Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Tweeters List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, November 6 at 10:14 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Ruffed Grouse,©Chris Kerrigan

7 Nov Wood Ducks return to NSCC [edel shine ] 6 Nov Cameno Island [Steve Pink ] 6 Nov 3 Amazona parrots in Shoreline [] 7 Nov Rough-legged Hawk at Ridgefield [] 6 Nov Book by Connie Sidles is out [A Mackenzie ] 6 Nov Update: Western not Clark's Grebe on MacIntosh ["Paul Hicks" ] 6 Nov BRC seeking Bald Eagle photo [Clare McLean ] 5 Nov Clark's Grebe reported in MacIntosh Lk ["Paul Hicks" ] 5 Nov NEW PHOTOS UP FROM LAST WEEKEND ["Ruth Sullivan" ] 5 Nov Lake Sammamish State Park, Issaquah WA - 75 Western Grebes; 1 Northern Shrike (brown 1st year bird); Pileated Woodpecker feeding on apples [Sharon Cormier-Aagaard ] 5 Nov 8 Greater Yellowlegs on Nov 2 at Turnbull WLR, Spokane County [Sharon Cormier-Aagaard ] 05 Nov Marymoor Park Report (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2009-11-05 ["Michael Hobbs" ] 5 Nov Yellow-headed Blackbird still as Nisqually [Gary Wiles ] 5 Nov Sorry ["Sherry Hagen" ] 5 Nov Black-tailed Gull Directions? ["Sherry Hagen" ] 5 Nov Nisqually NWR 11/04/09 [] 5 Nov Black-tailed Gull continues [John Puschock ] 4 Nov Cinnamon teal and Northern Pintail at Arboretum; Pileated Woodpecker overflight at the Fill [Kevin Purcell ] 4 Nov Halloween birding: The search for spooky owls, holy grouse, and angelic snowbirds [Khanh Tran ] 4 Nov Re: Missing Migrants [Hans-Joachim Feddern ] 4 Nov Swan arrival [Demarie Wood ] 4 Nov Re: Missing Migrants [Connie Sidles ] 4 Nov Re: HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park [Dennis Paulson ] 4 Nov Missing Migrants [David Hutchinson ] 4 Nov Montlake Fill birds this morning, including Northern Shrike [Evan Houston ] 4 Nov Hawk ID question/dark buteos ["Bud Anderson" ] 3 Nov Re: Ridgefield NWR - Osprey, Duskies, etc. [Scott Carpenter ] 03 Nov Photos from Edmonds waterfront yesterday. [Kevin Mack ] 3 Nov Ridgefield NWR - Osprey, Duskies, etc. [Scott Carpenter ] 4 Nov Satsop CBC - Dec. 28 [] 3 Nov Re; Fox Island report ["Hugh Jennings" ] 3 Nov Some recent bird photos ["Wayne Weber" ] 3 Nov Some recent bird photos ["Wayne Weber" ] 3 Nov Re: HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park ["B&PBell" ] 4 Nov HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park [] 3 Nov RE: bird chases/tapes ["Rob Sandelin" ] 3 Nov Fox Island to Key Peninsula ["Hugh Jennings" ] 3 Nov BLACK-TAILED GULL - Yes! [Hans-Joachim Feddern ] 3 Nov Re: bird chases/tapes [Kathy Andrich ] 3 Nov RE: Common Tern migration ["Eugene and Nancy Hunn" ] 3 Nov Re: bird chases/tapes [Connie Sidles ] 3 Nov Re: bird chases/tapes [Christine Southwick ] 3 Nov Re: Mystery hawk eating Snow Goose [] 02 Nov : Edmonds waterfront today [Kevin Mack ] 2 Nov Common Tern migration ["Wayne Weber" ] 2 Nov Correction on Log Boom Turnstones ["Zuckerbond" ] 2 Nov hawk id question--brief sighting [Doreen Gillespie ] 2 Nov bird chases/tapes ["Megan Lyden" ] 2 Nov Video recorder for recording different postures ["JERRY D AND MARCENE D'ADDIO" ] 2 Nov Mystery hawk eating Snow Goose [Richard Isherwood ] 2 Nov cinnamon teal at Arboretum [mark girling ] 2 Nov Everett Eider id flub ["jeff gibson" ] 2 Nov Everett Eider ["jeff gibson" ] 02 Nov Black Oystercatchers [] 2 Nov Re: Montlake Fill - Pied-billed Grebe and fishnetting [Kathy Andrich ] 02 Nov Skagit flats yesterday 11/1/09 ["Bob Kothenbeutel" ] 2 Nov E WA Raptors ["Weltzin, Janis" ] 2 Nov 2009.11 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper [travel girl ] 2 Nov american tree sparrows everywhere (inc. wylie slough), northern shrike, turkeys skagit county [dave templeton ] 2 Nov Nisqually Area, YHBB etc. [bill shelmerdine ] 2 Nov Orchard Oriole and Chestnut-collared Longspur Feeding Behavior [] 1 Nov Black-tailed Gull & Hoquiam, 11/1 [Michael Woodruff ] 1 Nov Marymoore Park American Tree Sparrow ["Doug Parrott" ] 1 Nov Black-tailed Gull -- thanks! [Mark Egger ] 01 Nov Montlake Fill - Pied-billed Grebe and fishnetting [lizalt1 ] 1 Nov Olympia Clark's Grebe & LT Duck ["Zuckerbond" ] 2 Nov Black-tailed Gull and Hoquiam [] 1 Nov BT Gull 11/1 ["Peter H Wimberger" ] 1 Nov A white headed woodpecker eludes a hawk ["Rob Sandelin" ] 1 Nov American Tree Sparrow continues at Marymore [Steve Pink ] 1 Nov Kittitas County & Sentinel Bluffs 11-01-09 ["Scott Downes" ] 1 Nov Rusty Blackbird Sno Co. ["Marv Breece" ] 1 Nov Eurasian Collared-Doves in Ephrata and other sightings ["Rachel" ] 1 Nov WOS Spokane County Big Day field trip report, Nov. 1 ["Tim O'Brien" ] 1 Nov FW: WOS membership program Monday, Nov. 2 ["Eugene and Nancy Hunn" ] 1 Nov Snoqualmie Valley Geese [] Subject: Wood Ducks return to NSCC From: edel shine <edelmshine AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 04:14:23 +0000 I was thrilled to witness the return of the Wood Ducks to the NSCC campus pond today. I made my way to the pond after a heavy lightning and thurnder and hail storm, walking on the white hail covered grass - moving towards the pond slowly. There were 11 male Wood Ducks and I only saw 3 females. They showed no fear of me as I stood silently watching in the birght sun. Mixed in with the Wood Ducks were a pair of Gadwals, some Mallards, 2 pair of Ring Necked Ducks, 2 pair of Buffleheads and an American Wigdeon pair. It was a wonderful sight. Edel Shine Reporting for NSCC Campus _________________________________________________________________ Windows 7: Unclutter your desktop. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9690331&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Cameno Island From: Steve Pink <pirangas AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:31:59 -0800 Hi, Marv Breece and I birded today from Edmonds to Utsalady Bay, Cameno island. Highlights included a very late Parasitic Jaeger, Clark's Grebe amongst many birds in Utsalady bay. The jaeger was in hot pursuit of Bony Gulls. Also present were several Eared Grebes. Could not relocate the Rusty Blackbird in the Stilly Valley. Cheers and good birding Steve Steve Pink Edmonds, WA mailto: pirangas AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Find the right PC with Windows 7 and Windows Live. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/pc-scout/laptop-set-criteria.aspx?cbid=wl&filt=200,2400,10,19,1,3,1,7,50,650,2,12,0,1000&cat=1,2,3,4,5,6&brands=5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16&addf=4,5,9&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen2:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: 3 Amazona parrots in Shoreline From: thass AT myuw.net Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:47:08 -0800 (PST) My wife, Katie, spotted three Amazona-type parrots eating berries around 175th and 22nd NE in Shoreline this afternoon. I saw them too, and confirmed that they were not the Mapleleaf/Seward Park conures (genus Aratinga) of a few years back. We'd be interested in hearing about any other observations of these larger parrots if folks see them. Thanks. Todd Hass Lake Forest Park thass AT u.washington.edu _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Rough-legged Hawk at Ridgefield From: gneavoll AT comcast.net Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:40:44 +0000 (UTC) ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (FOS) at Ridgefield NWR around 12:30 p.m. today (11/6/09). Light-morph ad. male type hovering, hunting between Markers 11 and 12. George Neavoll S.W. Portland _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Book by Connie Sidles is out From: A Mackenzie <alexam AT u.washington.edu> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:54:32 -0800 (PST) Many of you have enjoyed posts over the years from Connie Sidles, who practically lives at the Montlake Fill (AKA Union Bay Natural Area in Seattle). I hope many of you will also enjoy her new book, "In My Nature: A Birder's Year at the Montlake Fill", which is now available. The 32 essays in this book are even more delightful, moving, and engaging as Connie's posts here. Copies are available at Seattle Audubon Nature Shop (8050 35th Ave NE Seattle 98115; 206-523-4483) and from the publisher web site (www.constancypress.com). I hope this is an acceptable topic to post here -- though I did provide illustrations for the book, I have no financial interest in its sale. In addition to the essays and the illustrations, there are some truly amazing and beautiful photographs, as well as several poetic pieces, contributed by some of the many talented folks who love the Fill. Plus it has a map, a brief history, and a list of all the bird species sighted there. Enjoy, Alex MacKenzie Seattle alexam AT u.washington.edu _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Update: Western not Clark's Grebe on MacIntosh From: "Paul Hicks" <phicks AT accessgrace.org> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:20:30 -0800 Tweets, This morning between squalls I had a chance to check MacIntosh Lk for the reported Clark's Grebe. Turns out it's a Western. Sorry for the false alarm. --Paul Hicks / Tenino, s. Thurston Co / phicks AT accessgrace.org _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: BRC seeking Bald Eagle photo From: Clare McLean <clareishere AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:12:12 -0800 I'm passing along from a photographer's listserve I receive: From: "Cara Ellen Modisett, BRC Editor" Date: November 6, 2009 6:59:24 AM PSTSubject: BRC Seeking Bald Eagle Photo Hello all! We are seeking an eagle photo for our next issue - looking specifically for a shot of a bald eagle in flight, horizontal, clean blue background, shot in our region (ideally along Blue Ridge Parkway or in southwest Virginia or western North Carolina). Would need to be digital, very high resolution, reproduced up to 8.5 x 17" at 300 dpi (two-page spread). Our coverage area is outlined here: http://www.blueridgecountry.com/business/blue-ridge-country-region-boundaries.html Thanks as always - Cara -- Cara Ellen Modisett, Editor Blue Ridge Country magazine Tweeting at AT brceditor and AT brcmagazine Blogging at http://www.blueridgecountry.com/blogs/ridgelines Blue Ridge Country is on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeCountry Clare McLean clareishere AT hotmail.com Seattle, WA _________________________________________________________________ Bing brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MFESRP&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MFESRP_Local_MapsMenu_Resturants_1x1 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Clark's Grebe reported in MacIntosh Lk From: "Paul Hicks" <phicks AT accessgrace.org> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:19:33 -0800 Tweets, Thur am while looking for the Clark's Grebe in Capitol Lake's south end (which I did not find nor on Sunday afternoon) a birder told me a Clark's Grebe had been present yesterday and the week prior on MacIntosh Lake. Location is about 4 miles E of Tenino via SR507, the first left-hand turn beyond the "S" curves. It can be viewed from a paved walking trail that crosses the road (Military) with parking/access immediately on the left. I hope to check it out Friday morning. Good birding! --Paul Hicks / Tenino, s. Thurston Co / phicks AT accessgrace.org _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: NEW PHOTOS UP FROM LAST WEEKEND From: "Ruth Sullivan" <godwit513 AT msn.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:15:22 -0800 Hello Tweeters Last weekend I spent some time in Commencement bay to get some flight photos of the Black-tailed Gull,On NOVEMBER FIRST I spend some time at Bowerman Basin were I photographed the Clay Colored Sparrow on the fence. One of the photos shows signs of a juvenile bird. It was looking different. Palm Warbler was photographed by a building on a pile of wood http://www.pbase.com/godwit/recent_photos Cheers Ruth Sullivan _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Lake Sammamish State Park, Issaquah WA - 75 Western Grebes; 1 Northern Shrike (brown 1st year bird); Pileated Woodpecker feeding on apples From: Sharon Cormier-Aagaard <scormieraa001 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:47:31 -0800 Location: Lake Sammamish State Park Observation date: 11/4/09 Number of species: 46 Notes: This was an Eastside Audubon trip, 6 participants, 2 co-leaders (Stan Wood and Sharon Aagaard). Weather was sunny, with blue skies, no wind, 42-55 degrees. We walked approx. 