panama in El Valle de Anton, which I hadn?t realized was located inside the caldera of an ancient volcano.? The valley is high enough to avoid the heat of the coast, but as a payback, is wet.? We stayed at Canopy Lodge, which is one of a trio of accommodations ?owned by Raul ?Arias and his wife Denise.? Everything is aimed at making a birder happy. > > > > > > > > > > https://www.flickr.com/photos/29258421@N07/albums/72177720313956550 > > > > > > > > > > ??????????? Since I just shared a Flickr album of photos from Washington last month, I was hesitant to post another one so soon.? However, Ed Newbold and Delia Scholes were kind enough to say I should.? So via the included hyperlink, you can see some of what we saw:? mostly birds, but also people, scenery, and other critters.? The photos are from the Panama Canal area near Panama City, the Metro Park in Panama City and from the area in and around Canopy Lodge. > > > > > > > > > > Best regards and Happy New Year, Charlotte Byers, Edmonds > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > 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 > > > -- > Michael Fleming > Ballard, Washington > MichaelFleming0607 AT?gmail.com > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 Fri Jan 19 11:39:53 2024 From: panmail at mailfence.com (pan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Seattle redpolls Message-ID: <1464142401.1089972.1705693193324@ichabod.co-bxl> Hi,Tweets, Common Redpolls continue at Seattle's Green Lake this week, along the east shore.? This morning, I found about 15 American Goldfinches feeding in birches near 66th St., then walking south, saw some birders intent on something.? Thanks to Ed and Delia and Aubrey (?), I got to see a half dozen siskins low in alders.? Walking south and back, I found more goldfinches just south of 66th St., and this time found two Common Redpolls with what was eventually 40 or more goldfinches.? The group was flighty, crows and a Cooper's Hawk being about, but some/most usually returned to the birches or nearby willows.? The lake still is mostly ice covered, though with a thin layer of water on the ice.? The grazing Canada Geese had at least one Cackling, and the wigeon had at least one male Eurasian among them.? 19 January, 2024, Alan Grenon Seattle panmail AT mailfence period com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tobeross at gmail.com Fri Jan 19 14:49:43 2024 From: tobeross at gmail.com (Toby Ross) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RFI Columbia Message-ID: Hi Jack, I've lead a couple of birding tours to Colombia through Alight Tours and I really don't think you can go wrong following any of the itineraries available to you. A couple of popular itineraries include various locations around the Central Andes, and then the Caribbean coast and mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north. There are other areas that are emerging too, like Inirida in the Amazon and the Llanos grasslands around Yopal. I can provide more details on the trips I've organised to these areas if you're interested - reach out to me offline. Happy Birding Toby -- ________________ Toby Ross Seattle www.alighttours.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nagi.aboulenein at gmail.com Fri Jan 19 15:00:02 2024 From: nagi.aboulenein at gmail.com (Nagi Aboulenein) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RFI Columbia In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8b7d4dad-c2a9-4804-8f35-6c2e53683939@Spark> Hi Jack, We recently came back from a great 2-week trip to Colombia over winter break. Anticipating many future visits, we decided to focus this time mostly on Antioquia province around Medellin (Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve, Rio Claro, Antioquia Brushfinch Reserve [this one is actually not open to the public yet, we got in courtesy of our guide knowing the folks preparing the reserve], La Romera and Jardin), as well as a 2-day foray in Choco to visit Las Tangaras Reserve. It was an amazing trip, with a total of 483 species seen, of which 246 were lifers. I?m currently working my way through the many thousands of photos I took while there, once done, I will post a trip report and link to photos. Good luck, Nagi On Jan 19, 2024 at 14:50 -0800, Toby Ross , wrote: > Hi Jack, > I've lead a couple of birding tours to Colombia through Alight Tours and I really don't think you can go wrong following any of the itineraries available to you. A couple of popular itineraries include various locations around the Central Andes, and then the Caribbean coast and mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north. There are other areas that are emerging too, like Inirida in the Amazon and the Llanos grasslands around Yopal. I can provide more details on the trips I've organised to these areas if you're interested - reach out to me offline. > > Happy Birding > > Toby > > -- > ________________ > Toby Ross > Seattle > www.alighttours.com > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From 45.lisa at gmail.com Fri Jan 19 21:38:18 2024 From: 45.lisa at gmail.com (Lisa Weber) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Published birders-hunters article in Everett Herald Message-ID: Hi, Thanks to everybody who offered to connect with my Everett Herald environmental reporter friend. Here?s the published article that came out today, with a quote from our own Ann Kramer: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/in-everett-wetlands-hunters-and-birdwatchers-navigate-a-shared-space/ Lisa Weber Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 09:34:26 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question Message-ID: Hello tweets, I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn?t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don?t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. Dennis Paulson Seattle From benedict.t at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 10:10:23 2024 From: benedict.t at comcast.net (Tom Benedict) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <6786DDCA-74F2-4569-BD59-30265BB688F4@comcast.net> >So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. Nope. I have seen a couple of GCKI in the area, but not at a feeder. We see a pair of RCKI from time to time at the feeders. We have native pseudotsuga menziesii and thuja plicata and non-native cedrus atlantica and pinus ponderosa. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 20, 2024, at 09:34, Dennis Paulson wrote: > > Hello tweets, > > I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn?t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don?t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. > > We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. > > So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle From jacknolan62 at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 10:11:29 2024 From: jacknolan62 at comcast.net (Jack Nolan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hawthorn Happenings? Message-ID: Greetings, I was sitting in a school bus on the way to the Burke Museum yesterday. The bus stopped at the intersection of NE 45th and Sandpoint way. Right next to the parking garage for U Village. I noticed a ton of bird activity in a tree right there. Pretty sure it?s a Hawthorne, and it was full of Robins. There were other birds as well but they were hard to identify. I?m assuming they were Waxwings, but that?s just a guess. Wondering if the Hawthorns along the north side of the Cut are also that busy. Will swing by later today. Enjoy. Jack Nolan Shoreline, WA. Sent from Mail for Windows -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From amk17 at earthlink.net Sat Jan 20 10:38:20 2024 From: amk17 at earthlink.net (AMK17) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question Message-ID: Never at feeders but birdbath, yes. AMK17 -----Original Message----- From: Tom Benedict Sent: Jan 20, 2024 10:16 AM To: TWEETERS tweeters Subject: Re: [Tweeters] kinglet question >So I’m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. Nope. I have seen a couple of GCKI in the area, but not at a feeder. We see a pair of RCKI from time to time at the feeders. We have native pseudotsuga menziesii and thuja plicata and non-native cedrus atlantica and pinus ponderosa. Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jan 20, 2024, at 09:34, Dennis Paulson wrote: > > Hello tweets, > > I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn’t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don’t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. > > We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. > > So I’m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From dantonijohn at yahoo.com Sat Jan 20 11:02:03 2024 From: dantonijohn at yahoo.com (john dantoni) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] I just wanted to feed a few hungry birds References: <1768744052.477044.1705777323368.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1768744052.477044.1705777323368@mail.yahoo.com> Hi Tweeters, I didn't expect this bird food budget busting flock....https://www.flickr.com/photos/131774887@N06/53476090703????? Enjoy the weekend!Best,John D'AntoniMalaga, WA (just outside of Wenatchee) ????? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com Sat Jan 20 12:48:26 2024 From: grzebiuszkaziemna at gmail.com (Stan Bezimienny) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question Message-ID: Dennis, A few miles North (Lake Forest Park) we have plenty of Golden-crowned Kinglets year round, coming to bird bath in 2s, 3s or even 4s at the time, but never feeding on suet. Ruby-crown are much less common (winter only), but I had one feeding on suet yesterday. Mature native conifers+densly planted ornamentals is probably more of a factor than geography, but maybe I am wrong on it, but I am always amazed how different Dennis?s yard reports are from our situation. Stan From dennispaulson at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 14:09:18 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks, Stan. The people who are responding are confirming what seems to be a real difference in the two kinglet species. The Ruby-crowned does seem to be distinctive among the kinglets, and it has been put in its own genus. Where we live in Maple Leaf is very much in Seattle, but there are plenty of trees in the neighborhood and in our yard, and better yet, we are a short way from the top of the ravine with Thornton Creek running through it, so lots of habitat as a source for birds that might not live in a more urban setting. Dennis > On Jan 20, 2024, at 12:48 PM, Stan Bezimienny wrote: > > Dennis, > > A few miles North (Lake Forest Park) we have plenty of Golden-crowned Kinglets year round, coming to bird bath in 2s, 3s or even 4s at the time, but never feeding on suet. Ruby-crown are much less common (winter only), but I had one feeding on suet yesterday. > > Mature native conifers+densly planted ornamentals is probably more of a factor than geography, but maybe I am wrong on it, but I am always amazed how different Dennis?s yard reports are from our situation. > > Stan > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From ucd880 at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 14:28:06 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <565052761.320146.1705789686960@connect.xfinity.com> We have both species in the area. At our house, which goes from Budd Inlet up to about 100' elevation, has almost only Ruby-crowneds. They come to our suet. I should say, one or two come. In 8 years here we recently had a Golden Crowned. They are abundant up on the access road. The road is next to Priest Point which is forested but it is mixed conifer and broadleaf. Around our house there actually seem to be more conifers, but in small strips. We have both Chickadees but the Chestnut-backed are way more abundant recently. Hal Michael Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/20/2024 2:09 PM PST Dennis Paulson wrote: > > > Thanks, Stan. The people who are responding are confirming what seems to be a real difference in the two kinglet species. The Ruby-crowned does seem to be distinctive among the kinglets, and it has been put in its own genus. > > Where we live in Maple Leaf is very much in Seattle, but there are plenty of trees in the neighborhood and in our yard, and better yet, we are a short way from the top of the ravine with Thornton Creek running through it, so lots of habitat as a source for birds that might not live in a more urban setting. > > Dennis > > > On Jan 20, 2024, at 12:48 PM, Stan Bezimienny wrote: > > > > Dennis, > > > > A few miles North (Lake Forest Park) we have plenty of Golden-crowned Kinglets year round, coming to bird bath in 2s, 3s or even 4s at the time, but never feeding on suet. Ruby-crown are much less common (winter only), but I had one feeding on suet yesterday. > > > > Mature native conifers+densly planted ornamentals is probably more of a factor than geography, but maybe I am wrong on it, but I am always amazed how different Dennis?s yard reports are from our situation. > > > > Stan > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 From panmail at mailfence.com Sat Jan 20 15:15:42 2024 From: panmail at mailfence.com (pan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Seattle Lesser Goldfinches Message-ID: <901137938.1199380.1705792542265@ichabod.co-bxl> Tweets, Buoyed by yesterday's success with redpolls (for which I omitted the important detail that Ed, Delia, and Audrey had already seen the redpolls when I ran into the birders, encouraging me to keep searching), this morning Spencer H. and I spent time at Montlake Playfield park in Seattle.? We eventually found a pair of Lesser Goldfinches reported earlier in the week by Louis K. and Alec R., loosely with a dozen American Goldfinches in/near a birch on the shore west of the main park.? Nearer noon, we found them again, two males and two females together with 15 or more American in and near birches a couple of houses south of the main park buildings, and still present when we left.? This was the best and longest views I've had of them in Seattle.? There are still lots of birch seeds, so they may linger.? With an exploratory nudge from Jon D., we also found a bit of park even farther west, where sparrow activity was good, including a White-throated Sparrow Alec had also reported earlier.? There's still ice along the shores, but there were lots of ducks, including a drake Northern Pintail.?? 20 January, 2024, Alan Grenon Seattle panmail AT mailfence point com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Sat Jan 20 15:58:10 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher ID. Message-ID: I am thinking that LBDO can be identified by the extension of the feet past the tail tip during flight. Which means, this can be applied to male and female Dowitchers. Any info will be helpful. Nelson Briefer ? Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Sat Jan 20 16:08:44 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher ID. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Nelson, I don?t think that?s the case. Both tail and tarsus are about the same length in the two species. Wouldn?t it be nice to have such a field mark. You can use that character to distinguish American and Pacific Golden-Plovers in flight. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 20, 2024, at 3:58 PM, Nelson Briefer wrote: > > I am thinking that LBDO can be identified by the extension of the feet past the tail tip during flight. Which means, this can be applied to male and female Dowitchers. Any info will be helpful. Nelson Briefer ? Anacortes. _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From jimullrich at gmail.com Sat Jan 20 17:48:45 2024 From: jimullrich at gmail.com (jimullrich) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Golden Crown Question References: Message-ID: <7710FD4B-8D79-4EF6-BAE2-DDD1FD2B904B@gmail.com> Hello Tweets: > ?Golden Crown Kinglet question. Here in East Bremerton WA., we have had 3-4 Gold Crowns ever-year for past 12 years or so. Always appearing solo at either the front yard or backyard suet feeders. Luckily we have large green belt of conifers behind our house and many conifers/deciduous trees and evergreen shrubs in most yards for shelter. > Very large population of Bushtits as well > Jim Ullrich > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Jan 20, 2024, at 12:05, tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu wrote: >> >> ?Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to >> tweeters@u.washington.edu >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. RFI Columbia (Toby Ross) >> 2. Re: RFI Columbia (Nagi Aboulenein) >> 3. Published birders-hunters article in Everett Herald (Lisa Weber) >> 4. kinglet question (Dennis Paulson) >> 5. Re: kinglet question (Tom Benedict) >> 6. Hawthorn Happenings? (Jack Nolan) >> 7. Re: kinglet question (AMK17) >> 8. I just wanted to feed a few hungry birds (john dantoni) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:49:43 -0800 >> From: Toby Ross >> To: Jack Stephens , >> tweeters@u.washington.edu >> Subject: [Tweeters] RFI Columbia >> Message-ID: >> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Hi Jack, >> I've lead a couple of birding tours to Colombia through Alight Tours and I >> really don't think you can go wrong following any of the itineraries >> available to you. A couple of popular itineraries include various locations >> around the Central Andes, and then the Caribbean coast and mountains of >> Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north. There are other areas that are >> emerging too, like Inirida in the Amazon and the Llanos grasslands around >> Yopal. I can provide more details on the trips I've organised to these >> areas if you're interested - reach out to me offline. >> >> Happy Birding >> >> Toby >> >> -- >> ________________ >> Toby Ross >> Seattle >> www.alighttours.com >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2024 15:00:02 -0800 >> From: Nagi Aboulenein >> To: Jack Stephens , >> tweeters@u.washington.edu, Toby Ross >> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI Columbia >> Message-ID: <8b7d4dad-c2a9-4804-8f35-6c2e53683939@Spark> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Hi Jack, >> >> We recently came back from a great 2-week trip to Colombia over winter break. Anticipating many future visits, we decided to focus this time mostly on Antioquia province around Medellin (Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve, Rio Claro, Antioquia Brushfinch Reserve [this one is actually not open to the public yet, we got in courtesy of our guide knowing the folks preparing the reserve], La Romera and Jardin), as well as a 2-day foray in Choco to visit Las Tangaras Reserve. It was an amazing trip, with a total of 483 species seen, of which 246 were lifers. >> >> I?m currently working my way through the many thousands of photos I took while there, once done, I will post a trip report and link to photos. >> >> Good luck, >> >> Nagi >>>> On Jan 19, 2024 at 14:50 -0800, Toby Ross , wrote: >>> Hi Jack, >>> I've lead a couple of birding tours to Colombia through Alight Tours and I really don't think you can go wrong following any of the itineraries available to you. A couple of popular itineraries include various locations around the Central Andes, and then the Caribbean coast and mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north. There are other areas that are emerging too, like Inirida in the Amazon and the Llanos grasslands around Yopal. I can provide more details on the trips I've organised to these areas if you're interested - reach out to me offline. >>> >>> Happy Birding >>> >>> Toby >>> >>> -- >>> ________________ >>> Toby Ross >>> Seattle >>> www.alighttours.com >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Tweeters mailing list >>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 3 >> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2024 21:38:18 -0800 >> From: Lisa Weber <45.lisa@gmail.com> >> To: tweeters@u.washington.edu >> Subject: [Tweeters] Published birders-hunters article in Everett >> Herald >> Message-ID: >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Hi, >> >> Thanks to everybody who offered to connect with my Everett Herald environmental reporter friend. Here?s the published article that came out today, with a quote from our own Ann Kramer: >> >> https://www.heraldnet.com/news/in-everett-wetlands-hunters-and-birdwatchers-navigate-a-shared-space/ >> >> Lisa Weber >> Lynnwood >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 4 >> Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 09:34:26 -0800 >> From: Dennis Paulson >> To: TWEETERS tweeters >> Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question >> Message-ID: >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 >> >> Hello tweets, >> >> I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn?t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don?t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. >> >> We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. >> >> So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 5 >> Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 10:10:23 -0800 >> From: Tom Benedict >> To: TWEETERS tweeters >> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] kinglet question >> Message-ID: <6786DDCA-74F2-4569-BD59-30265BB688F4@comcast.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 >> >>> So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. >> >> Nope. I have seen a couple of GCKI in the area, but not at a feeder. We see a pair of RCKI from time to time at the feeders. >> >> We have native pseudotsuga menziesii and thuja plicata and non-native cedrus atlantica and pinus ponderosa. >> >> Tom Benedict >> Seahurst, WA >> >>>> On Jan 20, 2024, at 09:34, Dennis Paulson wrote: >>> >>> Hello tweets, >>> >>> I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn?t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don?t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. >>> >>> We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. >>> >>> So I?m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. >>> >>> Dennis Paulson >>> Seattle >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 6 >> Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 10:11:29 -0800 >> From: Jack Nolan >> To: "tweeters@u.washington.edu" >> Subject: [Tweeters] Hawthorn Happenings? >> Message-ID: >> >> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Greetings, >> I was sitting in a school bus on the way to the Burke Museum yesterday. The bus stopped at the intersection of NE 45th and Sandpoint way. Right next to the parking garage for U Village. >> >> I noticed a ton of bird activity in a tree right there. Pretty sure it?s a Hawthorne, and it was full of Robins. There were other birds as well but they were hard to identify. I?m assuming they were Waxwings, but that?s just a guess. >> >> Wondering if the Hawthorns along the north side of the Cut are also that busy. Will swing by later today. >> >> Enjoy. >> >> Jack Nolan >> Shoreline, WA. >> >> Sent from Mail for Windows >> >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 7 >> Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:38:20 +0000 >> From: AMK17 >> To: TWEETERS tweeters >> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] kinglet question >> Message-ID: >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 >> >> Never at feeders but birdbath, yes. >> >> AMK17 >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Tom Benedict >> Sent: Jan 20, 2024 10:16 AM >> To: TWEETERS tweeters >> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] kinglet question >> >>> So I’m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. >> >> Nope. I have seen a couple of GCKI in the area, but not at a feeder. We see a pair of RCKI from time to time at the feeders. >> >> We have native pseudotsuga menziesii and thuja plicata and non-native cedrus atlantica and pinus ponderosa. >> >> Tom Benedict >> Seahurst, WA >> >>>> On Jan 20, 2024, at 09:34, Dennis Paulson wrote: >>> >>> Hello tweets, >>> >>> I know we would see so many fewer birds in our yard if we didn’t have feeders, and I think robins are about the only species that we see regularly that don’t come to feeders of one sort or another. Plenty of birds such as warblers and vireos and WesternTanagers come for water, of course, although those seem to be scarcer every year. >>> >>> We have at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet at our suet feeders most winters, but Golden-crowned Kinglets are very uncommon in our neighborhood, almost never appearing in our yard except occasionally at our fountain. Conifers are scattered in the area, maybe not dense enough to attract a population of Golden-crowns, although we have plenty of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. >>> >>> So I’m asking if anyone ever sees Golden-crowns at suet or other feeders. >>> >>> Dennis Paulson >>> Seattle >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 8 >> Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:02:03 +0000 (UTC) >> From: john dantoni >> To: "tweeters@u.washington.edu" >> Subject: [Tweeters] I just wanted to feed a few hungry birds >> Message-ID: <1768744052.477044.1705777323368@mail.yahoo.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Hi Tweeters, >> I didn't expect this bird food budget busting flock....https://www.flickr.com/photos/131774887@N06/53476090703????? >> >> Enjoy the weekend!Best,John D'AntoniMalaga, WA (just outside of Wenatchee) ????? >> >> >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Subject: Digest Footer >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 233, Issue 20 >> ***************************************** From shepthorp at gmail.com Sat Jan 20 21:48:17 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan Highlands/Waterville Plateau Scout Trip 1/20/24 Message-ID: <53FE09FE-DC3A-4013-B301-D8E7D57779DA@gmail.com> Hi Tweets, Scouting for my upcoming WOS Winter Trip. Some good finds today. Northern Pygmy Owl on Salmon Greek Road off Conconully Highway. One Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Water Birch Tree with the Great Horned Owl across from Happy Hill Road. 300 plus Bohemian Waxwings at McLaughlin Canyon Orchard with fly overs of Gray Crowned Rosy-Finch. Nice looks of American Tree Sparrow at Timentwa Creek on north section of Cameron Lake Road. Over 150 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch at cattle scrape on Timentwa Flats. 5000+ Snow Buntings on south section of Cameron Lake Road. Observed 5+ Lapland Longspur in the flock. We heard Sandhill Crane in the area and watched a Prairie Falcon swoop in and pick up a Horned Lark. Moderate snow with temperatures in the 20?s. Happy birding! Shep Shep Thorp, VMD Family Guy, Emergency Veterinarian, Birder Browns Point, Tacoma 253-370-3742 From loblollyboy at gmail.com Sun Jan 21 00:33:59 2024 From: loblollyboy at gmail.com (Michael Price) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hawthorn Happenings? Message-ID: Hi tweets, I remember that if you wanted to find wintering Purple Finches on the west side of Vancouver BC, just look for a row of hawthorn trees. But breaking down winter haws require birds with heavy, powerful bills, which pretty much eliminated robins and waxwings. If you wanted to see robins and either species of waxwing chowing down on winter berries, check out the mountain ash trees (also known as rowan and *Sorbus*), *pyrocanthus* and *cotoneaster* shrubs. At these latitudes In winter, robins and waxwings rove about, often in large gangs, and can strip a mature berry-laden mountain ash tree in a couple of days. best wishes, m -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From wagen at uw.edu Sun Jan 21 07:06:46 2024 From: wagen at uw.edu (Mike Wagenbach) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Published birders-hunters article in Everett Herald Message-ID: Props to your friend! I enjoyed that piece. It sounds like she did plenty of leg-work reporting it. I suppose I should write to the editor of the Herald so her boss knows it was appreciated... Mike Wagenbach Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Sun Jan 21 08:13:58 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] GCKI - was Re: kinglet question In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240121081358.Horde.JolfOOgwUu6LfuRJ_rdVQVU@webmail.jimbetz.com> ... I have seen GCKI on the ground below our feeder - picking up seeds dropped from above. - Jim in Skagit From mattxyz at earthlink.net Sun Jan 21 10:49:16 2024 From: mattxyz at earthlink.net (Matt Bartels) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Reminder: Washington Bird List Reports for 2023 - time to send them in References: <049C4EB0-8728-4493-8AC2-0B542DEF59A9@earthlink.net> Message-ID: Hi all - A reminder to send in your 2023 year list report before the end of January ? We?re getting close to the deadline. Join the community in coming together in this annual list to cheer each other on in our listing accomplishments. No need to enter numbers for every category, just report those areas you?d like. I?ll compile all the entries and report the results sometime in February. The List Report and Big Day forms are available on the WA Birder website at: http://www.wabirder.com/forms.html Good birding, and I look forward to hearing how your 2023 went. Matt Bartels Washington Birder > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Matt Bartels > Subject: [Tweeters] Washington Bird List Reports for 2023 - time to send them in > Date: January 1, 2024 at 8:15:13 AM PST > To: "Tweeters (E-mail)" , Inland-NW-Birders - To Post > > Happy New Year, everyone! > > Now?s the time to wrap up those listing details from 2023 to clear the way for 2024 surprises and goals.. > > January 31, 2024 is the deadline to send Washington Birder your 2022 List Report. > > List Report and Big Day forms are available on the WA Birder website at: http://www.wabirder.com/forms.html > > It is easiest if you use the online forms to send in reports, but other options are provided as well if needed. > > The annual list report is a great chance to look at the community and appreciate all the many accomplishments out there. > > I believe for 2023 several very high state year lists and I?m sure we have many personal listing personal highs as well - it would be excellent receive that info for the overall report. Regardless of how high or low your totals are, this is a chance to join in the community summary of accomplishments. > > You don?t have to enter details for every category listed, just send in info for those important to you. > > For 2023, be sure to adjust for recent lumps like Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher [along w/ the crow lump from a couple years back if not yet done]. In addition, we recommend using the eBird status decisions on local countability of introduced/exotic species.If you are on eBird, almost all the totaling is done for you. Most notably, most western WA counties no longer ?count? Ring-necked Pheasant in county life list totals. > > > Enjoy the new year, and send in the [reports of the] old! > > Matt Bartels > Washington Birder > Seattle, WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From khaupt99 at gmail.com Sun Jan 21 13:03:47 2024 From: khaupt99 at gmail.com (Kelly Haupt) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] White-breasted nuthatch Message-ID: <9FDE6A18-A5D4-47EA-8CFE-FBF554C63330@gmail.com> Hello! I was VERY surprised to see a White-breasted nuthatch at our suet feeder on 1/13/24, at 2:00pm during our cold snap. We are in Union, WA, near Hood Canal, in the Alderbrook community, Mason County. Reading more about them, and knowing this bird is not supposed to be here, I learned that it could be a subspecies, the slender-billed white-breasted, but the only sightings of them that I found are in and around Clark and Cowlitz counties. I reported the sighting to WDFW, which said the population might only include 50 or so individuals! My visual was from maybe 20 feet. I took a few photos with my old iPhone, so if anyone would like me to send them pics I?d be happy to. Attaching pics here made the file too large to post. If anyone has more information on recent sightings and locations, I?d love to know! Kelly Haupt From meetings at wos.org Sun Jan 21 16:27:40 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_February_5=2C_2025?= Message-ID: <20240122002740.8705.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, February 5, well-known swan biologist, Martha Jordan will present "Washington?s White Birds of Winter - Swans and Snow Geese." Since the late 1970?s, Martha has contributed enormously to understanding the life history of swans and Snow Geese, their biology and what influences their distribution across our state and the Pacific flyway. She wrote the state?s first Trumpeter Swan management plan in 1985, and is a member of WDFW?s Waterfowl Advisory Group. These birds face a changing landscape in migration and on their wintering grounds, and are confronted by habitat issues, avian influenza, swan lead poisoning and more. Martha will detail these challenges to our White Birds of Winter, and what is needed to ensure their future. The 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 madalama at comcast.net Sun Jan 21 18:55:07 2024 From: madalama at comcast.net (TERRANCE DUNNING) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] canvasback ducks Message-ID: <212324722.350945.1705892108064@connect.xfinity.com> There were approximately 300 canvasback ducks north of the boat launch at the Everett Marina today in the morning. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From panmail at mailfence.com Sun Jan 21 19:28:47 2024 From: panmail at mailfence.com (pan) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] new Skagit Black Phoebe Message-ID: <1945540701.1808479.1705894127436@fidget.co-bxl> Hi, Tweets, I got to bird lower Skagit County today with Birds Connect Seattle's young birders program, and among the highlights was a surprise Black Phoebe spotted by teens at a farm pond at Farm to Market Road across from Boe Road.? We also found the continuing Great Egret east of La Conner near Best and Calhoun Roads.? The great mass of Snow Geese were on the ground in this area, too.? We saw about four American Kestrels and no other falcons.? (In past decades, kestrels were hard to get and Peregrines and Merlins were numbers one and two.)? We saw Northern Shrike and one Short-eared Owl at the Rawlins Road shore access, and five owls at the east 90 later in the day. 21 January, 2024, Alan Grenon Seattle panmail at mailfence point com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shepthorp at gmail.com Sun Jan 21 22:00:25 2024 From: shepthorp at gmail.com (Shep Thorp) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan Highlands Scout Trip 1/21/2024 Message-ID: <8B070925-3402-4966-8897-F9CD0DCA1BC1@gmail.com> Hi Tweets, Day three of our scout trip was nice despite cloudy and snowy conditions. Fancher Road had plenty of Chukar with the snow and on the flats we bumped into a flock of 100+ Common Redpolls. Siwash Creek was good for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Northern Pygmy Owl, and all the usual highlands birds. Nealy Road Feeder, Highlands Meadows, was great for photographing Mountain Chickadee. On Bartoff/Meyers Road we found a small flock of Pine Grosbeaks foraging buds from a Larch Tree. Mary Ann Creek was slow but fantastic looks of Ruffed Grouse. Happy Birding, Shep Shep Thorp, VMD Family Guy, Emergency Veterinarian, Birder Browns Point, Tacoma 253-370-3742 From dougsantoni at gmail.com Mon Jan 22 03:14:05 2024 From: dougsantoni at gmail.com (Doug Santoni) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan Highlands Scout Trip 1/21/2024 In-Reply-To: <8B070925-3402-4966-8897-F9CD0DCA1BC1@gmail.com> References: <8B070925-3402-4966-8897-F9CD0DCA1BC1@gmail.com> Message-ID: <95693E1D-074D-4380-A960-BA4EF34465A6@gmail.com> Shep ? When is the actual trip? Is there any space left? I?d be very interested! Doug Santoni Seattle 305-962-4226 > On Jan 21, 2024, at 11:00 PM, Shep Thorp wrote: > > Hi Tweets, > Day three of our scout trip was nice despite cloudy and snowy conditions. Fancher Road had plenty of Chukar with the snow and on the flats we bumped into a flock of 100+ Common Redpolls. Siwash Creek was good for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Northern Pygmy Owl, and all the usual highlands birds. Nealy Road Feeder, Highlands Meadows, was great for photographing Mountain Chickadee. On Bartoff/Meyers Road we found a small flock of Pine Grosbeaks foraging buds from a Larch Tree. Mary Ann Creek was slow but fantastic looks of Ruffed Grouse. > Happy Birding, > Shep > > Shep Thorp, VMD > Family Guy, Emergency Veterinarian, Birder > Browns Point, Tacoma > 253-370-3742 > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From jamietholland at gmail.com Mon Jan 22 11:11:02 2024 From: jamietholland at gmail.com (Jamie Holland) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] best place in NW for a February trip? Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Looking for a new spot to take my family for a Northwest birding getaway in mid-February. Your thoughts on the best combo of weather & birds we can get this time of year? We live in Snohomish and do a lot of birding in King and Snohomish Counties. In the Northwest, we've done multi-day trips around: - Ridgefield - Skamania - Skagit Valley / Fidalgo Island - Potholes SP / Columbia NWR - Semiahmoo - Walla Walla / Tri-Cities - Ocean Shores I've been looking at the Olympic Peninsula, like maybe Hobuck Beach, but wonder if it's just too early in the year and if it would be miserable birding weather. The cabins on Hobuck Beach are wide open, which makes it seem like an undesirable time to visit. Of course, flights to the Southwest are pretty cheap! Last year, we visited the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas in February and it was mind-blowing. Hard to top 57 new species in a week and t-shirt weather in February. -Jamie Holland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From patti.loesche at gmail.com Mon Jan 22 11:59:04 2024 From: patti.loesche at gmail.com (Patti Loesche) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ruth Taylor Message-ID: Hello, Tweeters, Ruth Taylor, a valued member of the raptor community, died Saturday. Ruth had been in memory care since 2018, but long before Alzheimer?s, her mind was taken over by her love of raptors and especially peregrine falcons. Ruth was not only another victim of Bud Anderson?s hawkwatching course, she was deeply involved in Bud?s Seattle Peregrine Project since the early '90s, when peregrines started showing up again in the Seattle area. In 1994, the first nesting pair in the state was found by Ruth and Ed Deal on the same day in downtown Seattle. The birds nested at the top of the former WAMU building, now 1201 3rd Ave. That site has been active almost every year since. As coordinator of the Seattle Peregrine Project, Ruth was the voice of the ?peregrine hotline.? In those pre-internet days, people phoned 654-4423 and recorded their observations on the answering machine. Ruth shared updates in her outgoing messages. She also observed and took notes on the nesting pair throughout the breeding seasons, watching hundreds of hours of videotape and the on-site WAMU falcon cam (again, no internet). When Bell, the second breeding female at WAMU and the magnificent matriarch of many seasons, died in 2005, it was Ruth who found her. Ruth was an accomplished wildlife photographer and took iconic photos of these early downtown peregrines. Some of these, and more about the early history of the WAMU peregrines, can be found here: https://urbanraptor.org/seattle-peregrine-falcon-project/ At Seattle Audubon (now Birds Connect Seattle), Ruth was in one of the earliest Master Birding classes. She was also on SAS?s conservation and newsletter committees and wrote for the newsletter, EarthCare Northwest?on peregrines, of course. Ruth?s falcon memories were the last to go. Even as her disease progressed, her friend and caregiver Glen wrote, "It was amazing to see the retained acuity for the falcons and all things raptor. When things got discouraging or situations too frustrating for her to navigate alone, a simple question about her birds would be an immediate ground for her.? Patti Loesche & Ellen Blackstone From dennispaulson at comcast.net Mon Jan 22 12:07:20 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Ruth Taylor In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <82B3CCD0-07EB-48C8-B8A7-2FEC8F0C687D@comcast.net> Thanks for that, Patti and Ellen. I remember Ruth well from those old days, and I was sorry not to have more contact with her afterwards. She was a fine person. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jan 22, 2024, at 11:59 AM, Patti Loesche wrote: > > Hello, Tweeters, > > Ruth Taylor, a valued member of the raptor community, died Saturday. Ruth had been in memory care since 2018, but long before Alzheimer?s, her mind was taken over by her love of raptors and especially peregrine falcons. > > Ruth was not only another victim of Bud Anderson?s hawkwatching course, she was deeply involved in Bud?s Seattle Peregrine Project since the early '90s, when peregrines started showing up again in the Seattle area. In 1994, the first nesting pair in the state was found by Ruth and Ed Deal on the same day in downtown Seattle. The birds nested at the top of the former WAMU building, now 1201 3rd Ave. That site has been active almost every year since. > > As coordinator of the Seattle Peregrine Project, Ruth was the voice of the ?peregrine hotline.? In those pre-internet days, people phoned 654-4423 and recorded their observations on the answering machine. Ruth shared updates in her outgoing messages. She also observed and took notes on the nesting pair throughout the breeding seasons, watching hundreds of hours of videotape and the on-site WAMU falcon cam (again, no internet). When Bell, the second breeding female at WAMU and the magnificent matriarch of many seasons, died in 2005, it was Ruth who found her. Ruth was an accomplished wildlife photographer and took iconic photos of these early downtown peregrines. Some of these, and more about the early history of the WAMU peregrines, can be found here: https://urbanraptor.org/seattle-peregrine-falcon-project/ > > At Seattle Audubon (now Birds Connect Seattle), Ruth was in one of the earliest Master Birding classes. She was also on SAS?s conservation and newsletter committees and wrote for the newsletter, EarthCare Northwest?on peregrines, of course. > > Ruth?s falcon memories were the last to go. Even as her disease progressed, her friend and caregiver Glen wrote, "It was amazing to see the retained acuity for the falcons and all things raptor. When things got discouraging or situations too frustrating for her to navigate alone, a simple question about her birds would be an immediate ground for her.? > > Patti Loesche & Ellen Blackstone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From jennjarstad at gmail.com Mon Jan 22 12:15:20 2024 From: jennjarstad at gmail.com (Jenn Jarstad) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] kinglet question Message-ID: We often get large groups of Golden Crowned kinglets at our suet feeder in Seattle, near Green Lake/Woodland Park area. To see one solo is unusual, although a couple days ago I did observe one solo on the suet feeder and wondered if the harsh temperatures had impacted the flock (castle). Jenn Jarstad Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dennispaulson at comcast.net Tue Jan 23 09:29:01 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Message-ID: <345C4AD6-FE56-4206-9CF7-B2FAA7B214E3@comcast.net> Hello tweeters, I am so sorry to share the news that Gregg Thompson has passed away. I first knew Gregg when he worked as the bird curator at Woodland Park Zoo in 1974 and took a bird class from me. We have been friends ever since, not seeing each other all the time but meeting in the field serendipitously and surprisingly often and always communicating by email about the messages full of beautiful photos that he sent to many, many people, sometimes every day. Gregg was a photographer first and always, taking far better photos than most of us do and loving to share camera information as well as bird information. He was our consultant for years when we considered buying new cameras or lenses. He got us started on the Canon 7D and subsequently Olympus and OM systems, all the best advice. He photographed birds for years but then expanded into photographing many other things in nature, always concentrating on getting the best photos he could. I like to think that I got him started with dragonflies. He used to roam all over the state, but when his back began to give him trouble he narrowed his focus down to this immediate area. He loved the Samish and Skagit Flats, where there were photo ops galore, including chances to photograph raptors. Just this winter he perfected a technique of photographing kestrels in flight. Gregg had a wry sense of humor, and Netta and I always enjoyed talking to him about birds, photography, and the world. We will miss him very much. Dennis Paulson Seattle From pirangas at hotmail.com Tue Jan 23 12:11:26 2024 From: pirangas at hotmail.com (Steve Pink) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Message-ID: I was very sad to see that Gregg had passed away. I often ran into Gregg in the field over the years. He was a very talented photographer. More than that, he was one of the good guys! I was always pleased when I saw him and enjoyed our conversations. He was knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects. He always impressed me with his research on the birds he loved to photograph. He will be missed. Steve Steve Pink Edmonds, WA pirangas@hotmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Tue Jan 23 12:23:52 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Aster Butte In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240123122352.Horde.OK4xstDMw4RXBrRLoEfgZnD@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi, First - I realize that this area is not easily accessed and even not recommended at this time of year - I'm planning ahead. I just learned of this location. It's near Mt. Baker and has the oldest rock formations in Washington State. It's fairly steep - from the trail head to the top is about 2500 feet of elevation gain in just under 4 miles of one way hiking. But there is a good trail that has lots of visitors every year. .... sooooo, I'm wondering if this area is very birdy? And what month would be the best to visit it to see the birds of the North Cascades? Have you been here? I'd love to hear from you if you have. Other alternative suggestion welcomed. I'm 79 so "difficult" or "strenous" are not in the cards. - Jim From paul.bannick at gmail.com Tue Jan 23 12:42:56 2024 From: paul.bannick at gmail.com (Paul Bannick) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson In-Reply-To: <345C4AD6-FE56-4206-9CF7-B2FAA7B214E3@comcast.net> References: <345C4AD6-FE56-4206-9CF7-B2FAA7B214E3@comcast.net> Message-ID: Thanks Dennis for sharing this news about Gregg Thompson, a kind, generous, talented and fun spirit gone too soon. On the positive side, I remind myself that he chose to retire early and dedicate most of his free time and money to his love, photographing nature, especially birds. I met Greg shortly after he retired from the Zoo and had the pleasure of running into him or even hitting the field with him hundreds of times. Each time was a treat. He was always thinking and loved to share his insights, experiences or humor, each of which enriched a day. Even if we never saw or photographed what we sought, each experience was memorable. You will be missed Gregg. Paul Bannick Seattle On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 9:29?AM Dennis Paulson wrote: > Hello tweeters, > > I am so sorry to share the news that Gregg Thompson has passed away. I > first knew Gregg when he worked as the bird curator at Woodland Park Zoo in > 1974 and took a bird class from me. We have been friends ever since, not > seeing each other all the time but meeting in the field serendipitously and > surprisingly often and always communicating by email about the messages > full of beautiful photos that he sent to many, many people, sometimes every > day. > > Gregg was a photographer first and always, taking far better photos than > most of us do and loving to share camera information as well as bird > information. He was our consultant for years when we considered buying new > cameras or lenses. He got us started on the Canon 7D and subsequently > Olympus and OM systems, all the best advice. He photographed birds for > years but then expanded into photographing many other things in nature, > always concentrating on getting the best photos he could. I like to think > that I got him started with dragonflies. > > He used to roam all over the state, but when his back began to give him > trouble he narrowed his focus down to this immediate area. He loved the > Samish and Skagit Flats, where there were photo ops galore, including > chances to photograph raptors. Just this winter he perfected a technique of > photographing kestrels in flight. > > Gregg had a wry sense of humor, and Netta and I always enjoyed talking to > him about birds, photography, and the world. We will miss him very much. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- Now Available: Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls at: http://paulbannick.com/shop/owl-a-year-in-the-lives-of-north-american-owls/ Paul Bannick Photography www.paulbannick.com 206-940-7835 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cariddellwa at gmail.com Tue Jan 23 12:51:21 2024 From: cariddellwa at gmail.com (Carol Riddell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Message-ID: <4D93426A-4212-4E5F-ADB5-6F67EEF42AAE@gmail.com> Thanks, Dennis, for posting the news of Gregg having passed away. I hope it was painless and peaceful. I am one of the legion who will miss spotting his signature yellow bicyclist's cap in the field and the almost daily photos he shared. He once told me that he had several computer's worth of photos. He only shared them with his large email group. I don't think they are anywhere accessible on the internet. I hope they don't become lost to us as did so many of the photos taken by Ruth and Patrick Sullivan. Rest in peace, Gregg. You will be missed. Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA From avosetta at hotmail.com Tue Jan 23 13:36:30 2024 From: avosetta at hotmail.com (Diane Yorgason-Quinn) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson In-Reply-To: <4D93426A-4212-4E5F-ADB5-6F67EEF42AAE@gmail.com> References: <4D93426A-4212-4E5F-ADB5-6F67EEF42AAE@gmail.com> Message-ID: I'd like access to Gregg's photos, also. But as to Carol's other point, many of Ruth Sullivan's photos are available online. Not sure who's paying for her PBase site, but it's still up: https://www.pbase.com/godwit/root Also, Tahoma Audubon celebrated Ruth at the end of her life, as well as showing some of her most famous shots: https://www.pbase.com/godwit/root We certainly missed her and Patrick this winter, as they always led a section for the Tahoma Audubon CBC. Diane Yorgason-Quinn Gig Harbor, WA Avosetta@hotmail.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Carol Riddell Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 12:51 PM To: Tweeters Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Thanks, Dennis, for posting the news of Gregg having passed away. I hope it was painless and peaceful. I am one of the legion who will miss spotting his signature yellow bicyclist's cap in the field and the almost daily photos he shared. He once told me that he had several computer's worth of photos. He only shared them with his large email group. I don't think they are anywhere accessible on the internet. I hope they don't become lost to us as did so many of the photos taken by Ruth and Patrick Sullivan. Rest in peace, Gregg. You will be missed. Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sdd.bodhiheart at gmail.com Tue Jan 23 14:06:49 2024 From: sdd.bodhiheart at gmail.com (Ven. Dhammadinna) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Aster Butte In-Reply-To: <20240123122352.Horde.OK4xstDMw4RXBrRLoEfgZnD@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240123122352.Horde.OK4xstDMw4RXBrRLoEfgZnD@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Hi Jim, I did this trail last August. It is fabled for the great variety of ferns that thrive on the two types of rock formations that meet there. It is strenuous. A good way to get info about all aspects of a hike is to go to wta.org. In their menu bar, select trip reports. In the drop down menu write the name of the hike, Yellow Aster Butte. In keyword, put in bird or the name of a bird and hit search. The results will show you what others before you have reported. For eastern Washington bird hikes, Esmeralda Basin is very birdy and not so rigorous and it's a lot closer to Puget Sound. I saw Three Toed Woodpeckers there that were astonishingly tame. Wta.org also has recommended bird hikes---they got Ed Dominguez of Seward Park Audubon to pick birdy hikes. Happy Trails! Dhammadinna Seattle On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 12:24?PM wrote: > Hi, > > First - I realize that this area is not easily accessed and even not > recommended at this time of year - I'm planning ahead. > > I just learned of this location. It's near Mt. Baker and has the oldest > rock formations in Washington State. It's fairly steep - from the trail > head to the top is about 2500 feet of elevation gain in just under 4 miles > of one way hiking. But there is a good trail that has lots of visitors > every year. > > .... sooooo, I'm wondering if this area is very birdy? And what month > would be the best to visit it to see the birds of the North > Cascades? > > Have you been here? I'd love to hear from you if you have. Other > alternative suggestion welcomed. I'm 79 so "difficult" or "strenous" > are not in the cards. > - 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 schase at cornerstoneschool.us Tue Jan 23 14:54:24 2024 From: schase at cornerstoneschool.us (Stephen Chase) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Aster Butte In-Reply-To: References: <20240123122352.Horde.OK4xstDMw4RXBrRLoEfgZnD@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Hi Jim et al., The last 1/2 mile of Yellow Aster Butte is intensely strenuous, but most of the trail is doable for anyone working their way uphill methodically - something actively listening birders are apt to do. The lower section through an avalanche chute is good for MacGillivray's Warblers and Olive-sided Flycatchers, but can be hot and buggy midday in the summer! Near treeline (4500 feet) is where things can get particularly interesting: American Three-toed Woodpeckers nest just before the trail-side campgrounds right as you approach treeline. The large bowl at treeline, where the trail splits off to Gold Run Pass and Tomyhoi Lake, is great for Canada Jay, Sooty Grouse, and other subalpine specialties. Once above tree level, the alpine sections are excellent for Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, American Pipit, and, in the right season, good odds of Horned Lark. Golden Eagles have been spotted numerous times; there is likely a nest along the bluffs above Tomyhoi Lake. A long day hike along Yellow Aster Butte can also take you to Tomyhoi Peak. This would be a much more strenuous option. The large plateau before Tomyhoi Butte is good for White-tailed Ptarmigan. I've also had Mountain Chickadee and White-winged Crossbill on this bluff. Other rarities along the trail include Pine Grosbeak and Lewis's Woodpecker. In the Fall, the trail has produced migrating American Goshawk, Prairie Falcon, and Broad-winged Hawk. The trail is very popular in the summer. The parking lot holds perhaps 50 vehicles, but I have counted upwards of 200 along the road leading up to the trailhead. In my opinion it's best done early in the morning on a summer weekday to avoid the heat and crowds. The road is generally potholey, but is otherwise easily passable for 2WD, although there is one creek crossing that can be a bit hairy for low-clearance vehicles. eBird hotspot details: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3916501 AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/yellow-aster-butte-trail WTA: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/yellow-aster-butte Stephen Chase Everson On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 2:08?PM Ven. Dhammadinna wrote: > Hi Jim, > I did this trail last August. It is fabled for the great variety of ferns > that thrive on the two types of rock formations that meet there. It is > strenuous. A good way to get info about all aspects of a hike is to go to > wta.org. In their menu bar, select trip reports. In the drop down menu > write the name of the hike, Yellow Aster Butte. In keyword, put in bird or > the name of a bird and hit search. The results will show you what others > before you have reported. > For eastern Washington bird hikes, Esmeralda Basin is very birdy and not > so rigorous and it's a lot closer to Puget Sound. I saw Three Toed > Woodpeckers there that were astonishingly tame. Wta.org also has > recommended bird hikes---they got Ed Dominguez of Seward Park Audubon to > pick birdy hikes. > Happy Trails! > Dhammadinna > Seattle > > On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 12:24?PM wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> First - I realize that this area is not easily accessed and even not >> recommended at this time of year - I'm planning ahead. >> >> I just learned of this location. It's near Mt. Baker and has the >> oldest >> rock formations in Washington State. It's fairly steep - from the trail >> head to the top is about 2500 feet of elevation gain in just under 4 miles >> of one way hiking. But there is a good trail that has lots of visitors >> every year. >> >> .... sooooo, I'm wondering if this area is very birdy? And what month >> would be the best to visit it to see the birds of the >> North >> Cascades? >> >> Have you been here? I'd love to hear from you if you have. Other >> alternative suggestion welcomed. I'm 79 so "difficult" or "strenous" >> are not in the cards. >> - 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 > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Chase.Gunnell at dfw.wa.gov Tue Jan 23 16:57:07 2024 From: Chase.Gunnell at dfw.wa.gov (Gunnell, Chase (DFW)) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Brant geese and places to view them Message-ID: Tweeters, WDFW has put out a new blog post highlighting brant geese and places to see them around western Washington that this community may find interesting: https://wdfw.medium.com/brant-geese-a-favorite-among-bird-watchers-hunters-in-western-washington-56cc68abdc8d In my opinion these visitors from the high arctic are among the coolest birds we see in winter, especially when their unique vocalizations are ringing across coastal bays and eelgrass flats. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From steveloitz at gmail.com Tue Jan 23 17:02:15 2024 From: steveloitz at gmail.com (Steve Loitz) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Aster Butte In-Reply-To: References: <20240123122352.Horde.OK4xstDMw4RXBrRLoEfgZnD@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: I agree that Esmeralda Basin has good birding in late spring and summer, and is a mellow hike. It is a good representation of East Cascades montane forest and montane riparian habitat. There are numerous birding spots on the drive to the trailhead. In a typical year, snow may linger until early June, sometimes later, sometimes earlier. If you want more details, do not hesitate to email me. I get up there several times each year, sometimes on foot, sometimes on ski. Yellow Aster Butte area is very different habitat, west-of-crest subalpine and lower alpine. It's a lovely place, a popular overnight backpack camping spot from July through September, i.e., the months when it is snow free, so do not expect solitude there, especially on weekends. There are more easily accessed spots in the area where you can see subalpine species, e.g., nearby Artist Point and Table Mountain. IME, the most mellow (short, easy) high subalpine/alpine habitat birding hikes in the North Cascades are in the Harts Pass/Slate Peak area. The road to Harts Pass is fine, but you may want to conduct some research if you plan to continue driving the road to Slate Peak, which has dropoffs and tight spots that spook some people. Like the other areas mentioned above, the Harts Pass/Slate Peak area is snow-free only for a few months, typically from mid-July to mid-October. Also be aware that the area gets lots of deer hunters in high buck season the last half of September. IME, it's the most accessible spot in the North Cascades to see alpine bird species, e.g., American Pipit, Horned Lark, Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, White-tail Ptarmigan, Common Raven, Mountain Bluebird, and a great area for viewing subalpine species, e.g., Mountain Chickadee, Clark's Nutcracker, Townsend's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Cassin's Finch, Townsend's Solitaire and many more. You may get lucky and see a Golden Eagle or an American Goshawk (fka Northern Goshawk). Steve Loitz Ellensburg On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 2:07?PM Ven. Dhammadinna wrote: > Hi Jim, > I did this trail last August. It is fabled for the great variety of ferns > that thrive on the two types of rock formations that meet there. It is > strenuous. A good way to get info about all aspects of a hike is to go to > wta.org. In their menu bar, select trip reports. In the drop down menu > write the name of the hike, Yellow Aster Butte. In keyword, put in bird or > the name of a bird and hit search. The results will show you what others > before you have reported. > For eastern Washington bird hikes, Esmeralda Basin is very birdy and not > so rigorous and it's a lot closer to Puget Sound. I saw Three Toed > Woodpeckers there that were astonishingly tame. Wta.org also has > recommended bird hikes---they got Ed Dominguez of Seward Park Audubon to > pick birdy hikes. > Happy Trails! > Dhammadinna > Seattle > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jdanzenbaker at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 03:25:42 2024 From: jdanzenbaker at gmail.com (Jim Danzenbaker) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Massive Horned Lark number in Vancouver Lowlands, Clark County Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Just a quick fyi that over the last several days, there has been a massive number of Horned Larks in the Vancouver Lowlands west of Vancouver Lake and east of Frenchman's Bar Park. Cindy M recorded an unprecedented 198 (!!!!) there yesterday on Columbia Land Trust property which is CLOSED to the public. One of the areas where they have been is the crane and goose field which is visible looking east from the south end of the road and trail at Frenchman's Bar park . I don't think it's known yet if there is a better part of the day to see them or if they commute back and forth across the Columbia River from Sauvie Island, Oregon. I saw an adult Ross's Goose there on Monday morning in a flock of 4000 Snow Geese so it's not just all about the Horned Larks! On Monday, there was a flock of 23 Horned Larks foraging and flying around along the roadway along the east side (marker 13 and thereabouts) at the River S section of Ridgefield NWR. Keep your eyes and ears skyward and everywhere else for that matter. Jim -- Jim Danzenbaker Battle Ground, WA 360-702-9395 jdanzenbaker@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From constancesidles at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 08:53:25 2024 From: constancesidles at gmail.com (Constance Sidles) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Message-ID: <03DF2E09-A358-4C21-A7DD-5EE0632F4961@gmail.com> Hey tweets, I just wanted to publicly express my grief at the loss of Gregg Thompson. I can still scarecly believe it, the loss is so devastating. To never again see his yellow cap in the distaince, anticipating a happy encounter with one of the best nature photographers I ever met, to never again get one of his emails with one gorgeous photo after another, to not be able to share bird tips with him, not hear his laugh, not see his smile. It grieves me to the heart. The world has already closed up the hole you left behind Gregg and has moved on in its inexorable way, but not for me. Never for me. - Connie, Seattle From stollea at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 10:36:08 2024 From: stollea at gmail.com (Emily Birchman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= Message-ID: Hi all, I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers in my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see them there! Good birding, Emily Birchman Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From louiserutter1000 at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 10:42:20 2024 From: louiserutter1000 at gmail.com (Louise) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: It's not somewhere I've ever seen them either. Although I'm missing Townsend's from my yard entirely this winter. I wasn't surprised at first because they often don't show up until the weather turns really cold, but the five days of freeze didn't bring them in either. Obviously they're somewhere in the local area though! Louise Rutter Kirkland (Finn Hill) On Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 10:37?AM Emily Birchman wrote: > Hi all, > I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers in > my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed > surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one > per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had > a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see > them there! > > Good birding, > Emily Birchman > Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill > _______________________________________________ > 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 Wed Jan 24 10:43:42 2024 From: steveloitz at gmail.com (Steve Loitz) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I have occasionally seen TOWAs in the subalpine gleaning insects and/or larvae from vegetation debris on the ground, usually under Subalpine Firs, which IME, notwithstanding their name, is their favorite summer tree in the East Cascades. Steve Loitz Ellensburg On Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 10:36?AM Emily Birchman wrote: > Hi all, > I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers in > my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed > surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one > per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had > a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see > them there! > > Good birding, > Emily Birchman > Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill > _______________________________________________ > 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 birdmarymoor at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 12:24:47 2024 From: birdmarymoor at gmail.com (Michael Hobbs) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Since the cold snap, we've had a Townsend's and two Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on the ground under the feeders in West Seattle. The appear to be eating the smallest bits of the sunflower chips that fall there. Their ability to scrounge non-insect meals is probably how they can overwinter when the other woodwarblers have to fly south. - Michael Hobbs On Wed, Jan 24, 2024, 10:36 AM Emily Birchman wrote: > Hi all, > I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers in > my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed > surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one > per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had > a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see > them there! > > Good birding, > Emily Birchman > Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill > _______________________________________________ > 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 Wed Jan 24 13:19:41 2024 From: dennispaulson at comcast.net (Dennis Paulson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <89ED481E-4A44-4C15-A483-479AC8C5B475@comcast.net> I think I mentioned earlier that both warbler species have been feeding on my window ledge daily, something I had never seen before. I said seeds, but now I suppose they were sunflower chips, which of course are also seeds but without the coat. Dennis Paulson > On Jan 24, 2024, at 12:24 PM, Michael Hobbs wrote: > > Since the cold snap, we've had a Townsend's and two Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on the ground under the feeders in West Seattle. The appear to be eating the smallest bits of the sunflower chips that fall there. Their ability to scrounge non-insect meals is probably how they can overwinter when the other woodwarblers have to fly south. > > - Michael Hobbs > > On Wed, Jan 24, 2024, 10:36 AM Emily Birchman > wrote: > Hi all, > I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers in my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see them there! > > Good birding, > Emily Birchman > Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill > _______________________________________________ > 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 kersti.e.muul at gmail.com Wed Jan 24 13:58:14 2024 From: kersti.e.muul at gmail.com (Kersti Muul) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] places to see Brant Message-ID: Agree with Chase, brant geese are awesome - viewing this time of year as they fly across the backdrop of the snowy Olympics with killer whales often below them, is breathtaking. West Seattle has plenty of them with very accessible, and close viewing if you're so inclined. 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 jelder at meteorcomm.com Wed Jan 24 20:32:10 2024 From: jelder at meteorcomm.com (Jim Elder) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Black-headed Gull in Edmonds (Ocean Ave) Message-ID: I went up to Edmonds for the third time looking for the Yellow-billed Gull and finally saw it (albeit not the most satisfying look). However it turned out not to be the best bird. A Black-headed Gull flying by was a complete surprise. As far as I know, no one else has been seeing this fellow so keep your eyes open in that part of the sound. Here are my notes from the eBird report (eBird Checklist - 24 Jan 2024 - Ocean Ave (Water St), Edmonds - 22 species): 1 Black-Headed Gull Flying SE over sound in direction of Edmonds town center. By itself in fairly direct flight (not tern like). Clearly showing the white outer triangle pattern with thin black edge on upper wings. Under wings were dark unlike Bonaparte's Additional details added with access to full keyboard: Adult winter-plumage bird probably about 400 yards out from shore heading from north to southwest so viewed going mostly parallel to shore but appeared to get somewhat closer to shore while viewed for about a minute.White wedge of the topside of outer primaries with thin black tips immediately ruled out all of the typical gray-mantled gulls. Bill was thin and dark (i.e. not yellow) but too distant for more specific detail. Tail was completely white (indicating adult). Underside of wings appeared dark (blackish gray or dark brown). From this angle the most visible part of the underside of the wing would be the primaries of the far wing on the downstroke which is exactly where a Black-headed Gull would be dark. Bonaparte's Gulls viewed later in the day at Edmonds fishing pier are bright white in this part of their wing. Wingbeats were slow and deep compared to a Bonaparte's. It also appeared too large for a Bonaparte's but there were no other nearby birds to use as a size reference so that is not a very reliable fieldmark in this case. Jim Elder , Seattle WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From xtenter at comcast.net Wed Jan 24 21:33:32 2024 From: xtenter at comcast.net (RW Hamlyn) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Message-ID: <502E8650-5583-433A-AD73-12C8B4B6A134@comcast.net> Years ago, my wife Dory and I were looking for Prairie Falcons ?over the hill?, when we happened to run into Gregg. Dory was shooting with a Panasonic Lumix in those days and from then on, he enjoyed calling her ?Lumox?. Yes he did have a wry sense of humor. We wish now that we had saved all of his wonderful images, never thinking that some day, there would no longer be another email with raptors, mushrooms, spiders or dragonflies. We learned so much from his images and his willingness to share his knowledge. He will be missed ? but the yellow cap and ?Lumox? will bring a smile to our faces. Gregg has been a contributing photographer for BirdNote for many years. You can see some of his extraordinary images on their web site. Here is a direct link: https://www.birdnote.org/contributor/greggthompson Dory & Ray Hamlyn -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jimbetz at jimbetz.com Thu Jan 25 09:12:40 2024 From: jimbetz at jimbetz.com (jimbetz@jimbetz.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow Aster Butte In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240125091240.Horde.3svc__VPw17BhXoe_lAFCkz@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi all, Thanks for all of your responses. Getting answers to stuff like this is what makes these 'lists' so special. - Jim From TRI at seattleu.edu Thu Jan 25 09:46:49 2024 From: TRI at seattleu.edu (Trileigh Tucker) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Timing for nest-box cleaning Message-ID: Hi Tweets, A few days ago I was startled to see two Bewick?s Wrens inspecting their last-year?s nest box?I thought they?d start that investigation much later. The box still contains last year?s nest. Should I clean it out, or let them remodel? My guess is that it?s better to clean it out and replace the existing nest with fresh wood shavings (their substrate last year, which worked well). But I thought I?d check in just in case. Good birding to you, Trileigh Trileigh Tucker, PhD Pelly Valley, West Seattle NaturalPresenceArts.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From danmcdt at gmail.com Thu Jan 25 10:20:26 2024 From: danmcdt at gmail.com (Dan McDougall-Treacy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Timing for nest-box cleaning Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ucd880 at comcast.net Thu Jan 25 10:26:33 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Timing for nest-box cleaning In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <756162057.1572465.1706207193613@connect.xfinity.com> I clean my boxes out after every nesting, as soon as possible. Only exception is if they have already laid more eggs. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/25/2024 9:46 AM PST Trileigh Tucker wrote: > > > > Hi Tweets, > > > > A few days ago I was startled to see two Bewick?s Wrens inspecting their last-year?s nest box?I thought they?d start that investigation much later. The box still contains last year?s nest. Should I clean it out, or let them remodel? > > > > My guess is that it?s better to clean it out and replace the existing nest with fresh wood shavings (their substrate last year, which worked well). But I thought I?d check in just in case. > > > > Good birding to you, > > Trileigh > > > > > > Trileigh Tucker, PhD > > Pelly Valley, West Seattle > > NaturalPresenceArts.com http://naturalpresencearts.com/ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stollea at gmail.com Thu Jan 25 11:02:09 2024 From: stollea at gmail.com (Emily Birchman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Townsend=E2=80=99s_warbler_behavior?