3 miles from 8 am to noon. Forty-three out of 46 species seen were the usual birds for this time of year. Of note, we scoped a large group of 75 Western Grebes. The Northern Shrike (a brown, 1st year bird) was actively feeding out in the middle of the meadow (directly south of the east-most beach on a trail that takes you along the west side of Issaquah Creek). On the fringe of that same meadow, it was neat to watch a male Pileated perched in an apple tree and feeding on red apples (sharing the tree with 3 Steller's Jays)! Sharon Aagaard Bellevue, WA scormieraa001 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: 8 Greater Yellowlegs on Nov 2 at Turnbull WLR, Spokane County From: Sharon Cormier-Aagaard <scormieraa001 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:23:00 -0800 Hi Tweets..... The day after a great WOS field trip in eastern Washington (Tim O'Brien's Spokane County Big Day on Nov 1), we returned to Turnbull WLR and found 8 Greater Yellowlegs in a shallow pond at the end of the car loop....had good, long looks at 7 preening and sleeping out on the rocks, with one actively feeding nearby. Sharon Aagaard Bellevue WA scormieraa001 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Bing brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MFESRP&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MFESRP_Local_MapsMenu_Resturants_1x1 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Marymoor Park Report (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2009-11-05 From: "Michael Hobbs" <birdmarymoor AT verizon.net> Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:53:58 -0800 Tweets - weird weather was the most notable thing this morning. It was overcast to start, and fairly warm. Just before 8:00, we had ten seconds of dramatic sunlight streaming down on the last of the beautiful fall foliage, but with deep, dark clouds in the background. We had moments of sprinkles, but the rain held off until 11:00. Between 8:00 and 10:00, we were periodically hit by puffs of incredibly warm air, occasional puffs of cold air, and sometimes both within seconds. The wind picked up gradually, though it faded about when the rain started, thankfully. A lot of the birds might have been battening down the hatches, I don't know. Things were pretty quiet for a long time. We did have a huge set of flocks (~500) CACKLING GEESE overhead, with some landing. And later we had an enormous mixed flock of BUSHTIT, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, one or two CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and a couple of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and BEWICK'S WRENS. That flock, or other(s) with identical constituents, seemed to follow us around (or we them) for quite some time. Highlights: Gr. Wh.-fronted Goose 2 with Cacklers near the climbing rock Cackling Goose ~500, including non-minima subspecies Band-tailed Pigeon Flock of 14 - unusual for November Barn Owl Matt & Scott had several sightings early Northern Shrike Prominent in East Meadow Winter Wren Singing east of weir Varied Thrush First of Fall - landed in large cottonwood Mallard was our only species of duck! (Though there were a couple of flybys that might have been Northern Shoveler and Common Goldeneye respectively). We had none of the recent "good" birds - Horned Lark, White-throated Sparrow, or American Tree Sparrow - all seen in the last week. For mammals, besides the usual Eastern Cottontail and Eastern Gray Squirrel, we had a Raccoon asleep in a tree near Dog Central, and a dead Townsend's Mole near the windmill. For the day, 52 species. == Michael Hobbs == Kirkland, WA == http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm == http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm == birdmarymoor AT verizon.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Yellow-headed Blackbird still as Nisqually From: Gary Wiles <wilesharkey AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 12:46:30 -0800 (PST) Tweeters, This morning, I went looking for the Yellow-headed Blackbird at Nisqually (Thurston County) that Bill Shelmerdine saw on Sunday, November 1. It was still present in the same pumpkin field at 8:15 with presumably the same flock of 400-500 Red-winged Blackbirds, Starlings, and Brewer's Blackbirds. The field is located on the south side of I-5 on the Nisqually Cut-Off Road just across from the freeway exit. It's full of broken up pumpkins, against which the yellow coloration of the male Yellow-headed BB blends in quite well. Gary Wiles Olympia, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Sorry From: "Sherry Hagen" <littlebirder AT pacifier.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:40:53 -0800 I just saw John Puschock's message and checked it for directions to the Black-tailed Gull. Sherry Hagen Vancouver, WA littlebirder AT pacifier.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black-tailed Gull Directions? From: "Sherry Hagen" <littlebirder AT pacifier.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:35:05 -0800 Could someone send the instructions on how to find the place for the Black-tailed Gull. I saved all the emails but don't really see the complete information on any of the ones I have.... just in case we get a chance this weekend to try to see it. Thanks Sherry Hagen Vancouver, WA littlebirder AT pacifier.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Nisqually NWR 11/04/09 From: Scrubjay323 AT aol.com Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:41:27 EST Tweets, Yesterday 12 of us enjoyed a noisy walk at Nisqually as workers rushed to out the finishing touches on the construction project in time for the dedication ceremony next week. We also could not get to the Nisqually River Overlook due to construction. While there was a lot of noise not much of it was the birdy kind. Still it was a pretty good day. Highlights included a PEREGRINE FALCON and great looks at a PILIATED WOODPECKER. The PEREGRINE FALCON was perched in the Doug Fir behind the visitor center and made several short flights out over the refuge. Quite a sight watching it take off. We saw the PILIATED WOODPECKER twice during the loop. Our first view was from the Freshwater Wetland Overlook where it worked over a snag inside the pond along with a FLICKER. Later we got even better looks as it worked on a snag on the Nisqually River side. Passerines were scarce as were waterfowl. We did see one small mixed flock near the parking lot that contained bot KINGLETS and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE. We saw several WRENS but only SONG and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. For the morning we saw 31 species. I was back later in the day and added GREAT BLUE HERON and RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER to the list for a total of 33 species for the day. Mammals seen were 4 BLACKTAILED DEER in the orchard and a 3 point buck inside the boardwalk and EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL. In the afternoon I saw a RED-EARED SLIDER in the pond behind the visitor center and a GARTER SNAKE at the start of the boardwalk. Until next week...... Phil Kelley scrubjay323 AT aol.com Lacey, WA 360-459-1499 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black-tailed Gull continues From: John Puschock <g_g_allin AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 09:26:06 +0000 Howdy, The Commencement Bay Black-tailed Gull was at the usual spot yesterday (11/4/09) around 2 PM. Other birds present included 50+ Barrow's Goldeneyes, one Red-necked Grebe, and one Pelagic Cormorant. Since I posted about my photos, I've had several requests for directions to the site, so I put them on my new blog at http://zbirdtours.com/blog for anyone still needing them. (Yes, yet another blog! I apologize for that.) John Puschock Wedgwood, Seattle g_g_allin AT hotmail.com http://www.zbirdtours.com & http://www.birdtreks.com _________________________________________________________________ Find the right PC with Windows 7 and Windows Live. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/pc-scout/laptop-set-criteria.aspx?cbid=wl&filt=200,2400,10,19,1,3,1,7,50,650,2,12,0,1000&cat=1,2,3,4,5,6&brands=5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16&addf=4,5,9&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen2:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Cinnamon teal and Northern Pintail at Arboretum; Pileated Woodpecker overflight at the Fill From: Kevin Purcell <kevinpurcell AT pobox.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 19:36:28 -0800 I was at the Arboretum today with Ed Siegel and we found both male and female Cinnamon teal pair at Arboretum (in amongst the many other ducks). I presume the that Mark Girling saw earlier in the week. We also saw two Northern Pintail at the Arboretum which initially I took to be male and female. In a scope one bird was was missing his "pintail" with a small "V" showing between the other tail feathers. He had the usual breeding plumage fieldmarks so he was a male. The other which I initially took to be a "dull bird probably a female" actually had a pin-tail when shown dabbling (not just a sharp point) so I presume now that was partially breeding plumage and partially eclipse male. Any ideas on the lack of the pintail? Slow to grow? Or just loss of the tail feathers? On the Fill we also saw a Pileated Woodpeaker overflight when standing by the Central Pond admiring the birds Evan reported earlier in the day. A very brief not very satisfying view of a large dark bird with white flashes on the wing with woodpeckersish flight and bird calling like a Pileated Woodpeaker. It disappeared twice behind a couple of trees/bushs but I think it landed on the Fill (went behind one tree and didn't appear). A Fill first for me. I also noticed ten American Crows out on the "barrier island" where the Cormorants sit. At least one of them was walking around with a dark shellfish (a Muscle?) in its beak at one point. I guess they're feeding out there. Not seen Crows feeding there before but I guess the water is low enough to give them access. Lots of waterfowl species seen at both locations including single elusive Western Grebes, Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Hooded Merganser, Buffleheads, Northern Shoveler, Pied-billed Grebe and not that many Mallards. And American Coots being tag-team hunted by the two local Bald Eagles just off the Fill. This is the second time I've seen this method of hunting this season from those birds: first harassing them into a circle by orbiting them then two birds swooping alternately or together to try to take a bird. Fall is certainly here. On Nov 2, 2009, at 4:46 PM, mark girling wrote: > Nice diversity at the the arboretum by the broadmoor entrance. > Amongst a flock of green winged teal is one cinnamon teal.Northern > shoveler, hooded merganser.buffleheads, > mallards,gadwall and pied billed grebe. -- Kevin Purcell Seattle, WA kevinpurcell AT pobox.com twitter: AT kevinpurcell _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Halloween birding: The search for spooky owls, holy grouse, and angelic snowbirds From: Khanh Tran <fsprucegrouse AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:58:26 -0800 (PST) Hi Tweets, Sorry for the delay. My work and tennis schedule has gotten a bit busy.. Anyhow, here it is... Sorry that some of my photos are a bit grainy from transferring them to pBASE (since the server crash, things have not been the same). Some of my images remind me of Bev Dolittle paintings. It was definitely not intentional. I am so in the moment just trying to capture the bird without them flying or scurrying away. ************************************************************************** This Halloween, Chris Stearns and I decided to bird Hart's Pass one last time before the heavy snow hits. On Friday night, we started out well and clearly heard one BOREAL OWL close to Clover Flats CG near Athanum Meadows in Yakima County. It was a bit frustrating to not see the reclusive owl as it was literally 15 feet above the car. That's the way it goes. It was my 15th owl species for the year for WA so I will take it!! Lower down at around 5800 ft, we heard another faint skiew near the Eagle's Nest CG. Before dusk, we stumbled on a male SPRUCE GROUSE along one of the closed logging road not far from the Grey Rock Trailhead. I understand this is a tough bird to get for Yakima County. Other than that quiet. On Saturday, we proceed to Hart's Pass. We had to hike the last mile to reach the summit due to 3 feet of packed snow. Conditions were cold with poor visibility and 10 degrees temps. Weeks prior, I had found a gorgeous male ptarmigan that was about 99.7% white with some black freckles. In my eyes, it was close but no cigar. Not satisfied, I wanted another attempt of finding a pure white bird! As we approached the summit, 25-30 MPH winds were unforgiving and ground was icy. I usually don't give up but decided to abort Operation Holy Grouse. To drive almost 400 miles and not have a chance to search was very disappointing. Earlier in the morning, we were successfully seeing other nice birds so our spirits were not entirely dampered. We saw up to 50 PINE GROSBEAKS, a nice flock of roughly 150 GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES, a dozen WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS, and singlets of NORTHERN SHRIKE and SNOW BUNTING. As we descended down about 2.5 miles from Slate Peak, heading towards the Meadows CG, my mind started to wander. What the heck do these birds eat when the food source is frozen or buried?? Hmmm.. I then saw a good patch of dwarf willows and my grouse instincts kicked in. I instructed Chris to back up and let's try here! Chris slowly backs up the rig about 3O feet as I hesitantly got my gear ready to face the harsh conditions outside. About to get out from the car, I see one white dove-like bird in the snow from the corner of my eyes. It was about 40 feet from the car. What the heck?? All I can see are the large black eyes and dark beak. Later another one appeared and more popped out. I need to have my eyes check and help with my id. Later the next day, while attending to some squeaky problems with our car seat near Meadows CG, I looked about 100 yards away and a NORTHERN HAWK OWL flew in from nowhere and was in hot pursuit of a prey. Moments later, it was joined by an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK that kept skybombing it. We heard both birds vocalize. Way cool... What a special TREAT. It was very exciting and emotional seeing the winter plumaged ptarmigans near an open road in WA!! These birds can scoot and scurry quite fast. I was surprised how fast they can run rather than fly. I finally feel that I have a better knowledge and understanding of their behavior and habits. All the persistence and hard work paid off. The birds were probably forced down by the strong winds and descented almost 800 ft from their usual haunts. I suspect they will come down lower in the next few weeks where there are exposed vegetation for food and cover. We saw them the second day under less windy and sunnier conditions. This time, the birds had ascended up higher (almost near the highest ridge) us to use the stunted firs for shelter. They were roosting near them. I also witnessed and videoed a male white-tailed eating larch needles for food. It is probably a Washington FIRST for documenting these exquisite,white plumaged birds on an open road. It was more exciting than seeing two Northern Hawk Owls in one trip at two different locations. Grouse are often not given enough attention from birders and are overlooked or missed. They are really fascinating birds to study and photographed. Also, their complex beautiful plumages and entertaining breeding displays are a hoot to watch. I am NO expert with these group of birds. The last 3 years has been extremely fun and rewarding to learn, discover and appreciate these fancy chickens. I was one of my best Halloween treats ever!! Don't always keep your eyes and ears skyward, look down at times. You may find some thing cool as well:) **************************PHOTOS:********************** http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/snowbirds_in_autumn&page=all Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon) www.ktbirding.