= In-Reply-To: <89ED481E-4A44-4C15-A483-479AC8C5B475@comcast.net> References: <89ED481E-4A44-4C15-A483-479AC8C5B475@comcast.net> Message-ID: Thanks everyone for your replies to my question about Townsend's Warblers feeding on the ground and for sharing your observations! I think the other times I've had them in my yard they've always been attracted to the suet feeder. The 3 I saw yesterday were in a totally different part of the yard, far from the feeder. I'm not sure what they were finding there, but it was interesting to watch. sincerely, Emily Birchman On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 at 13:20, Dennis Paulson wrote: > I think I mentioned earlier that both warbler species have been feeding on > my window ledge daily, something I had never seen before. I said seeds, but > now I suppose they were sunflower chips, which of course are also seeds but > without the coat. > > Dennis Paulson > > On Jan 24, 2024, at 12:24 PM, Michael Hobbs > wrote: > > Since the cold snap, we've had a Townsend's and two Yellow-rumped Warblers > feeding on the ground under the feeders in West Seattle. The appear to be > eating the smallest bits of the sunflower chips that fall there. Their > ability to scrounge non-insect meals is probably how they can overwinter > when the other woodwarblers have to fly south. > > - Michael Hobbs > > On Wed, Jan 24, 2024, 10:36 AM Emily Birchman wrote: > >> Hi all, >> I just had the pleasure of observing no less than 3 Townsend?s warblers >> in my backyard! All of them were foraging on the ground, which seemed >> surprising to me. Is this a common behavior for them? We usually get one >> per year in our backyard and I have seen this species enough times and had >> a very clear view so I?m confident in the ID. I just didn?t expect to see >> them there! >> >> Good birding, >> Emily Birchman >> Kenmore, WA - Finn Hill >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 osdlm1945 at gmail.com Thu Jan 25 12:09:07 2024 From: osdlm1945 at gmail.com (Dianna Moore) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Gregg Thompson Message-ID: Hi Tweets...I too would like to pay tribute to Gregg Thompson's legacy. I met Gregg out at Oyhut Wildlife Area while birding with Ruth Sullivan. She sometimes dropped by to get me to accompany her while chasing the fall migration. We ran into Gregg one day and she introduced him to me as "the best nature photographer in the state of Washington". I had just been asked to write a column for the Aberdeen Daily World on the Birds of Grays Harbor so I gathered my courage and asked if I could use his photos with my articles. He told me I was welcome to use them anytime as long as it wasn't for my gain. So began a 12 year "partnership". His photos decided my article subject, as I wanted birds found in Grays Harbor at the time of each column. I still have every one of those columns in a folder. After the newspaper stopped using my column, I still commented to Gregg whenever a photo particularly struck me and many did. He will be missed. Dianna Moore Ocean Shores -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdmarymoor at frontier.com Thu Jan 25 17:24:31 2024 From: birdmarymoor at frontier.com (birdmarymoor) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-01-25 References: <403885051.600741.1706232271794.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <403885051.600741.1706232271794@mail.yahoo.com> Tweets - What a difference a week makes.? Instead of me solo, there were ten of us today.? And the weather was remarkably, notably, delightful with temps 43-50 degrees, no fog, little wind, and no precipitation after dawn; fabulous compared with the dismal weather on the 18th.? It was birdy for a while too, though after the first 1.5 hours, it got notably quiet. Highlights:? ? ?Scaup sp. - Pair WAY out on the lake, too far for ID.? Our first scaup of the year, but leaving it as a slash? ? ?Anna's Hummingbird - Several males perched up and singing today after 2 months of absence or near absence ? ? ?Four woodpecker day - Though both Hairy and Pileated were heard-only (PIWO *may* have been DISTANTLY seen) ? ? ?Black-capped Chickadee - Several singing ? ? ?Bewick's Wren - Several singing ? ? ?Varied Thrush - Heard one or two singing just after 8:00 ? ? ?Song Sparrow - Also singing ? ? ?House Finch - A few heard and a very few flying overhead were our only finches of any kind In contrast to last week's dozens of FOX SPARROWS, today there were probably less than 10. I did a late scan of the lake, hoping to get a better look at the scaup.? No dice there, but I did find at least two RUDDY DUCKS, First of Year (FOY).? We did not have a Ruddy last year. Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Virginia Rail, Ring-billed Gull (at least, none positively ID'd), Cooper's Hawk, Bushtit, and Marsh Wren. For the day, 51 species counting the scaup sp.? = Michael Hobbs= BirdMarymoor@gmail.com= www.marymoor.org.birding.htm? ? ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 05:04:19 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?1000_people_go_to_see=3A_=E2=80=9CNorthern_w?= =?utf-8?q?aterthrush_sighting_in_Essex_still_attracts_large_crowds?= =?utf-8?b?4oCd?= Message-ID: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-67892677 Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 05:07:24 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Uncovering the secrets behind the silent flight of owls | ScienceDaily Message-ID: <1F5EB8C6-7682-4B94-AE8E-52AD4EC5AE56@gmail.com> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240123122156.htm Sent from my iPhone From dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 05:08:22 2024 From: dan.owl.reiff at gmail.com (Dan Reiff) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tiny AI-based bio-loggers revealing the interesting bits of a bird's day | ScienceDaily Message-ID: <9FF2C772-87E9-4A27-8BB0-8177BB1418E0@gmail.com> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240117143815.htm Sent from my iPhone From ldhubbell at comcast.net Fri Jan 26 09:50:26 2024 From: ldhubbell at comcast.net (Hubbell) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch - Winter's Warmth - RBSA Message-ID: <8B6A489C-3277-462B-8631-D9FD7AFD6877@comcast.net> Tweeters, This post focuses on Red-breasted Sapsuckers. During cold gray winter days their fiery color provide a virtual spark of warmth. https://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2024/01/winter-warmth.html Have a great day on Union Bay, where nature lives in the city! Larry Hubbell -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vlmoffatt3 at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 11:16:21 2024 From: vlmoffatt3 at gmail.com (Victoria Moffatt) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birding trip recommendations Message-ID: Greeting all, I am hoping for some help in finding a birding trip for November or December or January 2025 timeframe, for about one to two weeks. I don't have any idea where to go or what to see, preferably somewhere warm. I was thinking Costa Rica but I do not have idea where to start. I am open to any and all suggestions Thank you Victoria -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peggy_busby at yahoo.com Fri Jan 26 11:40:09 2024 From: peggy_busby at yahoo.com (Peggy Mundy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birding trip recommendations In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2140100975.1456444.1706298009126@mail.yahoo.com> I absolutely love Costa Rica!? If you are on facebook, you might look into joining the World Girl Birders group, and the Costa Rica Birding group.? Both are very helpful.? I think hiring a guide is a great idea for Costa Rica, or even going with a group.? There is so much it is easy to get overwhelmed!? Lots of birding tours to Costa Rica. A more budget-friendly option is the Florida Everglades, which you could likely navigate without a guide.? I picked up several lifers when I went there in December 2022. So many choices, have fun!!!! Peggy MundyBothell, WA peggy_busby@yahoo.com@scenebypeggy on Instagram On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 11:17:35 a.m. PST, Victoria Moffatt wrote: Greeting all, ?I am hoping for some help in finding a birding trip for November or December or January 2025 timeframe, for about one to two weeks. I don't?have any idea where to go or what to see, ?preferably somewhere warm.? I was thinking Costa Rica but I do not have idea where to start. I am open to any and all?suggestionsThank you Victoria_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ucd880 at comcast.net Fri Jan 26 11:49:22 2024 From: ucd880 at comcast.net (HAL MICHAEL) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birding trip recommendations In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1173120874.479030.1706298562685@connect.xfinity.com> If you want to go to Costa Rica contact Costa Rica Expeditions. They will help you to get specifically the kind of trip you want, especially of you have some specific ideas for birds or other dights to see. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 01/26/2024 11:16 AM PST Victoria Moffatt wrote: > > > Greeting all, I am hoping for some help in finding a birding trip for November or December or January 2025 timeframe, for about one to two weeks. > > I don't have any idea where to go or what to see, preferably somewhere warm. I was thinking Costa Rica but I do not have idea where to start. > > I am open to any and all suggestions > Thank you Victoria > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rwr.personal at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 12:49:45 2024 From: rwr.personal at gmail.com (Randy Robinson) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birding trip recommendations Message-ID: The book A Bird-Finding Guide to Costa Rica by Barrett Lawson has excellent descriptions of birding sites throughout the country. It's a good way to become familiar with what birds are found where, and has good descriptions of individual birding sites. I think the book is worthwhile to have even if you plan to hire a guide. You can get an idea of what areas appeal to you. The book was published in 2009 so some of the information is bound to be dated. Nonetheless, I think it's a very useful book to have. Randy Robinson Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From baro at pdx.edu Fri Jan 26 12:56:54 2024 From: baro at pdx.edu (Robert O'Brien) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cold weather bird behavior - RCKI's In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Over many years I've seen many kinglets do this, but mostly Golden-crowned. This recent time Bushtits were hopping around in the tall, weedy grass and low shrubs. Not sure I've seen that before. Bob OBrien Portland On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 8:57?PM Scott Ramos wrote: > This past Sunday, it was in the high teens at Magnuson Park and the cold > certainly did seem to modify some bird behavior. As Eric mentioned, > Ruby-crowned Kinglets--at least half the birds I saw--were foraging on the > ground, some walking toward me to the point I could no longer focus my > camera. They only seemed to notice my presence when I attempted to drop to > a lower profile. > RCKI - https://flic.kr/p/2psBtci > Along the Lake Washington shoreline, while overhanging branches were laden > with icicles built from splashing waves, the ground up to about a meter > above the water line was not frozen, unlike the rest of the open areas. As > a result, there were several species that came to feed along the shore that > are normally not seen there. Well, Song Sparrows were abundant as they > always are, but there were also several Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned > Sparrow, even a Bewick's Wren feeding around the pebbles. > The hard freeze over the weekend softened some of the rose hips and a > couple of Spotted Towhee were taking advantage. Normally, no one bothers > with rose hips, they are just too hard. > SPTO - https://flic.kr/p/2psG7tt > There are often many Killdeer along the cobble beach adjacent the Sail > Pavilion in the north end of the park. On Sunday, there were none. Instead > several Killdeer were out in the middle of the grassy sportfields. Why? > These fields were frozen solid. > And, the huge flocks of Short-billed Gulls, sometimes numbering ~200 > birds, that normally cruise the sportsfields looking for worms, were > absent. Why? Because these fields were frozen solid. A few dozen were on > the swim platform but all the others were AWOL. > > Scott Ramos > Seattle > > On Sun, Jan 14, 2024 at 9:41?PM Eric Ellingson > wrote: > >> Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets I've seen are usually quickly going about in >> bushes and trees, sometimes way high up, other times closer to eye level. >> However, even at eye level, they can be difficult birds to get a photo of. >> Also, the scarlet crown is not always seen on the males or if seen just as >> a red flash. >> >> So it was fascinating to see two of these hopping along the ground on the >> trail at Point Whitehorn. They seemed oblivious to us standing in the >> middle of the path. They would come toward us passing by our feet and >> continuing along the path. >> >> The scarlet on the head was very visible but not raised as when agitated. >> This and the behavior of feeding and hopping along on the ground are not >> the norm. My guess about this ground-level feeding is that with the high >> winds and freezing weather (into single digits) their food of insects was >> blown to the ground out of the shrubs and trees they would have been in. >> Who, knows? Also, maybe a way to conserve energy? >> >> Camera in hand, as usual, I could not pass up the opportunity. I took >> many shots and videos of them hopping and foraging. Often they would come >> toward me getting too close for my camera to focus on them. If I had a >> small insect in my hand I'm guessing they would have hopped into my had to >> eat it. >> >> The 29-second video is comprised of some close-ups showing the scarlet >> crown and foraging successes. Watch it here: https://flic.kr/p/2pswNca >> Enjoy. >> >> What unusual behaviors have you seen during this very cold and windy past >> few days? >> >> >> Eric Ellingson >> >> 360-820-6396 >> esellingson@gmail.com >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericellingson/ >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 tcstonefam at gmail.com Fri Jan 26 13:45:33 2024 From: tcstonefam at gmail.com (Tom and Carol Stoner) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Warm January Bird Behavior Message-ID: When I noticed Y-R Warblers darting through the bare branches this morning, I thought fly-catching. I was surprised, but when I checked the temperature it was 47 deg. and the little flies were out. Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From zoramon at mac.com Fri Jan 26 18:45:08 2024 From: zoramon at mac.com (Zora Monster) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] birding trip recommendations In-Reply-To: <1173120874.479030.1706298562685@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1173120874.479030.1706298562685@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jalanwagar at gmail.com Sat Jan 27 09:38:13 2024 From: jalanwagar at gmail.com (Al Wagar) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Link to Shooting Nature Video on the Cheap Message-ID: <95F076CB-3C50-47B7-BE97-A2C5FF773FA0@gmail.com> Hi all, After seeing some online how-to-do-its using expensive and bulky equipment for video, thought it useful to post an inexpensive option. If interested here?s link to a 14-minute video: https://youtu.be/E5GaNoU-6N0 Al Wagar Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jeffborsecnik at msn.com Sat Jan 27 20:16:38 2024 From: jeffborsecnik at msn.com (Jeff Borsecnik) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] The Pantanal travel info Message-ID: Anyone have critter watching/travel experience to share about The Pantanal region in Brazil (and neighboring countries)? Thanks, jeff b, Bellingham -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nreiferb at gmail.com Sun Jan 28 13:22:07 2024 From: nreiferb at gmail.com (Nelson Briefer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Red- breasted sapsucker Message-ID: Red- breasted Sapsucker? Anacortes? Grandview Cemetery. Years ago I witnessed a Brown Creeper going into a crack in this conifer, which is now split and broken off. Nelson Briefer- Anacortes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peggy_busby at yahoo.com Sun Jan 28 13:40:33 2024 From: peggy_busby at yahoo.com (Peggy Mundy) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] towhee bill structure? References: <898678218.2033360.1706478033590.