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: Missing Migrants From: Hans-Joachim Feddern <thefedderns AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 15:54:24 -0700 David, Tweeters, I posted a note re Bonaparte's Gulls at Browns Point last week. Looking for the Black-tailed Gull yesterday, we had quite a few Bonaparte's on the log boom. Fortunately they are smaller than the target bird and lighter in the mantle, making it easier to sort through them. Hans Feddern Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA. On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 1:20 PM, David Hutchinson wrote: > It was good to read Wayne's sensible post re: fall migration of seabirds > on Puget Sound and the contiguous BC inner coast. We have all noticed the > decline in Common Terns, so hopefully their movements are elsewhere. Same > for the scattering of Franklin's Gulls that we used to get, mostly in Sept > and Oct. On the Bonaparte's front, it is clear that while they may not be > visiting some of their old haunts in the Sound, they are still present > around Bainbridge and Whidbey. At a recent Pacific Seabird Group meeting I > asked a Bonaparte expert, Michael Gochfeld if he knew anything about a > decline in this lovely gull and he thought there was no current loss in > numbers. Guess I"m just a frustrated sea-watcher. However, left out in the > interesting discussions on marine bird declines locally, is the impact of > Double-Crested Cormorants which are sieving the local waters in > > > -- > David Hutchinson, Owner > Flora & Fauna: Nature Books > Discovery Gardens: Native Plants > 3212 W.Government Way > Seattle,WA.98199 > http://www.ffbooks.net/ > 206-623-4727 > > > > ------------------------------ > Find the right PC with Windows 7 and Windows Live. Learn more. > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters AT u.washington.edu > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > >_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Swan arrival From: Demarie Wood <maknati AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 14:14:47 -0800 My husband just came in and said that three swans just landed in the upper pond. They were calling and made a beeline to the eastern end of the pond. He thinks there may already be other swans on the pond also due to the landing pattern of these 3 swans. Demarie Wood Port Angeles, WA maknati AT hotmail.com "Things are never so bad but they could be worse." Grandfather winter 1904 Working as a Teacher for Dr. Sheldon Jackson Ikogmute (Russian Mission), AK _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: Missing Migrants From: Connie Sidles <constancesidles AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:51:52 -0800 Hey tweets, Bonaparte's Gulls used to be a fall fixture at the Fill, when the log boom out in the lake gave them a place to gather. The recent emergence of several mud islands seems to be providing the same attraction, at least to some extent. I haven't seen Bonaparte's Gulls in years, but this year I and other birders have seen several appearances of them - in small numbers, it's true, but at least present. Four were there on Oct. 31, for example. Maybe they'll spread the word and others will show up. - Connie On Nov 4, 2009, at 12:20 PM, David Hutchinson wrote: > It was good to read Wayne's sensible post re: fall migration of > seabirds on Puget Sound and the contiguous BC inner coast. We have > all noticed the decline in Common Terns, so hopefully their > movements are elsewhere. Same for the scattering of Franklin's Gulls > that we used to get, mostly in Sept and Oct. On the Bonaparte's > front, it is clear that while they may not be visiting some of their > old haunts in the Sound, they are still present around Bainbridge > and Whidbey. At a recent Pacific Seabird Group meeting I asked a > Bonaparte expert, Michael Gochfeld if he knew anything about a > decline in this lovely gull and he thought there was no current loss > in numbers. Guess I"m just a frustrated sea-watcher. However, left > out in the interesting discussions on marine bird declines locally, > is the impact of Double-Crested Cormorants which are sieving the > local waters in > > > -- > David Hutchinson, Owner > Flora & Fauna: Nature Books > Discovery Gardens: Native Plants > 3212 W.Government Way > Seattle,WA.98199 > http://www.ffbooks.net/ > 206-623-4727 > > > > Find the right PC with Windows 7 and Windows Live. Learn more. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters AT u.washington.edu > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park From: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:37:00 -0800 John, I don't know if someone else has already responded, as I get tweeters in digest form, so I'm always behind the curve. But your bird is either an Arctic (arcticola) or Cascades (alpina) Horned Lark, I would say. Probably more likely the former, which is a bit paler. Presumably a female, and there is a lot more sexual dimorphism in Horned Larks than most people realize. The great majority of photos and illustrations we see are of males. It's not the coastal subspecies strigata or the interior subspecies merrilli and lamprochroma. The first two are washed with yellow below, especially so in strigata, and all are darker above; strigata is also much more reddish. Dennis On Nov 4, 2009, at 12:00 PM, tweeters- request AT mailman2.u.washington.edu wrote: > Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 01:41:53 +0000 (UTC) > From: johntubbs AT comcast.net > Subject: [Tweeters] HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park > To: tweeters AT u.washington.edu > > Hi everyone, > > I made a brief stop this afternoon at the Marymoor dirt piles to > look for the American Tree Sparrow - unsuccessfully. In keeping > with that part of the park's reputation, there were a lot of > sparrows moving around, and I got very nice looks at a White- > throated Sparrow (plus Lincoln's, White-crowned, Golden-crowned and > Song). The most interesting bird, however, was a HORNED LARK > (HOLA) that was picking grit immediately to the north of the dirt > piles. I wasn't initially 100% sure that it was a HOLA because it > definitely did not look like the prototypical adult bird of the > species. Specifically, it lacked any yellow wash on the throat, > had some streaking on the belly (rather than white), was distinctly > striped and marked on the back versus the faint/flat typical > plumage, and lacked the "horns". The size, posture, bill and head > markings fit HOLA, however. I sent the images to Michael Hobbs who > confirmed HOLA. Neither Michael or I are well-versed in variations > of HOL! > A plumage, however it may be a hatch-year bird and possibly of the > arctic subspecies, which apparently lacks the yellow wash. A link > to the first of two passable images I took of the bird follows > (click Next to see the second one) - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=9328570&cat=38987 > . Hopefully one of the experts monitoring the list will be able > to provide some info on this species' plumage variations. > > John Tubbs > > Snoqualmie, WA ----- Dennis Paulson 1724 NE 98 St. Seattle, WA 98115 206-528-1382 dennispaulson AT comcast.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Missing Migrants From: David Hutchinson <flora.fauna AT live.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:20:59 -0800 It was good to read Wayne's sensible post re: fall migration of seabirds on Puget Sound and the contiguous BC inner coast. We have all noticed the decline in Common Terns, so hopefully their movements are elsewhere. Same for the scattering of Franklin's Gulls that we used to get, mostly in Sept and Oct. On the Bonaparte's front, it is clear that while they may not be visiting some of their old haunts in the Sound, they are still present around Bainbridge and Whidbey. At a recent Pacific Seabird Group meeting I asked a Bonaparte expert, Michael Gochfeld if he knew anything about a decline in this lovely gull and he thought there was no current loss in numbers. Guess I"m just a frustrated sea-watcher. However, left out in the interesting discussions on marine bird declines locally, is the impact of Double-Crested Cormorants which are sieving the local waters in -- David Hutchinson, Owner Flora & Fauna: Nature Books Discovery Gardens: Native Plants 3212 W.Government Way Seattle,WA.98199 http://www.ffbooks.net/ 206-623-4727 _________________________________________________________________ Find the right PC with Windows 7 and Windows Live. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/pc-scout/laptop-set-criteria.aspx?cbid=wl&filt=200,2400,10,19,1,3,1,7,50,650,2,12,0,1000&cat=1,2,3,4,5,6&brands=5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16&addf=4,5,9&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen2:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Montlake Fill birds this morning, including Northern Shrike From: Evan Houston <evanghouston AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:55:04 -0800 (PST) Hi Tweeters, Bird variety was good this morning at the Montlake Fill. Among the waterfowl, there was a female Redhead (among Ring-necked Ducks off SE point), 2 Ruddy Ducks way out on the lake, 9+ Hooded Mergansers on the main pond, Wood Ducks, and a Western Grebe. Songbirds included 2 Western Meadowlarks, a flyover American Pipit, a Winter Wren (a less common, winter only bird for the Fill), Brown Creeper, and Golden-crowned Kinglets in with a large group of Bushtits and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Th top highlight was observing the continuing juvenile Northern Shrike. The best part of this observation was evidence that the bird is planning on sticking around for a while, because an avian prey item was prominently impaled on a bare tree (this tree is along the edge of the lake off the loop trail about equidistant from the main and SW ponds). If anyone goes to the Fill soon, I would be interested in your thoughts about what bird this was. It may be a Red-winged Blackbird, but one ID problem was that the head was entirely gone. The rest of the body was intact and seemed all dark and I didn't see any epaulets, so maybe it was a Brewer's Blackbird. Good birding, Evan Houston Seattle, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Hawk ID question/dark buteos From: "Bud Anderson" <bud AT frg.org> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 07:55:26 -0800 For Doreen, Harlan's Hawks do occur regularly in western WA beginning in about October and continuing through March. We also have a lot of dark morph Red-tails here. The quickest way to differentiate between Harlan's/Red-tails and Rough-legs is to get a look at the tarsi (leg) of the bird if you can. Red-tails and Harlan's will be unfeathered, Rough-legs clearly feathered down to the toes. I have never seen a dark morph Swainson's west of the Cascades and a Ferruginous, while possible, would be very unusual. Incidentally, the claws of all NA hawks are black. The yellow you were seeing was most likely the foot, and maybe the tarsus, of the bird. And to make matters more complex, there is now a movement to split Harlan's from Red-tails again. Bud Anderson Falcon Research Group Box 248 Bow, WA 98232 USA (360) 757-1911 (office) (206) 962-7838 (cell) bud AT frg.org_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: Ridgefield NWR - Osprey, Duskies, etc. From: Scott Carpenter <slcarpenter AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:10:17 -0800 I failed to mention the 2 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS at the Carty Unit. Some people have suggested they should all be gone by now, but I know they are continuing to be reported in the Portland area. I haven't birded the Carty Unit enough in the past to know how regular they are there in the winter. Scott Carpenter Portland, Oregon On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 9:49 PM, Scott Carpenter wrote: > Birds of local interest today at Ridgefield NWR in Clark County included: > > Greater White-fronted Goose - 1 on Rest Lake > Snow Goose - 2 on Rest Lake > Dusky Canada Goose - 50 total on Rest Lake, in flocks of 13, 8, 19, and 10; > bands included 4/7N, 8/23, 8/10, 8/7F, 4/7P, 6/JH, 8/13, 3/6K, 1/8P (all > reported to USFWS); although this is not an unusual count for the entire > refuge, it is a bit unusual to have this many on Rest Lake observable from > the auto-tour route; Rest Lake is unusually low right now, resulting in > great habitat for Duskies > Great Egret - 3+ > Osprey - appeared to migrating south along Lake River > Wilson's Snipe - 50+ in Long Lake alone > Steller's Jay - 1 performing an excellent imitation of a Red-tailed Hawk > call > Golden-crowned Sparrows are back in decent numbers > > Scott Carpenter > Portland, Oregon >_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Photos from Edmonds waterfront yesterday. From: Kevin Mack <kevin_mack AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:03:43 -0800 Hi All, I just uploaded 26 photos from my time along the Edmonds waterfront yesterday. They are in the gallery with today¹s date on my New Photos page here: http://www.goatislandimages.com/photogalleries/ImageViewMain.html?s=new_phot os Happy Birding! Kevin Mack Edmonds, WA www.goatislandimages.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Ridgefield NWR - Osprey, Duskies, etc. From: Scott Carpenter <slcarpenter AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:49:52 -0800 Birds of local interest today at Ridgefield NWR in Clark County included: Greater White-fronted Goose - 1 on Rest Lake Snow Goose - 2 on Rest Lake Dusky Canada Goose - 50 total on Rest Lake, in flocks of 13, 8, 19, and 10; bands included 4/7N, 8/23, 8/10, 8/7F, 4/7P, 6/JH, 8/13, 3/6K, 1/8P (all reported to USFWS); although this is not an unusual count for the entire refuge, it is a bit unusual to have this many on Rest Lake observable from the auto-tour route; Rest Lake is unusually low right now, resulting in great habitat for Duskies Great Egret - 3+ Osprey - appeared to migrating south along Lake River Wilson's Snipe - 50+ in Long Lake alone Steller's Jay - 1 performing an excellent imitation of a Red-tailed Hawk call Golden-crowned Sparrows are back in decent numbers Scott Carpenter Portland, Oregon_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Satsop CBC - Dec. 28 From: bucephala AT comcast.net Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 04:52:39 +0000 (UTC) Hello Tweeters and CBCers The Satsop CBC will be on Monday, December 28 this year. Extend your Christmas weekend an extra day and help us tally the birds of eastern Grays Harbor County. The habitats include the farms of Brady Loop and Wenzel Slough roads, the hills north of Elma, Satsop, and Montesano, and the highlands of the Capitol Forest. Our usual species total is between 100-110. Make it a Grays Harbor Birding Weekend by joining the Grays Harbor CBC on December 26!! Any and all help is much appreciated. Thanks and Good birding Tom Schooley Olympia, WA schooleymccartan AT comcast.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re; Fox Island report From: "Hugh Jennings" <h2ouzel AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:55:41 -0800 The Red-breasted Cormorants should have been deleted. I got mixed up with the Red-breasted Mergansers in my hurrying. Hugh Jennings Bellevue, WA h2ouzel AT comcast.net_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Some recent bird photos From: "Wayne Weber" <contopus AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:33:15 -0800 Birders, In the last few days, I have posted a number of bird photos taken during the last month on my FLICKR page. Included are shots of some regional rarities including the MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR at Vancouver; the BLACK PHOEBE at Richmond, BC; the CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR and TROPICAL KINGBIRD at Hoquiam, WA; and a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL from near Mount Hardy on the North Cascades Highway, WA, as well as some commoner species. Not all these photos are portraits; some, like the crossbill, are somewhat distant views. I hope you enjoy them anyway. They can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcweber . Good luck and good birding, Wayne C. Weber Delta, BC contopus AT telus.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Some recent bird photos From: "Wayne Weber" <contopus AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:33:15 -0800 Birders, In the last few days, I have posted a number of bird photos taken during the last month on my FLICKR page. Included are shots of some regional rarities including the MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR at Vancouver; the BLACK PHOEBE at Richmond, BC; the CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR and TROPICAL KINGBIRD at Hoquiam, WA; and a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL from near Mount Hardy on the North Cascades Highway, WA, as well as some commoner species. Not all these photos are portraits; some, like the crossbill, are somewhat distant views. I hope you enjoy them anyway. They can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcweber . Good luck and good birding, Wayne C. Weber Delta, BC contopus AT telus.net _______________________________________________ Inland-nw-birders mailing list Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders Subject: Re: HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park From: "B&PBell" <bellasoc AT isomedia.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:21:12 -0800 Hi John and all Sounds like a "Streaked" Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata), usually found along the coast from BC south to Oregon. Loss of habitat has generally limited the bird to Ocean Shores in Washington. Good Birding, Brian H. Bell Woodinville WA mail to bell asoc at isomedia dot com ----- Original Message ----- From: johntubbs AT comcast.net To: tweeters AT u.washington.edu Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 5:41 PM Subject: [Tweeters] HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park Hi everyone, I made a brief stop this afternoon at the Marymoor dirt piles to look for the American Tree Sparrow - unsuccessfully. In keeping with that part of the park's reputation, there were a lot of sparrows moving around, and I got very nice looks at a White-throated Sparrow (plus Lincoln's, White-crowned, Golden-crowned and Song). The most interesting bird, however, was a HORNED LARK (HOLA) that was picking grit immediately to the north of the dirt piles. I wasn't initially 100% sure that it was a HOLA because it definitely did not look like the prototypical adult bird of the species. Specifically, it lacked any yellow wash on the throat, had some streaking on the belly (rather than white), was distinctly striped and marked on the back versus the faint/flat typical plumage, and lacked the "horns". The size, posture, bill and head markings fit HOLA, however. I sent the images to Michael Hobbs who confirmed HOLA. Neither Michael or I are well-versed in variations of HOLA plumage, however it may be a hatch-year bird and possibly of the arctic subspecies, which apparently lacks the yellow wash. A link to the first of two passable images I took of the bird follows (click Next to see the second one) - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=9328570&cat=38987. Hopefully one of the experts monitoring the list will be able to provide some info on this species' plumage variations. John Tubbs Snoqualmie, WA johntubbs AT comcast.net www.tubbsphoto.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: HORNED LARK - Marymoor Park From: johntubbs AT comcast.net Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 01:41:53 +0000 (UTC) Hi everyone, I made a brief stop this afternoon at the Marymoor dirt piles to look for the American Tree Sparrow - unsuccessfully.  In keeping with that part of the park's reputation, there were a lot of sparrows moving around, and I got very nice looks at a White-throated Sparrow (plus Lincoln's, White-crowned, Golden-crowned and Song).  The most interesting bird, however, was a HORNED LARK (HOLA) that was picking grit immediately to the north of the dirt piles.  I wasn't initially 100% sure that it was a HOLA because it definitely did not look like the prototypical adult bird of the species.  Specifically, it lacked any yellow wash on the throat, had some streaking on the belly (rather than white), was distinctly striped and marked on the back versus the faint/flat typical plumage, and lacked the "horns".  The size, posture, bill and head markings fit HOLA, however.  I sent the images to Michael Hobbs who confirmed HOLA.  Neither Michael or I are well-versed in variations of HOLA plumage, however it may be a hatch-year bird and possibly of the arctic subspecies, which apparently lacks the yellow wash.  A link to the first of two passable images I took of the bird follows (click Next to see the second one) - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=9328570&cat=38987 .  Hopefully one of the experts monitoring the list will be able to provide some info on this species' plumage variations. John Tubbs Snoqualmie, WA johntubbs AT comcast.net www.tubbsphoto.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: RE: bird chases/tapes From: "Rob Sandelin" <floriferous AT msn.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:07:10 -0800 The trouble with trying to define what is in the best interests of birds is that we don't really have an understanding of the big picture and probably never will. Does calling out a bird harm it? How many times would you have to do it before it became detrimental? Are large groups of birders a problem for birds? Do birds leave an area prematurely because of intrusions by too many people? This is similar to the arguments about bird feeders, there are no clear answers and we simply have to let our own conscience guide our personal behaviors and, if we care about birds, behave in ways that we believe do not inadvertently harm them. Rob Sandelin Naturalist, Writer, Teacher Snohomish County _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Fox Island to Key Peninsula From: "Hugh Jennings" <h2ouzel AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 14:52:54 -0800 14 birders participated in this Eastside Audubon field trip on Sat. We had a surprisingly, considering the forecasts, good day for the trip. We started at the south end of the bridge to Fox Island. This location is always a very good place to start the trip as many species are present. As usual, there were numerous PELEGIC CORMORANTS perched under the bridge right over their feeding grounds in the channel. The abundance of food in this channel attracts many waterbirds. HORNED & RED-NECKED GREBES were common, an EARED GREBE was also present, and a large raft of WESTERN GREBES were far out in the channel to the east. PACIFIC & COMMON LOONS, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and a BRANDT'S CORMORANT. There were PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, RED-BREASTED CORMORANTS, BUFFLEHEAD, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, SURF SCOTERS. RING-BILLED & GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS were common and at least one WESTERN GULL. The usual BELTED KINGFISHER was among the boats in the bay on the east side of the bridge. Our next stop was at Kopachuck State Park where a walk through the woods leads to the beach. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, WINTER WREN, SONG SPARROW, SPOTTED TOWHEE, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were found in the woods. From the beach we saw more of the same waterbirds seen at Fox Island while on the beach of Cutts Island were about 100 harbor seals. At a stop at the north end of the Gig Harbor marina there were MALLARD and AMERICAN WIGEON, a number of MEW GULLS and a CALIFORNIA GULL. a flock of ROCK PIGEONS flew along the shore. From there we drove over the Purdy Causeway and then down the Key Peninsula to Joe's Bay at the village of Home. We usually find WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS here and we weren't disappointed. A GREAT BLUE HERON was stalking on the shoreline. Also, seen along the road were STELLER'S JAY and some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. We went to Penrose Point SP for lunch in the sunshine. Another Belted Kingfishers was perched in a snag on the shoreline. After lunch we walked through the woods towards the point. We struck a bonanza of birds - CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, BROWN CREEPERS, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, and FOX SPARROWS. Two HUTTON'S VIREO was also seen among the Ruby-crowned Kinglets and we were able to get a good comparison between the two. In the bay on the other side of the point was a flock of about 12 HARLEQUIN DUCKS as well as many of the water birds we had seen earlier on the trip. An adult BALD EAGLE was soaring over the trees across the bay. The next stop was on the west side of the peninsula at Joemma Beach SP. The strong west wind made the walk to the end of the pier quite chilly so we didn't stay very long. We didn't see any new species, but we did see a RED-TAILED HAWK soaring in the wind. Earlier we had seen 2-3 others from the highway. We went back to the Purdy Causeway and stopped to scope the waters. New species observed were HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS. Our final stop was at Snake Lake Nature Preserve. We walked the trail and saw our first DARK-EYED JUNCOS and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES. A