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <898678218.2033360.1706478033590@mail.yahoo.com> Hi Tweets,Today in my backyard I found some bird feathers and a nearby bird skull under one of my Douglas fir trees.? The feathers were in bad shape, but were black with white markings, they appeared to be the remnants of a wing, likely a male spotted towhee.? The skull is bare except for a couple of small, black feathers, it is intact and looks consistent with spotted towhee except the bill is the same light color of the rest of the skull.? So I am wondering if, during decomposition, the pigmented keratin layer separates from the underlying bill skeleton.? I'm guessing these remains fell out of the tree during our recent stormy weather, I can't help but wonder how long they have been up there.? Peggy MundyBothell, WA peggy_busby@yahoo.com@scenebypeggy on Instagram -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From birdbooker at zipcon.net Sun Jan 28 16:46:16 2024 From: birdbooker at zipcon.net (Ian Paulsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] The Birdbooker Report Message-ID: <754c4cbb-587e-30b7-39a5-16dbb1af23e@zipcon.net> HI ALL: I just posted about 5 bird and 4 non-bird books at my blog here. https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2024/01/new-titles.html sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From ednewbold1 at yahoo.com Sun Jan 28 18:09:25 2024 From: ednewbold1 at yahoo.com (Ed Newbold) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Hoping for more people like Ruth Taylor in our world References: <1932482756.1627524.1706494165397.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1932482756.1627524.1706494165397@mail.yahoo.com> Hi all, Back in the early days of the Peregrine project I was always bugging them for photos or opportunities to take them and I was very interested in how the birds were doing. Ruth Taylor's route in those days took her through the Pike Place Market fairly often and on many a slow day we'd talk about Falcons and things and I always learned a lot. Ruth was so wonderful, so dedicated, so knowledgeable and always fun to talk to and I'll always remember calling the hotline and hearing that wonderful voice. Thank you Ruth, the world just needs more people like you. Cheers, Ed Newbold -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From drisseq.n at gmail.com Mon Jan 29 01:55:11 2024 From: drisseq.n at gmail.com (N D) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?A_Bird=E2=80=99s-Eye_View_of_a_Technicolor_W?= =?utf-8?q?orld?= Message-ID: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/science/animals-vision-video.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kloshewoods at outlook.com Mon Jan 29 08:07:30 2024 From: kloshewoods at outlook.com (Jerry Tangren) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] FYI: State Route 17 closures Message-ID: For those who bird Soap Lake... "Part of SR 17 will look much different in mid-February as crews begin a seven-month Slope Stabilization project from mileposts 76-85, trimming and netting the hillside. This project will make travel from Soap Lake to Coulee City safer for everyone. Expect lane and highway closures, including four weekdays that will have a full highway closure. Those have not been scheduled yet. During the first phase, the road will be open for 15 minutes at the start of every hour starting at 8:15am through 5pm Monday through Friday. Please plan ahead and stay alert so you and the road workers can get home safely." Get Outlook for iOS -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avnacrs4birds at outlook.com Mon Jan 29 10:05:02 2024 From: avnacrs4birds at outlook.com (Denis DeSilvis) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Chorus (off topic) Message-ID: Tweeters, In addition to Song Sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees singling, the incredible number of Pacific chorus frogs (or Pacific tree frogs, whichever you think is correct) turned up the nearly deafening "songs" last night in the unseasonably warm weather. This is the earliest we've had this huge number vocalizing from the wetlands around us on the 19 years we've lived here. May all your birds be identified, Denis DeSilvis avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From krothnelson at yahoo.com Mon Jan 29 13:59:00 2024 From: krothnelson at yahoo.com (krothnelson@yahoo.com) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Discover Birds of the PNW with North Cascades Institute! References: <390466061.2601272.1706565540649.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <390466061.2601272.1706565540649@mail.yahoo.com> North Cascades Institute is offering several guided birding adventures in the North Cascades, on the Salish Sea, and online this season to take you where the action is and help you take your birding skills and knowledge to the next level: - The first program is?Bald Eagles of the Skagit Valley?happening this Saturday, February 3rd?(only a few spots left):? - Join naturalist Joe Ord??ez for a journey exploring the Skagit Valley to learn more about bald eagles. Joe has decades of experience observing, photographing and interpreting bald eagles' behavior. We will learn about bald eagle natural history and the critical role of chum salmon runs in sustaining healthy bald eagle populations.? - The?adventure begins at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport and will end in La Conner just in time for the La Conner Birding Festival.? - For last-minute registrations, call 360-854-2599 before 4:00 pm on Friday, February 2nd. - Understanding Bird Biology: An Online 4-part Masterclass Series with David Lukas: - Under the Surface with Bird Bones and Skeletons, Feb 14, 6-7:15 PM - The Wow of Bird Colors, March 13, 6-7:15 pm - Understanding Bird Songs, April 10, 6-7:15 pm - It All Begins in the Nest, May 8, 6-7:15 pm - All of these online classes are online and only $10 each! If you can?t make the specific date or time of an online class you want to take, we will send you a link to view the program on your own time for up to 2 weeks. - Other Upcoming Bird-related Field Excursions: - Columbia Basin Natural History Ramble,?April 20-21 - Birding Bellingham Bay on the Snow Goose,?May 4 - Spring Birding in the Methow Valley,?May 31-June 2 - Learn more about these classes and sign up today at?www.ncascades.org?or call (360) 854-2599.? - Scholarships and discounts?may be available Cheers, Kim Roth Nelson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tcstonefam at gmail.com Mon Jan 29 14:35:26 2024 From: tcstonefam at gmail.com (Tom and Carol Stoner) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Pacific Wren Message-ID: I heard my first singing Pacific Wren today while climbing the hill from Solstice Park. Very happy! Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dougsantoni at gmail.com Mon Jan 29 21:00:44 2024 From: dougsantoni at gmail.com (Doug Santoni) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Need Decoder Ring Message-ID: <69658A6A-A06F-4C42-82F7-0246DD6EE3A2@gmail.com> A recent eBird post about Lesser Goldfinches in Seattle near the Montlake playing fields, included the comment, ?FoY-89 Continuing?. I assume FoY means first of the year, but what does -89 mean? Doug Santoni Seattle DougSantoni at gmail dot com From marvbreece at q.com Tue Jan 30 06:39:24 2024 From: marvbreece at q.com (MARVIN BREECE) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eastern Red-tailed Hawk at 204th,Kent Message-ID: <3IRX3DSO5MU4.C06JGNZ8IEAO@luweb03oc> Each of the past 5 days, there has been an adult Eastern Red-tailed Hawk at 204th St in Kent, west of Frager Rd. I have seen the bird behind and west of the horse track. Also from Frager Rd looking west into the trees. This bird is very white on the front with limited markings. It has a well defined white throat and a red tail. I'll put videos of this bird on Flickr in a day or 2. Last year there was a juvenile Eastern Red-tailed Hawk at this same location, but as far as I know, it was there for only one day. How long the current bird will remain is anyone's guess. By the way, the Northern Red-tailed Hawk continues at M Street in Auburn. I first saw this bird on 11.18.23 and have seen it reliably since, including yesterday ( 1.29.24 ). Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lesmatch at gmail.com Tue Jan 30 08:17:02 2024 From: lesmatch at gmail.com (Leslie Strickland) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird Tour Guide Suggestions - Puerto Vallarta Message-ID: Looking for late February\early March day or overnight birding tour out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Appreciate any guide operator suggestions you may have. Thanks, Leslie Strickland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From o.b.james at verizon.net Tue Jan 30 11:09:39 2024 From: o.b.james at verizon.net (Odette B. James) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swarovski bird-identifying binocs References: <022801da53af$e02208c0$a0661a40$.ref@verizon.net> Message-ID: <022801da53af$e02208c0$a0661a40$@verizon.net> A friend sent me a short article describing the new, very expensive, binocs that use AI to identify birds and mammals. In the article there was a short video advertising the binocs and supposedly showing how wonderful they are. The video showed the binocs misidentifying a squirrel. The pictured squirrel is identified as a Western Gray but probably is a Douglas' Squirrel or perhaps an Eastern Fox Squirrel (introduced to the west and now very common in CA), but no way is it a Western Gray. Anyone who spends a fortune on those binocs had better be prepared to check every ID in a field guide. Amusing that the advertising for the binocs so clearly demonstrates their deficiencies. Odette James -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Tue Jan 30 17:52:35 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Predation question Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, I have a predation question. On Saturday at Briarwood Park I came across a towhee that had been quite eaten on the body, but most feathers left intact. Oddly the head was completely stripped and the brain eaten. No idea if this was a cat or a particular raptor. This was on a grassy area between thick brush and a house. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Back on LI, when we found a songbird with no head, we knew it had been eaten by a particular raptor species, but I can?t remember which one. This was very different, as on LI, the body would be left untouched by the predator. Thanks! Blythe Horman Lynnwood, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Tue Jan 30 18:19:22 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] predation question Message-ID: I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be helpful. I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the fact that some of us might find that disturbing. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Tue Jan 30 21:51:16 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Predation question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Looking at the photos, I?m changing my id to American Robin, due to the absence of white on the breast and stomach, the presence of yellow color on the lower mandible, and legs and feet a uniform gray. Thought I?d add these details in case they suggest a larger predator. Thank you, Blythe Horman Lynnwood, WA On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 5:52?PM Blythe Horman wrote: > Hi Tweeters, > > I have a predation question. > > On Saturday at Briarwood Park I came across a towhee that had been quite > eaten on the body, but most feathers left intact. Oddly the head was > completely stripped and the brain eaten. No idea if this was a cat or a > particular raptor. This was on a grassy area between thick brush and a > house. Any thoughts would be appreciated. > > Back on LI, when we found a songbird with no head, we knew it had been > eaten by a particular raptor species, but I can?t remember which one. This > was very different, as on LI, the body would be left untouched by the > predator. > > > Thanks! > > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood, WA > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bobr3531 at yahoo.com Wed Jan 31 09:18:24 2024 From: bobr3531 at yahoo.com (r r) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birds of a Fiber exhibit at PNQ & FAM References: <9E3C5527-01E9-4577-B6A1-3B31D309CDDF.ref@yahoo.com> Message-ID: <9E3C5527-01E9-4577-B6A1-3B31D309CDDF@yahoo.com> 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 2:30-4pm there 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 206.450.5221 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gjpluth at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 09:54:32 2024 From: gjpluth at gmail.com (Greg) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] predation question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5CB9C688-63FD-42F4-AB4E-7CC3C682B6ED@gmail.com> Blythe - Your description is good even without the pictures. I might consider the possibility that the cause of death is unknown, and that some other critter came across the dead bird and fed on it. I have a strong sense that if it were killed by an accipiter, it would have been carried off for plucking and feeding. I had once noticed a Cooper?s (assumed) grasping a flicker in the open yard outside my condo. It was trying to drag the flicker out of the open to some nearby bushes. Sadly, I flushed the hawk off its prey by positioning myself for photos. The flicker, seemingly unscathed, bolted too. But if it had been killed, would the hawk have come back when I?d gone? Lotsa little mysteries in the natural world! Sent from my iPhone > On Jan 30, 2024, at 6:20 PM, Blythe Horman wrote: > > ?I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be helpful. I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the fact that some of us might find that disturbing. _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From meetings at wos.org Wed Jan 31 11:01:26 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_February_?= =?utf-8?q?5=2C_2024?= Message-ID: <20240131190126.42085.