couple of NORTHERN SHOVELER and a number of CANADA GEESE were on the ponds. We used to be certain of seeing Wood Ducks here, but for the past few years it has not been as reliable. This year we did not see any. Overall, it was an enjoyable trip in good weather that resulted in good views of many of the 54 species seen. Hugh Jennings Bellevue, WA h2ouzel AT comcast.net_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: BLACK-TAILED GULL - Yes! From: Hans-Joachim Feddern <thefedderns AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 13:13:46 -0700 As of 11:30 am this morning, the BLACK-TAILED GULL below Tyee Marina in Tacoma was well observed by five birders and me. Four birders had come up from Oregon to see the bird and were not disappointed. It was first spotted on the log booms - its usual hang-out. All gulls finally took to the air and that gave all of us good looks at the diagnostic tail. Cheers and good birding! Hans Feddern Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA._______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: bird chases/tapes From: Kathy Andrich <chukarbird AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:02:57 -0800 (PST) Hi Tweeters, See the American Birding Association ethical guidelines below. If it is read carefully the use of playback for rare birds is addressed. http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html I was at a rare bird place earlier this year and a small group of birders arrived and did not even look or listen for the bird one little bit before whipping out the the Ipod, and it turned out they did not need this little bit of gadgetry and got to see the bird anyway. Kathy Roosting in Kent, near Lake Meridian (chukarbird at yahoo dot com) Any driving directions contained within this message are given as a courtesy, beware, author is directionally challenged and will not vouch for them. _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: RE: Common Tern migration From: "Eugene and Nancy Hunn" <enhunn323 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:57:57 -0800 Wayne et al., Wayne's observations are "spot on," in my experience, except that here in Seattle we have never (apparently) had more than a handful of Common Terns in spring. I've also notices the odd relationship between a fall migration through the "Salish Sea" but many fewer in fall in coastal California given that Common Terns do not nest to our north but rather to the northeast mostly. Seems they (used to) take a circuitous route. Gene Hunn Lake Forest Park, WA enhunn323 AT comcast.net -----Original Message----- From: tweeters-bounces AT mailman2.u.washington.edu [mailto:tweeters-bounces AT mailman2.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Wayne Weber Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 9:59 PM To: TWEETERS Cc: BCBIRDS; WHATCOM BIRDERS Subject: [Tweeters] Common Tern migration Birders, Several observers have commented recently on TWEETERS about the relative scarcity of Common Terns during fall migration in western Washington, compared with the numbers seen 20 or 30 years ago. For the record, the same trend has been obvious in and around Vancouver, BC, where Common Terns probably were and still are more numerous than almost anywhere in western Washington. >From the 1960s through the 1980s, Common Terns were considered to be a fairly common fall transient, being seen frequently from late July and early August through late October, and sometimes even early November. It was normal to see groups of dozens, and occasionally even into the hundreds, at places such as Iona Island, White Rock, and Point Roberts-- often together with Bonaparte's Gulls, and often pursued by one or two Parasitic Jaegers. In the last few years, I would estimate that tern numbers, on the average, are only 10% or 20% of what they were, and they seem to occur less often early and late in the season. On the other hand, numbers of Common Terns seen in spring, although they vary greatly from year to year, have NOT declined markedly. In spring, they are often seen only in a couple of places (especially Drayton Harbor and Iona Island), and often for only a few days. However, they occur then in larger flocks than in the fall. This spring (2009) produced some of the largest numbers of Common Terns ever reported around Vancouver, with up to 2000 birds in a day at Iona Island, and 900 at Blackie Spit on Mud Bay in Surrey. It should be noted that Common Terns nest entirely east of the Rocky Mountains, and winter mainly from Mexico south to Peru and Argentina. They seem to be much scarcer as migrants (spring and fall) in Oregon and California than in Washington and B.C. Perhaps, for some reason, a smaller percentage are migrating along the Pacific Coast in the fall than in the past, although it doesn't seem to have affected the spring movement. Franklin's Gulls have also become much scarcer fall migrants around Vancouver, declining from "uncommon to rare" status to "extremely rare" in the last few years (one or two sightings a year). However, this trend may or may not be related to the Common Tern trend. Wayne C. Weber Delta, BC contopus AT telus.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: bird chases/tapes From: Connie Sidles <constancesidles AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:26:40 -0800 Hey tweets, to add my little two cents' worth to this thread: My feeling is that when I am birding, I am in the birds' home, a home that we humans have made very small. I try to be as good a guest as I can. I don't play tapes, twist squeaker toys, or pish. Sometimes, I'm sure - like three-day-old fish and similarly aging guests - I stink up the environment. In other words, sometimes I break my own rules in order to see a good bird. Such times never make me proud, and I always vow to try to do better. Reminding myself that my needs - to see a rare bird, to watch unusual behavior, to take a nice picture - don't even come close to outweighing the birds' needs to survive and thrive helps keep things in perspective for me. Besides, if I don't see a good bird today, then that bird is still in my future. And that's something glorious to look forward to. - Connie On Nov 3, 2009, at 8:01 AM, Christine Southwick wrote: > Megan, > > I'm glad you brought this subject up. > Years ago, I was on an Audubon field trip. The well-known and > respected leader phished to bring out a rare-to-this-area bird. I > was glad to see the bird, and was glad for his talent in finding > rare birds. But watching the bird nervously wing-flicking (not one > of its normal characteristics), reacting to the over and over > repeated phishing started making me feel uncomfortable. I was > afraid that it was going to have a little birdy heart attack. > > I still feel badly for that bird, and what I thought was an > effective technique, over-used. So what if not everyone saw that > bird? That happens. > > Being that he was a well-respected leader, known for finding rare > birds; and I was a lowly intermediate, I didn't say anything. I > probably still wouldn't say anything (although I haven't been on any > trips for which he is the leader). But, now, when I phish, I only > do it for a short while--and always think of that poor stressed-out > bird. > > > Christine Southwick > N Seattle/Shoreline > clsouthwick AT q.com > > On Mon, 2 Nov 2009, Megan Lyden wrote: > >> Hi Tweets, >> >> I'm sometimes feeling uncomfortable about the use of tapes when a >> rarity >> shows up. I'm not a purist; I have been on a lot of field trips where >> leaders have used tapes to call in a bird and I've been very happy >> to see >> the bird. I guess my question is do we, as a birding community, >> have any >> agreement on when using tapes becomes excessive? I was recently >> out to see >> a fairly rare bird, and wasn't surprised to see people use a tape, >> but >> became uncomfortable when it seemed that although people had >> already seen >> the bird, a tape was still being used to pull the bird out for >> better looks >> and more photos. I realize that what seems excessive differs >> widely between >> people. I also don't want to put myself in the role of a self- >> righteous >> policeman. Do I even have a right to let someone know that I'm >> uncomfortable >> when I feel they are playing tapes over and over? Am I interfering >> with >> right to see a bird? Perhaps I'm anthropromorphizing, but sometimes >> I wonder >> how I'd feel if different people kept showing up and ringing my >> doorbell >> over and over again, all day long. >> >> >> >> Megan Lyden >> >> Bellevue, Washington >> >> >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters AT u.washington.edu > > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters AT u.washington.edu > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: bird chases/tapes From: Christine Southwick <clsouth AT u.washington.edu> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:01:38 -0800 (PST) Megan, I'm glad you brought this subject up. Years ago, I was on an Audubon field trip. The well-known and respected leader phished to bring out a rare-to-this-area bird. I was glad to see the bird, and was glad for his talent in finding rare birds. But watching the bird nervously wing-flicking (not one of its normal characteristics), reacting to the over and over repeated phishing started making me feel uncomfortable. I was afraid that it was going to have a little birdy heart attack. I still feel badly for that bird, and what I thought was an effective technique, over-used. So what if not everyone saw that bird? That happens. Being that he was a well-respected leader, known for finding rare birds; and I was a lowly intermediate, I didn't say anything. I probably still wouldn't say anything (although I haven't been on any trips for which he is the leader). But, now, when I phish, I only do it for a short while--and always think of that poor stressed-out bird. Christine Southwick N Seattle/Shoreline clsouthwick AT q.com On Mon, 2 Nov 2009, Megan Lyden wrote: > Hi Tweets, > > I'm sometimes feeling uncomfortable about the use of tapes when a rarity > shows up. I'm not a purist; I have been on a lot of field trips where > leaders have used tapes to call in a bird and I've been very happy to see > the bird. I guess my question is do we, as a birding community, have any > agreement on when using tapes becomes excessive? I was recently out to see > a fairly rare bird, and wasn't surprised to see people use a tape, but > became uncomfortable when it seemed that although people had already seen > the bird, a tape was still being used to pull the bird out for better looks > and more photos. I realize that what seems excessive differs widely between > people. I also don't want to put myself in the role of a self-righteous > policeman. Do I even have a right to let someone know that I'm uncomfortable > when I feel they are playing tapes over and over? Am I interfering with > right to see a bird? Perhaps I'm anthropromorphizing, but sometimes I wonder > how I'd feel if different people kept showing up and ringing my doorbell > over and over again, all day long. > > > > Megan Lyden > > Bellevue, Washington > > > > _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: Mystery hawk eating Snow Goose From: notcalm AT comcast.net Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:49:03 +0000 (UTC) Hello Richard, Hard to know without a photo. Look at illustrations of third year Bald Eagle (likely) and Gyrfalcon (much less likely and doesn't match part of your description). Regards, Dan Reiff Mercer Island ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Isherwood" To: "Tweeters" Sent: Monday, November 2, 2009 5:07:03 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [Tweeters] Mystery hawk eating Snow Goose While watching the Snow Geese at the Skagit WMA Hayten Access area today my wife and I saw an unusual large raptor feeding on a dead goose, a hundred yards or so away from the big flock of live ones.It was considerably bigger than a Redtail, with a large bill and conspicuously long body and tail. It had white feathered legs, with small black spots, faint banding on its grey/brown tail, small whitish spotting on its wing coverts,and a dark eyestripe with whitish supercilium and cheek. An adult Bald Eagle chased it off the goose - the eagle was a bit bigger overall, but with a much shorter tail and heavier build. The mystery bird had little or no white on its upperparts in flight - we didn't see its underside. It headed toward the Skagit WMA HQ but we never saw it again. It seems rather unlikely that this was a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, so far north, west of the Cascades, and so late in the year, and my description is admittedly incomplete, but nothing else fits at all. I am happy to leave it as a mystery bird, but will be interested to hear if anyone else sees it. Richard Isherwood Port Townsend WA Rjisherwood AT gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: : Edmonds waterfront today From: Kevin Mack <kevin_mack AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:08:26 -0800 Hi All, I spent a few hours along the Edmonds waterfront today and had a good time just watching common birds do interesting things. I started at the fishing pier and saw Horned Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, Western Gulls, Mew Gulls and Heermann¹s Gulls in abundance. I also spotted a Rhinoceros Auklet or two and a few Rock Pigeons hanging out on the dock and breakwater. Down at Brackett¹s Landing there were more Horned Grebes, cormorants and gulls as well as about 100 surf scoters that were in a large raft out by the ferry. As I headed back south toward the marsh, I saw two crows that were working hard to dismantle an old matchbook. The matches had all been torn out, but the crows seemed to be determined to tear out all of the little bits of paper matchstick that were left behind. After picking at the book for several minutes, one crow picked it up and, with a quick flick of his beak, threw it about 5 feet away. Both crows then flew over a small fence and began to forage along the railroad tracks. At the marsh things were pretty quiet. I ran into a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Black-capped Chickadees. Crows were around, as were a number of Great Blue Herons. It was pretty windy though so everyone was laying low. I returned to the waterfront and wandered along the marina. I ran into a Western Gull with an injured foot that was sitting on a light post. He flew down to the dock, wandered over to a leaky water spigot and proceeded to drink from it. It looked quite comical. I finished out my time at the waterfront watching dozens of Heermann¹s Gulls bicker with one another on the breakwater. I love the sounds the Heermann¹s Gulls make when they are annoyed each other. Mew Gulls were also present and fighting for prime perches, and two Great Blue Herons were seen stalking the breakwater as well. All in all a nice afternoon. I took many photos today and will upload them in the next day or two. In the meantime, if you¹d like to see the gull drinking from the faucet, I have posted one photo on my blog here: http://everydaywild.blogspot.com/ Happy Birding! Kevin Mack Edmonds, WA www.goatislandimages.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Common Tern migration From: "Wayne Weber" <contopus AT telus.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 21:59:22 -0800 Birders, Several observers have commented recently on TWEETERS about the relative scarcity of Common Terns during fall migration in western Washington, compared with the numbers seen 20 or 30 years ago. For the record, the same trend has been obvious in and around Vancouver, BC, where Common Terns probably were and still are more numerous than almost anywhere in western Washington. >From the 1960s through the 1980s, Common Terns were considered to be a fairly common fall transient, being seen frequently from late July and early August through late October, and sometimes even early November. It was normal to see groups of dozens, and occasionally even into the hundreds, at places such as Iona Island, White Rock, and Point Roberts-- often together with Bonaparte's Gulls, and often pursued by one or two Parasitic Jaegers. In the last few years, I would estimate that tern numbers, on the average, are only 10% or 20% of what they were, and they seem to occur less often early and late in the season. On the other hand, numbers of Common Terns seen in spring, although they vary greatly from year to year, have NOT declined markedly. In spring, they are often seen only in a couple of places (especially Drayton Harbor and Iona Island), and often for only a few days. However, they occur then in larger flocks than in the fall. This spring (2009) produced some of the largest numbers of Common Terns ever reported around Vancouver, with up to 2000 birds in a day at Iona Island, and 900 at Blackie Spit on Mud Bay in Surrey. It should be noted that Common Terns nest entirely east of the Rocky Mountains, and winter mainly from Mexico south to Peru and Argentina. They seem to be much scarcer as migrants (spring and fall) in Oregon and California than in Washington and B.C. Perhaps, for some reason, a smaller percentage are migrating along the Pacific Coast in the fall than in the past, although it doesn't seem to have affected the spring movement. Franklin's Gulls have also become much scarcer fall migrants around Vancouver, declining from "uncommon to rare" status to "extremely rare" in the last few years (one or two sightings a year). However, this trend may or may not be related to the Common Tern trend. Wayne C. Weber Delta, BC contopus AT telus.net _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Correction on Log Boom Turnstones From: "Zuckerbond" <Zuckerbond AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:48:34 -0800 Tweets, Regarding our post on missing the BT Gull Sunday in Tacoma, we meant to say that we'd seen Black Turnstones, not Ruddy Turnstones. Sorry for the false lead, and thanks to Hans-Joachim Feddern for catching our slip! - Mary Bond & Ira Zuckerman, Seattle >Message: 14 >Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 21:34:19 -0800 >From: "Zuckerbond" >Subject: [Tweeters] Olympia Clark's Grebe & LT Duck >Today my mother and I went down to Tacoma to find the Black-tailed Gull, and Olympia to find the Clark's Grebe. At Marine >View Drive in Tacoma around 1pm nobody had found the gull yet, so we were unsuccessful for round two, but we had good >looks at Ruddy Turnstones, Barrow's Goldeneye, and other species of gulls. >In Olympia, at the south end of Capitol Lake, there was a highly diverse collection of water birds including the Clark's >Grebe. The Grebe was very easy to see, and it was very easy to tell it was not a Western. We enjoyed seeing large flocks >of Bufflehead, Widgeon, Scaup, and Ring-necked Ducks. We also saw 2 Mute Swans, and some Common Mergansers, Pied-billed >Grebes, Gadwall, Canada Geese, and Cormorants. At one point, a flock of 50 -75 mid-sized shorebirds (Dunlin?) flew north >down the middle of the lake. >Finally, we stopped at the Bayview Market off the N end of Simmons St. and walked a short ways out the boardwalk along >West Bay. Here we saw a group of about 15 Black Scoters accompanied by a single Long-tailed Duck. >Ira Zuckerman & Mary Bond, Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: hawk id question--brief sighting From: Doreen Gillespie <dorgilles AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:40:38 -0800 On Sunday mid-afternoon, I had a very quick glance of a hawk on a wire across I-5 between miles 41 and 43. My first thought, without thinking of ranges, was Harlan's phase RTH. I can describe it only as a very solidly colored, extremely dark brown buteo with bright yellow talons. Didn't have time to see any details on the tail Are Harlan's seen wintering in this area? This was potentially solidly colored enough to be a dark Swainson's, but that seems less likely on range (? I need more up-to-date books). I also just realized that dark-phase Rough-Legged is a possibility, but this was svelte, didn't look at all like the typical scruffy Rough-Legged. Definitely seemed a tad on the small size, too, though size is particularly hard to judge on a drive-by spotting. What about ranges on the three dark phase options? thanks! Doreen Doreen Gillespie dorgilles AT gmail.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: bird chases/tapes From: "Megan Lyden" <meganlyden AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:27:29 -0800 Hi Tweets, I'm sometimes feeling uncomfortable about the use of tapes when a rarity shows up. I'm not a purist; I have been on a lot of field trips where leaders have used tapes to call in a bird and I've been very happy to see the bird. I guess my question is do we, as a birding community, have any agreement on when using tapes becomes excessive? I was recently out to see a fairly rare bird, and wasn't surprised to see people use a tape, but became uncomfortable when it seemed that although people had already seen the bird, a tape was still being used to pull the bird out for better looks and more photos. I realize that what seems excessive differs widely between people. I also don't want to put myself in the role of a self-righteous policeman. Do I even have a right to let someone know that I'm uncomfortable when I feel they are playing tapes over and over? Am I interfering with right to see a bird? Perhaps I'm anthropromorphizing, but sometimes I wonder how I'd feel if different people kept showing up and ringing my doorbell over and over again, all day long. Megan Lyden Bellevue, Washington _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Video recorder for recording different postures From: "JERRY D AND MARCENE D'ADDIO" <jmdaddio AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:30:41 -0800 Hi Tweeters, Does anyone use a video recorder as a combo scope and bird behavior/morph recorder? If it has enough power/zoom, one could study the recorded images to assist with ID. Yesterday, I had a fairly frustrating experience watching the Toleland Marbled Godwits in the tuck position which would only briefly lift up for views of the head. If anyone has tested this idea, please let me know. And if you had success please reply off post with brand and specs. Thank you, Marcy D'Addio Redmond, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Mystery hawk eating Snow Goose From: Richard Isherwood <rjisherwood AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:07:03 -0800 While watching the Snow Geese at the Skagit WMA Hayten Access area today my wife and I saw an unusual large raptor feeding on a dead goose, a hundred yards or so away from the big flock of live ones.It was considerably bigger than a Redtail, with a large bill and conspicuously long body and tail. It had white feathered legs, with small black spots, faint banding on its grey/brown tail, small whitish spotting on its wing coverts,and a dark eyestripe with whitish supercilium and cheek. An adult Bald Eagle chased it off the goose - the eagle was a bit bigger overall, but with a much shorter tail and heavier build. The mystery bird had little or no white on its upperparts in flight - we didn't see its underside. It headed toward the Skagit WMA HQ but we never saw it again. It seems rather unlikely that this was a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, so far north, west of the Cascades, and so late in the year, and my description is admittedly incomplete, but nothing else fits at all. I am happy to leave it as a mystery bird, but will be interested to hear if anyone else sees it. Richard Isherwood Port Townsend WA Rjisherwood AT gmail.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: cinnamon teal at Arboretum From: mark girling <markgirling AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:46:09 -0800 (PST) Nice diversity at the the arboretum by the broadmoor entrance.Amongst a flock of green winged teal is one cinnamon teal.Northern shoveler, hooded merganser.buffleheads, mallards,gadwall and pied billed grebe.Flying overhead observed a bald headed eagle carrying nesting material? Also can someone explain an area of I90 bridge NW before Mt Baker tunnel.Where the bridge starts to go up 100yds out a flock of birds gather.Sometimes the water surface seems different.Is it an upwelling which brings food up.Whatever it seems to be a popular area considering the area of the lake.Any ideas.                         Mark Girling {woodridge} markgirling AT yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Everett Eider id flub From: "jeff gibson" <gibsondesign AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:42:29 -0800 Jeff Cohen was nice enough to send me the suggestion that my mystery eider was an imm. Snow Goose. Which on examination of sibleys turns out to be the case. I've never seen one in isolation, nor on the water - on the water the neck seemed very short and un goosy, and the head profile a bit too sloped, but sorry to say not an eider. The good news is that I did see an immature snow goose in Everett today, along with the aforementioned cackling goose. Thanks Jeff for the help. Jeff Gibson, Everett wa _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Everett Eider From: "jeff gibson" <gibsondesign AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:03:26 -0800 Just now 1:15 or so on the Everett waterfront I spotted what I believe is some sort of Eider. It was with a flock of Canada Geese ( mid sized subspecies) which also had a single Cackling Goose mixed in. This is a very large duck - larger than the cackling goose. Has the short neck and long forehead profile of an Eider. Here's where it gets weird - the bird is mostly a dirty white -grey, with black wingtips. The bill is mid-dark overall. Which of course does'nt match anything in sibley. An albino or strange domestic escapee ? Looking at some of Ruth Sullivans photos of the Queen Eider , this bird is not too dissimilar except for the coloration. And it is really large. An expert is needed - I cant figure the critter out. Location is on the Everett waterfront along Marine View Drive. I first spotted it on the northernmost pull out along the road, north of the 10th street boatlaunch, and it along with the Canada's were swimming south. So probably can be seen somewhere about there, or from the 10th street boatlauch - all the general 'maulsby mudflats' area. It's been a few decades since I've seen an Eider, but this bird sure seems to 'fit the bill' Jeff Gibson, Everett Wa _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black Oystercatchers From: cgluckman AT aol.com Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:51:52 -0500 For those interested, a flock of from 8-12 Black Oystercatchers have returned to the spit at Port Hudson Marina in Port Townsend the last few days. They were there at 11a today. The spit is underwater at most high tides so time any visit accordingly. David Gluckman 811 22nd St. Pt. Townsend, WA 98368 360 379-0360_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Re: Montlake Fill - Pied-billed Grebe and fishnetting From: Kathy Andrich <chukarbird AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:16:43 -0800 (PST) Hi Elizabeth, From my own experience trying to catch a net-bound pied-billed use a net to catch them from underneath the bird not from above. They seem to regularly get snagged and trapped in the greater Montlake area. Whoever catches them cuts off the net and leaves them to die a slow death. Disgusting and makes me wonder if it isn't intentional since I have seen 3 pied-billed grebes exactly as you describe with one actually close enough to try to catch. But then again fish nets aren't necessarily cheap and this might just be a misperception. Unfortunately the catch net we used was too shallow and the best catch from below the grebe allowed the grebe to hop out and I found it dead later:( The catch attempt was using a canoe to heard the bird and I was onshore with the net. Kathy Roosting in Kent, near Lake Meridian (chukarbird at yahoo dot com) Any driving directions contained within this message are given as a courtesy, beware, author is directionally challenged and will not vouch for them. --- On Sun, 11/1/09, lizalt1 wrote: > From: lizalt1 > Subject: [Tweeters] Montlake Fill - Pied-billed Grebe and fishnetting > To: tweeters AT u.washington.edu > Cc: "bobcello Edgerton" > Date: Sunday, November 1, 2009, 9:35 PM > Hi Tweeters, > > Besides a very enjoyable birding at the Fill yesterday, > Saturday, (beautiful group of Hooded Mergansers, > Green-winged Teals,  Harrier, pair of eagles.........) > Bob and I saw a Pied-billed Grebe in the water between the > Fill and the Stadium, struggling with some fine fish-netting > around it's head.  