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, February 5, well-known swan biologist, Martha Jordan will present "Washington?s White Birds of Winter - Swans and Snow Geese." Since the late 1970?s, Martha has contributed enormously to understanding the life history of swans and Snow Geese, their biology and what influences their distribution across our state and the Pacific flyway. She wrote the state?s first Trumpeter Swan management plan in 1985, and is a member of WDFW?s Waterfowl Advisory Group. These birds face a changing landscape in migration and on their wintering grounds, and are confronted by habitat issues, avian influenza, swan lead poisoning and more. Martha will detail these challenges to our White Birds of Winter, and what is needed to ensure their future. The 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 sdd.bodhiheart at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 11:17:49 2024 From: sdd.bodhiheart at gmail.com (Ven. Dhammadinna) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] predation question In-Reply-To: <5CB9C688-63FD-42F4-AB4E-7CC3C682B6ED@gmail.com> References: <5CB9C688-63FD-42F4-AB4E-7CC3C682B6ED@gmail.com> Message-ID: In the Birds Connect Seattle training for monitoring dead birds due to window collisions, we are alerted to the fact that crows make meals of window kills. Dhammadinna Seattle On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 9:54?AM Greg wrote: > Blythe - > Your description is good even without the pictures. > I might consider the possibility that the cause of death is unknown, and > that some other critter came across the dead bird and fed on it. I have a > strong sense that if it were killed by an accipiter, it would have been > carried off for plucking and feeding. I had once noticed a Cooper?s > (assumed) grasping a flicker in the open yard outside my condo. It was > trying to drag the flicker out of the open to some nearby bushes. Sadly, I > flushed the hawk off its prey by positioning myself for photos. The > flicker, seemingly unscathed, bolted too. But if it had been killed, would > the hawk have come back when I?d gone? > > Lotsa little mysteries in the natural world! > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Jan 30, 2024, at 6:20 PM, Blythe Horman > wrote: > > > > ?I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be > helpful. I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the > fact that some of us might find that disturbing. > _______________________________________________ > > 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 jemskink at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 14:23:54 2024 From: jemskink at gmail.com (Joan Miller) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birds of a Fiber exhibit at PNQ & FAM Message-ID: 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 rogermoyer1 at hotmail.com Wed Jan 31 17:54:48 2024 From: rogermoyer1 at hotmail.com (Roger Moyer) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Video editor Message-ID: Hi all I am looking for someone to edit a video clip for me. It's of am American Bittern doing his pump call. The audio of his call is there. But it is almost drowned out by a couple geese calling. What I would like is to see if I can remove the geese calling. The bittern is out in the open. It's a great clip. The Bittern looks rather funny doing the call. If someone can assist me. Please email me. Thanks Roger Moyer Chehalis, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 18:38:55 2024 From: blythe.horman at gmail.com (Blythe Horman) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] predation question Message-ID: Thank you Greg and Dhammadinna. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blythe.horman at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 18:48:38 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 Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, Can anyone recommend a good resource for identifying local pupae and their abandoned ?shells?? I saw a particularly unusual (to me) one today attached to an old birch Twin Ponds Park. Although not a great fan of Facebook, if there?s a decent local entomology group, I?d be interested. Otherwise, it was a quiet day there around 4 pm: sleepy mallards that preferred we be elsewhere, and a lone female bufflehead that also was avoiding us and diving for long periods. I wonder why ducks are so wary there, as opposed to, say, Greenlake or the ponds at Shilshole. Thanks! Blythe Horman, Lynnwood -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From markbordenmd at gmail.com Wed Jan 31 17:34:15 2024 From: markbordenmd at gmail.com (Mark Borden) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Identifying Raptor Kills Message-ID: <75CEA02B-C5EB-4C25-8100-7733C01A078A@gmail.com> Dear Blythe/Tweeters, There is certainly a lot of variability when it comes to Raptor kills. In general, though, a bird eating raptor will eat the head first. This is very reliable in the smaller species. I would say very close to 100% of the time a Merlin will eat a bird head first. In Falconry, the biggest problem with the beloved Merlin, is their tendency to ?carry.? The commonest question people ask me as a Falconer is; ?do they bring what they catch back to you?? The answer, to be brief, is ?no.? A Merlin will rarely, if ever, eat on the ground, unless the prey item is large, such as a dove, and they cannot fly it up to a high perch. The best system that a Merlin Falconer can use is to stay back from the Falcon while they pluck and eat the head. The moment they finish eating the head, if the Falconer shows them a desirable, plucked and ready to eat offering they will, with luck and training, carry the remainder of the bird to the falconers glove to finish their meal. Once they start plucking the body, they have a bit of a job ahead of them, and will give up that work in favor of an easier meal. It is the habit of carrying the kill to a safe place that makes hunting smaller quarry with a larger raptor a tricky proposition. It also makes flying an Osprey at Fish very difficult since carrying is required of every capture. When hunting red squirrels with a male Goshawk I thought I was in real trouble once. ?Gozzie Bird? chose to eat the squirrel up in a tall Beech tree. Luckily, he ate the head first and lost control of the body, dropping it down to me. At that point, he was only about half full, and was willing to come to the lure. Had he eaten enough to be full, he would have spent the night out. When hunting ducks with a peregrine, I found an unusual set up shortly after a hard freeze. A pond of about half acre was frozen almost completely, leaving only a small patch of water open. With her nicely overhead I flushed the ducks and she knocked a hen widgeon onto the ice. She promptly killed the duck and began eating the head. The ice was too thin to walk on. My options were limited, and I was worried she would be spending the night out. Luckily, after eating the head and neck, she began plucking the breast. At that point, I was able to swing the lure and she dragged the widgeon across the ice over to the edge of the pond so she could have the easy meal on the lure. Eating the breast was definitely the next item on her agenda, but getting to it is a lot of work? A patch of flicker feathers, deep under the bushes is almost always the product of a Coopers Hawk kill. The accipiters will (jealously/protectively) drag their kill under cover shortly after coming to ground with it. Larger raptors are not so reliable when it comes to eating the head first, but Great Horned Owls almost always eat the head of a rabbit first. If they make the kill in the dawn hours, they will often leave the remainder of the rabbit in the open. Mark Borden MD Coupeville, WA. Sent from my iPhone > On Jan 31, 2024, at 12:08?PM, tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu wrote: > > ?Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to > tweeters@u.washington.edu > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu > > You can reach the person managing the list at > tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Predation question (Blythe Horman) > 2. Re: predation question (Blythe Horman) > 3. Re: Predation question (Blythe Horman) > 4. Birds of a Fiber exhibit at PNQ & FAM (r r) > 5. Re: predation question (Greg) > 6. REMINDER: WOS Monthly Meeting, February 5, 2024 (meetings@wos.org) > 7. Re: predation question (Ven. Dhammadinna) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:52:35 -0800 > From: Blythe Horman > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Predation question > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hi Tweeters, > > I have a predation question. > > On Saturday at Briarwood Park I came across a towhee that had been quite > eaten on the body, but most feathers left intact. Oddly the head was > completely stripped and the brain eaten. No idea if this was a cat or a > particular raptor. This was on a grassy area between thick brush and a > house. Any thoughts would be appreciated. > > Back on LI, when we found a songbird with no head, we knew it had been > eaten by a particular raptor species, but I can?t remember which one. This > was very different, as on LI, the body would be left untouched by the > predator. > > > Thanks! > > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood, WA > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:19:22 -0800 > From: Blythe Horman > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] predation question > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be helpful. > I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the fact > that some of us might find that disturbing. > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2024 21:51:16 -0800 > From: Blythe Horman > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Predation question > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Looking at the photos, I?m changing my id to American Robin, due to the > absence of white on the breast and stomach, the presence of yellow color on > the lower mandible, and legs and feet a uniform gray. Thought I?d add these > details in case they suggest a larger predator. > > Thank you, > Blythe Horman > Lynnwood, WA > >> On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 5:52?PM Blythe Horman >> wrote: >> >> Hi Tweeters, >> >> I have a predation question. >> >> On Saturday at Briarwood Park I came across a towhee that had been quite >> eaten on the body, but most feathers left intact. Oddly the head was >> completely stripped and the brain eaten. No idea if this was a cat or a >> particular raptor. This was on a grassy area between thick brush and a >> house. Any thoughts would be appreciated. >> >> Back on LI, when we found a songbird with no head, we knew it had been >> eaten by a particular raptor species, but I can?t remember which one. This >> was very different, as on LI, the body would be left untouched by the >> predator. >> >> >> Thanks! >> >> Blythe Horman >> Lynnwood, WA >> >> > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:18:24 -0800 > From: r r > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Birds of a Fiber exhibit at PNQ & FAM > Message-ID: <9E3C5527-01E9-4577-B6A1-3B31D309CDDF@yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > 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 2:30-4pm there 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 > 206.450.5221 > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:54:32 -0800 > From: Greg > To: Blythe Horman > Cc: Tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] predation question > Message-ID: <5CB9C688-63FD-42F4-AB4E-7CC3C682B6ED@gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > Blythe - > Your description is good even without the pictures. > I might consider the possibility that the cause of death is unknown, and that some other critter came across the dead bird and fed on it. I have a strong sense that if it were killed by an accipiter, it would have been carried off for plucking and feeding. I had once noticed a Cooper?s (assumed) grasping a flicker in the open yard outside my condo. It was trying to drag the flicker out of the open to some nearby bushes. Sadly, I flushed the hawk off its prey by positioning myself for photos. The flicker, seemingly unscathed, bolted too. But if it had been killed, would the hawk have come back when I?d gone? > > Lotsa little mysteries in the natural world! > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Jan 30, 2024, at 6:20 PM, Blythe Horman wrote: >> >> ?I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be helpful. I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the fact that some of us might find that disturbing. _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:01:26 -0800 > From: > To: Tweeters > Subject: [Tweeters] REMINDER: WOS Monthly Meeting, February 5, 2024 > Message-ID: <20240131190126.42085.qmail@s401.sureserver.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, February 5, well-known swan biologist, Martha Jordan will present "Washington?s White Birds of Winter - Swans and Snow Geese." > > Since the late 1970?s, Martha has contributed enormously to understanding the life history of swans and Snow Geese, their biology and what influences their distribution across our state and the Pacific flyway. She wrote the state?s first Trumpeter Swan management plan in 1985, and is a member of WDFW?s Waterfowl Advisory Group. > > These birds face a changing landscape in migration and on their wintering grounds, and are confronted by habitat issues, avian influenza, swan lead poisoning and more. Martha will detail these challenges to our White Birds of Winter, and what is needed to ensure their future. > > The 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 > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:17:49 -0800 > From: "Ven. Dhammadinna" > To: Greg > Cc: Blythe Horman , Tweeters@u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: [Tweeters] predation question > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > In the Birds Connect Seattle training for monitoring dead birds due to > window collisions, we are alerted to the fact that crows make meals of > window kills. > Dhammadinna > Seattle > >> On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 9:54?AM Greg wrote: >> >> Blythe - >> Your description is good even without the pictures. >> I might consider the possibility that the cause of death is unknown, and >> that some other critter came across the dead bird and fed on it. I have a >> strong sense that if it were killed by an accipiter, it would have been >> carried off for plucking and feeding. I had once noticed a Cooper?s >> (assumed) grasping a flicker in the open yard outside my condo. It was >> trying to drag the flicker out of the open to some nearby bushes. Sadly, I >> flushed the hawk off its prey by positioning myself for photos. The >> flicker, seemingly unscathed, bolted too. But if it had been killed, would >> the hawk have come back when I?d gone? >> >> Lotsa little mysteries in the natural world! >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Jan 30, 2024, at 6:20 PM, Blythe Horman >> wrote: >>> >>> ?I have a few photos I can email anyone interested if that would be >> helpful. I can add a bit more description but wanted to be sensitive to the >> fact that some of us might find that disturbing. >> _______________________________________________ >>> 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: > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > ------------------------------ > > End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 233, Issue 31 > ***************************************** From birdbooker at zipcon.net Wed Jan 31 22:14:34 2024 From: birdbooker at zipcon.net (Ian Paulsen) Date: Fri Mar 22 11:42:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Off subject: help identifying cast-off pupae fragments In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <954c66a-8a1c-c6c-6266-c389851c56a4@zipcon.net> 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/