After a while it just sat still for > a long time.  It was sad not to be able to help, and > wondering how this will end  - possibly an eagle > grabbing it, fish-netting and all??????? > > Anybody have an idea what we could have done? or do in > future similar encounters?   Perhaps contact > someone who could go out in a canoe to help? > > Elizabeth Edgerton (and Bob), > lizedge AT mac.com > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters AT u.washington.edu > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Skagit flats yesterday 11/1/09 From: "Bob Kothenbeutel" <viper.bob AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:17:47 -0800 I spent the better part of the day near Stanwood sitting at the edge of the marsh north of the Camano end of the bridge. There were about 200 short-billed dowitchers feeding and resting and they were quite unafraid of me. A northern harrier seemed to get a kick out of doing fly-bys every 15 minutes causing the dowitchers to scatter. They always came back right in front of me and gave me great photo opportunities. I saw another hawk approach from a distance and watched it stop and hover a few times, much like a kestrel. As it came closer I realized it was a rough-legged hawk - the first one I have seen this fall. I was surprised at how few eagles I saw - only 3 all day. I saw a beautiful adult northern shrike near the parking lot of the Hayton Reserve but it did not stay around for pictures. Also seen were 2 peregrine falcons, one of which was standing in the water in a flooded field near Rawlins Road. It also didn't want its picture taken. I have uploaded a few images to my website in the "last uploads" album for those who might be interested. www.photos.rlkimages.com Bob Kothenbeutel Woodinville _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: E WA Raptors From: "Weltzin, Janis" <Janis.Weltzin AT seattlechildrens.org> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:34:36 -0800 Highlight of raptors seen in E Washington this weekend: Saturday a.m.: * Mile post 23 in the Yakima Canyon (about 5 miles south of Ellensburg): 2 adult golden eagles soaring Sunday 11/1: * 3 miles east of Ellensburg: 2 male kestrels, one hovering over a field with cattle, then the 2 males flying at and around each other * along I-90 about 5 miles east of Cle Elum: a rough-legged hawk * along the Old Vantage Highway from Ellensburg to Vantage, then along I-90 from Vantage to Bellevue: 18 red-tailed hawks (at least!) Janis Weltzin Seattle janisdotweltzin AT seattlechildrensdotorg There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about.. Anonymous CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information protected by law. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: 2009.11 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper From: travel girl <travelgirl.fics AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:44:51 -0800 November's image is of an osprey taking a flounder back to its nest off Jetty Island this past summer. I had led a photo group to the island in search of just such luck... Slender details and photo are available at http://realistatlarge.blogspot.com/2009/11/200911-desktop-calendar-wallpaper.html Enjoy! 00 caren http://realistatlarge.blogspot.com/ george davis creek, north fork_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: american tree sparrows everywhere (inc. wylie slough), northern shrike, turkeys skagit county From: dave templeton <crazydave65 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 06:20:49 -0800 hi all: spike and i went to skagit county yesterday 11/1. i snapped a couple quick shots of a little bird while talking to another birder there. we were on the main trail near the junction where it finally has vegetation on both sides. when i got home i found this guy: http://www.pbase.com/image/118978618 since i think all sparrows look alike, i sought confirmation from others and consensus is this is yet another american tree sparrow. also saw marv breece's northern shrike on may road where the road leaves the dike. four turkeys were at that site early in the day also. regards, t -- dave templeton fall city, wa crazydave65atgmaildaughtcom "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today; it's already tomorrow in Australia." Charles Schultz_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Nisqually Area, YHBB etc. From: bill shelmerdine <georn1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 13:36:59 +0000 Greetings Tweeters, Sunday, November 1 I made a brief trip to Nisqually around noon. I only had a couple of hours, and mainly went to check out the access situation and the new restoration. I started with what I thought would be a quick drive through the fields on the other side of I-5 (Nisqually Cut-off Rd). As it turns out this is where most of the action was. I took about 30 minutes to pour over the large blackbird flock that has assembeled in the pumpkin fields. There were several hundred birds present and I'm sure I did not see all of them well. In the masses there was a male Yellow-headed Blackbird. Moving on there was an impressive flock of Cackling Geese, I estimated well over 3000 birds. In the group were at least 6 Snow Geese and 2 Greater WHite-fronted Geese. Moving on to the refuge, I only had enough time to take a quick trip to the viewing platform at Twin Barns, which is as far as one can go at this point. Refuge staff indicated that the new inner dike area will be accessible for walking in a few weeks. Our only noteworthy species at the barns were a distant Northern Shrike and a Kestral. Cheers and good birding, Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia mailto: georn1 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pc-scout/default.aspx?CBID=wl&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_pcscout:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Orchard Oriole and Chestnut-collared Longspur Feeding Behavior From: notcalm AT comcast.net Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:10:47 +0000 (UTC) Hello Group, I had a nice day viewing & capturing video of the CC Longspur & Orchard Oriole at Hoquiam last week. Thanks given to a friend for fast finds. I watched as the Longspur dismantled a fat, alive and Water-logged moth: hold by wing fling 10 inches, repeat, repeat, peck until no leg movements, eat. Neat bird. I "filmed" the Oriole consuming: grasshopper or equivalent, seeds, not visible leaf gleanings and most interestingly H. Blackberry seeds. The OO would repeatedly extract single blackberry fruit pearls, intact (I did not think this was possible), gently move each up and down it's beak with it's tongue (It reminded me of a cross between an elegant version of a person rolling a coin across the top of their outstretched fingers and a finch gently extracting the contents of a small seed), then fling the pearl aside with a quick flick of the head. Very impressive. It appeared that the bird was carefully and with great tactile and very fine motor skills, extracting the seed and disposing of the fleshy fruit. Has anyone seen this or other birds do this with berries? Why didn't the Oriole simply eat the whole pearl? Trying to keep alcohol ingestion down? Low carb diet? Doesn't have a "sweet beak"? I went to the Cornell site and found the following quote: " Selects only ripe fruit, which passes through digestive tract quickly. Stomach samples contain less fruit than is observed being eaten (WCS). Selects adult, small-sized grasshoppers; only small nymphs of larger species found in stomach flushings (WCS)." Best regards, Dan Reiff Mercer Island _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black-tailed Gull & Hoquiam, 11/1 From: Michael Woodruff <crazybirder98 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 23:43:23 -0800 Hi Tweeters, Today (11/1) Kerry Turley, John Hebert, Kevin Black, and I made the trek west to Hoquiam and then back to Tacoma. From 7-10am in beautiful weather we had likely 2 PALM WARBLERS along Airport Rd (one hanging out in the vicinity of the first shed east from the 'T') and the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (near the N end of Paulsen Rd). We dropped by again after birding a bit at Ocean Shores, but still no longspur. To our knowledge nobody saw it today. We arrived at Marine View Drive in Tacoma around 3:30pm and began scanning the roosting gulls with other folks. The gull hadn't been seen for a few hours and light was getting difficult. We spent a good deal of our daylight studying one particular gull which turned out not to be the Black-tailed Gull. I wanted to caution observers about this bird -- this gull does indeed have a black tail and a bit of a black ring on the bill, but it does not have the crisp white trailing edge to the tail or the extent of black on the bill. Its head also is fairly evenly dark-smudged, instead of the white forehead and dark nape effect that this Black-tailed Gull exhibits. It also has a more horizontal sleeping posture not like most of the California Gulls, so seems to stick out. Be careful! This "fake" bird took up most of our daylight since it spent most of its time sleeping and not cooperating. Only a few minutes after our B.C. friends left, and by this time a fair bit after sundown, I was scanning in last-ditch effort and spotted the BLACK-TAILED GULL roosting with the other gulls. We all got excellent and satisfying looks at it for just a few minutes before it flew off to the south with the other gulls (about 15 minutes after sundown). Apparently the gulls don't roost there but head out and away as the light is fading. I thought this might be of interest to those looking for the gull late in the day. A rewarding day! Michael Woodruff College Place / Spokane, WA _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pc-scout/default.aspx?CBID=wl&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_pcscout:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Marymoore Park American Tree Sparrow From: "Doug Parrott" <bird_cage AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:11:30 -0800 Hi Tweets, Thanks to all who posted the American Tree Sparrow at Marymoore Park. That's a life bird for me. The American Tree Sparrow as well as other Sparrow photos are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdhouse_wa/sets/72157622590648909/ I am Sparrow id challenged so if there are id errors please let me know. Thank You Doug Parrott Edmonds Wa. bird_cage AT msn.com_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black-tailed Gull -- thanks! From: Mark Egger <m.egger AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 21:54:19 -0800 Just wanted to publicly thank Shep Thorp, prince among birders, for patiently ferrying birders and bird photographers out for awesome, close-up views of the Black-tailed Gull last Saturday. Shep has selflessly taken it upon himself to provide this service to his fellow birders, and it is very much appreciated! The bird is a classic, showing virtually every field mark, a very different experience than I had in my unsuccessful search the weekend before. We were so close that I could see the ted spot on the tip of the bill without binocs as the bird sat among the gull-laden logs out in Commencement Bay. Thanks, man, a great lifer! Thanks also to Alan G. who made the drive down a pleasant one and who was, I think, the first to spot the gull on our boat ride. Mark _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Montlake Fill - Pied-billed Grebe and fishnetting From: lizalt1 <lizalt1 AT mac.com> Date: Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:35:32 -0800 Hi Tweeters, Besides a very enjoyable birding at the Fill yesterday, Saturday, (beautiful group of Hooded Mergansers, Green-winged Teals, Harrier, pair of eagles.........) Bob and I saw a Pied-billed Grebe in the water between the Fill and the Stadium, struggling with some fine fish-netting around it's head. After a while it just sat still for a long time. It was sad not to be able to help, and wondering how this will end - possibly an eagle grabbing it, fish-netting and all??????? Anybody have an idea what we could have done? or do in future similar encounters? Perhaps contact someone who could go out in a canoe to help? Elizabeth Edgerton (and Bob), lizedge AT mac.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Olympia Clark's Grebe & LT Duck From: "Zuckerbond" <Zuckerbond AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 21:34:19 -0800 Today my mother and I went down to Tacoma to find the Black-tailed Gull, and Olympia to find the Clark's Grebe. At Marine View Drive in Tacoma around 1pm nobody had found the gull yet, so we were unsuccessful for round two, but we had good looks at Ruddy Turnstones, Barrow's Goldeneye, and other species of gulls. In Olympia, at the south end of Capitol Lake, there was a highly diverse collection of water birds including the Clark's Grebe. The Grebe was very easy to see, and it was very easy to tell it was not a Western. We enjoyed seeing large flocks of Bufflehead, Widgeon, Scaup, and Ring-necked Ducks. We also saw 2 Mute Swans, and some Common Mergansers, Pied-billed Grebes, Gadwall, Canada Geese, and Cormorants. At one point, a flock of 50 -75 mid-sized shorebirds (Dunlin?) flew north down the middle of the lake. Finally, we stopped at the Bayview Market off the N end of Simmons St. and walked a short ways out the boardwalk along West Bay. Here we saw a group of about 15 Black Scoters accompanied by a single Long-tailed Duck. Ira Zuckerman & Mary Bond, Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Black-tailed Gull and Hoquiam From: wheelermombi AT comcast.net Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 05:09:09 +0000 (UTC) Hi Tweeters, I went with Dave and Sherry Hayden this morning to the Hoquiam STP.  We stayed until after noon without seeing the Chestnut-Collared Longspur.  We did see a PALM WARBLER in the vicinity of the first building to the left after the T-intersection in the fenced off area across the road from the pond. It was usually sneaking around in the wood that is leaning against the building.  We also saw a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW near the 3 spruce trees to the left as one first pulls onto Paulson Rd.  A good variety of ducks were on the pond, including a REDHEAD and several CANVASBACKS. Next, we headed to Tacoma for the BLACK-TAILED GULL.  We spotted it by the usual log booms around 2:40 when several of the gulls flew.  All 3 of us got looks at its tail as it flew about.  Good birding, Lonnie Somer wheelermombi AT comcast.net Olympia_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: BT Gull 11/1 From: "Peter H Wimberger" <pwimberger AT pugetsound.edu> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:46:06 -0800 At low tide about 10 AM this morning, the BT Gull was on the sand bar on the east side of mouth of the Puyallup River. I don't know if there are any good places to scan the bar from land. It seems like the closest spot would be from the Port terminal on the east side of the Puyallup River or the east side of the Simpson plant. I was in a rowing shell so could get very close. My guess is that these low tides will not be good times to see the bird at the log booms (the usual spot). Peter Wimberger Tacoma, WA _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: A white headed woodpecker eludes a hawk From: "Rob Sandelin" <floriferous AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:29:53 -0800 I hiked up the 8 mile lake trail today, had to hike up the road also since it was closed as it crosses Icicle creek. Heading back On the way down the trail there was a white headed woodpecker call and I looked up just in time to see an unidentified accipter closing on the woodpecker. The woodpecker did not fly, rather it zipped around the far side of the tree. To my surprise, and disappointment, the hawk did not return, probably because I involuntarily sort of yelled when I saw the hawk. The woodpecker did not leave the tree for 15 minutes while I watched and finally the growing shadows spurred my departure. Rob Sandelin Naturalist, Writer, Teacher Snohomish County _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: American Tree Sparrow continues at Marymore From: Steve Pink <pirangas AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:37:40 -0800 Hi, Spent a little time at Marymore Park looking for the Tree Sparrow. Eventually it showed around 1 pm with Golden-crowned and White-crowned sparrows. Also present - 2 Savannah Sparrows. Cheers and good birding Steve Steve Pink Edmonds, WA mailto: pirangas AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pc-scout/default.aspx?CBID=wl&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_pcscout:112009 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Kittitas County & Sentinel Bluffs 11-01-09 From: "Scott Downes" <downess AT charter.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:24:15 -0800 Tweets, Spent a wonderful day in Kittitas County today with some time at Sentinel Bluffs (just across the Columbia River in Grant County). Of special note was that the water at Vantage was glass-like and it was even warm enough to have quite a bit of flying insects out! Many highlights. Nothing super rare. Below are some of the notables: Teanaway Bridge-Hwy. 10- 1 Bewick's Wren. This is the furthest west in the county I have found this species to date. Kittitas Valley-many rough-legged hawks beginning to move in. A total of 8 counted. Also present among a mixed flock of Horned Lark and American Pipit was a LAPLAND LONGSPUR in a grassy field on Robbins Rd. First alerted to its presence by its flight call as the flock flew past me. Sorenson Pond (the Pond just south of I-90) off of Berry Rd. in Ellensburg. Jan Demorest found an immature SNOW GOOSE on Friday and the bird was still present today along with a wonderful mixed flock of Cackling and Canada Goose. At least 2 different races of Cacklers including several minima. Also present here were 4 Western Grebes. Sentinel Bluffs- 1 Clark's Grebe 2 Eared Grebe 1 Greater white-fronted goose (imm.) 2 Herring Gull 1 Pacific Loon 1 Winter Wren 1 immature BAND-TAILESS PIGEON ** **The band-tailed pigeon was completely missing its tail, meaning it likely won't be leaving anytime soon. It was found at the south end of the trail at Sentinel Bluffs, I first flushed the bird off the ground and it managed to get itself up into the cottonwood where it perched while I watched it for the next 5 minutes. A nice unexpected bird for the Columbia River! Wanapum St. Park- Huge rafts of waterfowl, most quite a ways out in the river. Notables: Red-breasted Merganser-1 Surf Scoter-3 White-winged Scoter-2 Clark's Grebe-1 Bonaparte's Gull-4 Varied Thrush-12 (nice flock in the day use area) Wanapum Dam- Common Loon-13 (notable number) Surf Scoter-1 A wonderful day. Scott Downes downess AT charter.net Yakima WA_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Rusty Blackbird Sno Co. From: "Marv Breece" <mbreece AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:04:02 -0800 Today there was a RUSTY BLACKBIRD (1st yr male) in a mixed blackbird flock along Norman Road in Snohomish County. The location is a short distance west of the intersection with Pioneer Hwy, north of Silvana. Also in this flock were a very light buff colored female BREWER'S BLACKBIRD and at least 2 female brewers with yellow eyes. There was very little shorebird activity at Jensen Access on Fir Island (Skagit County) today at high tide. BLACK-BELLLIED PLOVERS and DUNLIN were the only shorebirds I saw. No pectoral, no sharp-tailed and no golden-plovers. Did see a MERLIN and a PEREGRINE FALCON at Jensen. A flock of fly over SNOW GEESE included one blue morph. There was an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE on Rawlins Road. Marv Breece Seattle, WA mbreece AT earthlink.net_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Eurasian Collared-Doves in Ephrata and other sightings From: "Rachel" <RachelWL AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:02:37 -0800 This may be old news regarding the collared-dove invasion, but today, 11/1, while passing through Ephrata, we saw 2 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES right on the main highway through town. There were lots of waterfowl on the lakes in Grand Coulee. At the north end of Alkali Lake, we saw a flock of swans; the ones on shore were too distant to identify for sure, but 2 on the water were TUNDRA SWANS. We didn't see too much else of note, but we did see 1 late SWAINSON'S HAWK on Pinto Ridge Rd near Straton, and my first ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK of the season and a MERLIN on the Old Vantage Highway between Vantage and Kittitas. Rachel Lawson and Joseph Brown Seattle rachelwl AT msn.com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: WOS Spokane County Big Day field trip report, Nov. 1 From: "Tim O'Brien" <kertim7179 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:51:40 -0800 (PST) Today, seven west-side birders joined me in a Big Day quest in Spokane county. The weather was great with sunny skies and light wind. The morning was cold with frost in many places. We started the day in the Four Lakes area and then circled our way around the county ending the day at the top of Indian Canyon. Notable stops included Turnbull NWR, Philleo Lake, Spangle, Fairfield, Mount Spokane and its foothills, Wandemere Pond, Spokane Fish Hatchery, Little Spokane River Natural area, and Nine Mile dam. Total species seen today for the group was 72. We drove 171 miles and spent 10 hours birding. Here are the highlights: Hallet Road pond (east of the Petro Truck Stop): 3 Greater White-fronted Geese and 7 Cackling Geese. Granite Lake - 1 male Redhead (only one of the day) Meadow Lake - 8 Lesser Scaup Turnbull NWR - the family of 6 Trumpeter Swans, one female Wood Duck, Northern Shrike, both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, singing Marsh Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Red-winged Blackbirds, and a very vocal flock of Red Crossbills Philleo Lake - a very well hidden Great Horned Owl on the road to the lake (nice spot Mr. Hobbs!), about 50 Tundra Swans, Hooded Mergansers, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, and Cedar Waxwing Fairfield - no Collared Doves, but we did find a soaring Rough-legged Hawk Along Hwy 27 heading north - big flock of Wild Turkeys Mount Spokane - one Northern Harrier (possible juvie heading south), Steller's Jay, and Chestnut-backed Chickadees Madison Road - one Northern Pygmy-Owl who came in to my tooting allowing great looks and listens! Wandemere Pond (at the Wandemere Golf Course) - Ring-necked Duck and an AMERICAN DIPPER (odd spot but there is a good looking human built rocky stream here with bridges so this may be the new county hot spot for this species) Spokane Fish Hatchery - Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Winter Wren, and another Dipper Little Spokane NA at Painted Rocks - Pileated Woodpecker Nine Mile Dam - 30 Double-crested Comorants, Horned Grebe Indian Canyon - Ring-necked Pheasant (making weird sounds), Bewick's Wren As were ending the trip back at the Petro truck stop, a Great Horned Owl flew up and lit on an utility pole to bid us good-bye for the day. Thanks to everyone who joined the trip today. It was a great day with great company! Tim O'Brien Cheney, WA mailto: kertim7179 AT yahoo dot com _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: FW: WOS membership program Monday, Nov. 2 From: "Eugene and Nancy Hunn" <enhunn323 AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:59:11 -0800 From: Eugene and Nancy Hunn [mailto:enhunn323 AT comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 7:29 AM To: 'tweeters tweeters' Subject: WOS membership program Monday, Nov. 2 Monday, November 2, at 7:00 PM Center for Urban Horticulture, UW Campus Jack Bettesworth Winter Site Fidelity of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks WOS Meetings are free and open to all. They are held the first Monday of each month at the Center for Urban Horticulture on the University of Washington campus, 3501 NE 41st St. in Seattle (directions below). Doors open at 7:00 PM and the program begins at 7:30 PM. For more information about meetings, contact Mike McKinstry. _____ November 2, 2009 Winter Site Fidelity of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks Jack Bettesworth Jack Bettesworth, a now-retired pharmacist, has worked on raptor field research projects for the past 20 years. He holds a Master Bander Permit with the Federal Bird Banding Laboratory and with the State of Washington. He has worked on field research projects involved with Gyrfalcons, Peregrine Falcons, American Kestrels, Snowy Owls, fall raptor migration at Diamond Head (1994-2006) and winter site fidelity of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks (2002 to present). _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Snoqualmie Valley Geese From: MEYER2J AT aol.com Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:58:38 EST Hi Tweets: On Sunday, November 1, there were 13 Snow Geese near Sikes Lake, in the Snoqualmie Valley. They were there at 4:30 pm and again at 6:30 pm. in a field on 284th Ave. NE near the bridge over Sikes Lake. On NE 80th there were several groups of sleeping or about to sleep Killdeer, nestled among the clumps of dirt. The usual American Kestrel was seen perched in a tree near NE 100th St. Only saw 1 this evening, although there are usually 2 in the vicinity. Joyce Meyer _meyer2j AT aol.com_ (mailto:meyer2j AT aol.com) _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters