Hello, I have a 1,000 pond/stream/waterfall. Therefore people have given me koi. I know they are not good for the frogs or salamanders that may try to lay eggs. However, a couple of summers ago we had a small pond form, which we could not find a use for. I've always wanted a location specifically for salamanders. So after trying to figure out the best way to proceed, with a husband who just wants in in the ground or gotten rid of; we just stuck it in the ground. However, location is everything. We have a watershed property, and heavily wooded, forest with several trees that are two hundred+ years old. So I just put my pond on the very edge of this. I saw what I thought were tadpoles a week ago. Yesterday I went out to see how the tadpoles were doing to find tiny salamanders! YAY! There are ones with tiny feet, and long tails, and some that have shorter tails. the color is basically at this time looking black except for part of the top of the salamanders appear lighter in color. They are too small to really see well, as the pond layered with organic soil, sand, pebbles and large rocks, has not been touched. I wanted nature to take its course. The mosquitos were pretty gruesome, but they are everywhere on our property, and must have been the perfect meal for my little buddies. Anyway, I hope they settle in and grow enough for me to get some kind of identification on them before they pack up and move to the great forest. I'm also thinking they may just hang around this area as there are lots of branches, bark and things that attract bugs and stay moist. We have plenty of Chorus Frogs in the forest, as well as Tree Frogs, I don't really know much about these amphibians, but hopefully will learn. Have a great week! Vicki Biltz Buckley, WA 98321 <vickibiltz...>
Date: 7/21/19 8:09 pm From: William Brooks <willbrooks.0...> Subject: [Tweeters] Possible Common Ringed Plover
Hey All,
This afternoon at Griffiths-Priday Park I had a possible Common Ringed Plover at the creek mouth. I only saw it in flight but managed to get some shots. I would love some comments on the ID of this bird, check out my eBird checklist for details.
Date: 7/21/19 3:18 pm From: Hubbell <ldhubbell...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } The Mystery in the Marsh
Tweeters,
This week’s post is all about the Marsh Wren and its most mysterious marking. Take a look and please leave a comment if you think of a solution to the mystery.
Date: 7/21/19 11:57 am From: Marv Breece <marvbreece...> Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit Shorebirding
At 6:15 yesterday morning I counted 30 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS at Hayton Reserve on Fir island. They were distant, backlit & in low morning fog, so it was difficult to separate them from the many LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS that were also there. No doubt there were more than 30 Semi Plovers. Other shorebirds included a GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 11 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, all but 1 in alternate plumage. At least 7 COMMON LOONS flew overhead while vocalizing. That was a surprise.
At low tide there were six swallow species at Channel Drive. No martins. A flock of 150 peeps included about 35 adult LEAST SANDPIPERS, about 98 adult & 2 juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPERS & 15 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, which included 13 juv & 2 adult. There were also 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.
Late in the afternoon the only shorebirds I could find at the Game Range (Wylie Slough) were a few KILLDEER, until a small flock of peeps flew in. All adults. A few LEAST & WESTERN SANDPIPERS & 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. -- Marv Breece Tukwila, WA <marvbreece...>
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet." - Thomas Jefferson
Funny that you mention Rod Mar. We were both shooting at an even several years back when I saw Rod and just HAD to take his picture. A true professional, photographing the stage, with all his professional equipment, and what is he shooting with? His CELL PHONE!!!!!
I have read all the posts regarding investment in long lenses, etc. This weighed very heavily in my decision to move to a mirrorless system. I saw no point at all in going the full frame, or even APS-C route, as that left me with the weight issue. As to the cost, due to a bit of good fortune and the timing of the Olympus sale, I actually made a couple of thousand dollars in my switch to now using Olympus M1X, a pair of them with a Panasonic G4 for a 3rd backup and video. A pair of 40-150 f2.8’s, a 300 f4 and a couple of other miscellaneous lenses. Also a pair of 1.4 TC’s. I have resisted even looking at these systems for 2 main reasons. The first is that the EVF, Electronic View Finder, in my opinion was horribly for following moving subjects. Second was that AF was pretty good for things standing still or moving slowly. By accident I went to a presentation by a pro nature photographer who has specialized in birds for years, and was surprised enough to rent an M1X for a weekend.
My wife was quite surprised, couldn’t believe I was selling all my Nikon gear.
Yes, the menu system is different, but no worse than current Canon of Nikon. Worst part is understanding the new AF system, and getting that right. Well, I guess the really WORST part is I don’t look so cool any more, as the lenses are physically smaller. That said, under 10lbs, with tripod, sure beats 20lbs when I am traipsing around.
I looked at selling my 600mm f4 AFS-VR lens, 11lbs worth, for the new version, about a 3 lb saving. That would only have cost me around 8-9 thousand dollars, depending on what I could get for my old one.
For my needs, while my switch was hard to swallow, at 68 years old, carting two systems for my wife and I at times in the field, my back/neck/shoulders/knees thank me.
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> On Behalf Of Glenn Nelson
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 2:56 PM
To: <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Mirrorless Cameras
Hi Tweets,
No matter what anyone says, equipment does not make the photographer. We all see examples every day of superior images being captured by supposedly "inferior" equipment.
I use Nikon equipment, but I'm not going offer the usual tribal narrative. Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses, and appeals according to personal preference. I will simply tell you my experience.
First off, I always have two bodies, the second being kind of a "back up." I know everyone does not have that luxury or makes that choice, so that's the bias for me. I have Nikon's top body, the D850, and I sold my second, a D750, and bought a mirrorless, the Z6 (choosing its faster frames-per-second over the Z7's larger files; already having the D850 made that an easy decision).
Like others, I have a lot of money invested in Nikon (or whatever brand) lenses, but the transition to mirrorless is made seamless by the adapter that Nikon used to and still may include with the Z bodies. So, yes, I use my nice (bigger) Nikon lenses with the mirrorless and still find a considerable advantage in weight loss and maneuverability.
The other advantage(s) over the D850 (which is hard to do because the D850 has almost every technical development): the electronic viewfinder may seem like a difficult adjustment until you consider that what you seen in the viewfinder is how your ultimate file will look. Once you become accustomed to that fact, and remember it, it makes it easier to make on-the-fly decisions in the field about exposure. Others may not have an articulating, touch-sensitive LCD screen on their DSLRs, though I do on the D850 and even my previous DSLR backup. I think they are game changers, so if that's one of the differences between your DSLR and a mirrorless you're considering, mark it as a major advantage.
If I had to get by on just the Z6, I would be fairly happy and consider myself ahead of where I was 3-5 years ago. My friend Rod Mar, the Seahawks' official photographer who is considered one of the best sports photographers in the world, routinely uses a Z6.
However ... I cannot deny that the D850 is far more responsive (focusing, though slightly fewer fps) and its far larger file sizes extend your reach because you can crop and not lose much detail. If I was going out for an "important" shoot and could carry only one body, I'd pick the D850 every time. Of course, the D850 is more expensive and should be better. No matter what anyone says, you get what you pay for.
That all said, it feels optimal to carry the D850 attached to a long lens on a tripod and have the Z6 with a smaller lens slung on my shoulder. You hardly notice. My conclusion is: It depends -- on what you're shooting, your budget, your other idiosyncrasies and needs. But overall the mirrorless bodies hold their own and, in the hands of a superior photographer, will make superior images.
Date: 7/20/19 8:44 pm From: Izzy & Kendrick <gobirder...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Passing of John Friars
I’m so sad to hear of John Friar’s passing. A friend and I just recently spoke of him and remembered how upbeat he always seemed. He was certainly a big asset to the birder community.
Today along the Naches Peak Loop Trail at Chinook Pass there was both a Williamson's Sapsucker and a White-winged Crossbill. The sapsucker was a female that was just east of the crest near the southern end of the loop. The crossbill was a juvenile that spent the better part of ten minutes around the little lake near the southern part of the loop and was calling a lot. The weather was perfect and there were a lot of flowers in bloom.
Date: 7/20/19 2:09 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] road trip (out of area/long)
As it's possibile some of you may wish to chase these birds, I offer a note of my recent road trip. Feel free to contact me for more details.
9 July, 2019
I arrived at Diamondfield Jack campground (barely in Cassia County, ID) around 1 p. m., and tried to find shade. The first half dozen bird species were not crossbills (one heavily molting Ruby-crowned Kinglet, though), but a few minutes into lunch, I heard some. Small parties flew past over the low, open pines. There has been a lot of “cleaning up” in these woods recently, with many stumps and piles of cut tree parts, but Cassia Crossbills are still frequent. I soon had a few males and immatures in a scope view atop a nearby tree. Later, chasing a few harder to see birds, like Mountain Chickadee, I looked down to see a couple crossbills feeding on fallen cones six feet from me. If I’d fallen over, I’d have landed on them.
There may not be “sciurus” (or Tamiasciurus), but there were ground squirrels and chipmunks. There’s no water at this campground (nor the next), so I camped lower down, across the road from a beaver pond. (The outhouse and your neighbor’s commotion seem the only advantages of the campground.) Investigating splashing around the beaver lodge, I shared mutual surprise with a moose (!). Bonus: Cordilleran Flycatcher, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Red-naped Sapsucker, gray-headed junco, Hermit Thrush, and Calliope Hummingbird. I may have had some other type of Red Crossbill.
10 July, 2019
I again arrived, at the end of the road in Lamoille Canyon (Elko County, NV), mid-day. I leisurely put together my backpack and set out up the two miles of trail. From 8800’ to 9700’. With my walking stick. Slowly (having blown my knees 25 years ago under a backpack). The trail’s gradual and well engineered, but sunny. I dropped my pack near Island Lake under a whitebark pine, and scrambled farther up in the cirque with my scope (to over 10,000’). I spent hours admiring the cliffs and (loud) rushing water from fairly extensive snow fields. A few noisy people left the lake, and I had the place to myself. A few birds were singing, but no galliformes. A couple of passing Golden Eagles probably didn’t help me. As evening progressed, I scrambled back down to eat something and set up camp. A late hiker looked like he knew something as he scanned the cliffs, so I went over to collaborate. I found him some mountain goats (his target), but no new birds.
11 July, 2019
This was the only night of the week with mosquitoes, and they didn’t begin till after midnight. I’d known a half mile up the trail that I’d forgotten the repellent in the car, and had brought neither net nor tent up the mountain, so I struggled with a sheet on my face the rest of the night.
I also didn’t know to which time zone my clock was set, and opted to err on early. So I actually was in position a few hundred feet up the cirque by 3 a. m. rather than a civilized 4. (Thanks, Idaho.) Lovely stars. Loud water. I’d forgotten my binoculars in camp. Dawn came. And sunrise. I heard only the four or five common breeding birds. I was ruminating on how to get myself back up here for the next morning, when around 7 a. m., I saw what looked like about eight pigeons fly in to a high broken rock outcrop just below the snowy ridge. Only there aren’t any pigeons up here. I fixed the spot and got the scope on it. Zooming to about 60x, I had great views of five Himalayan Snowcocks, three adults and two immatures, on near vertical blocky terrain. Four soon calmly walked out of sight behind obstructions, but one adult stood, preened, and stretched for several minutes before also walking around a rock. The better to avoid eagle eyes, I expect. I never heard a peep. This doesn’t match the noisily-fly-down-and-walk-up reports, but I was glad to see them. A younger person might have scrambled higher up the scree and snow after waiting hours yesterday and this morning, but it didn’t look so easy with a scope along. It looks like another several hundred to a thousand feet up to the peaks. (I checked. One of the more accessible is 11,140’.)
I was glad to be reunited with my binoculars, then by 10 my car (having worried about the broken car window glass on the parking lot). Lamoille Canyon bonuses: weasel, marmot, Green-tailed Towhee, Mountain Bluebird, golden-mantled ground squirrel, gray-headed junco, Clark’s Nutcracker, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Fox Sparrow.
12 July, 2019
Having dithered for hours in an air conditioned library in Elko before deciding, I didn’t arrive at Big Sur (Monterey County, CA) till mid-afternoon. Having wasted time at the wrong Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (there are two), then finally getting good information at the nearby Big Sur Station (thanks, Forest Service), I stopped at the spectacular view point at mile 41 on highway 1. I was setting up the scope when a California Condor soared low overhead (!). He spent the next 15 minutes perched on a crag a few tens of feet above the road. I was able to explain and give scope views to a few families before watching him soar off north at eye level over the abyss. I did venture on to the other Pfeiffer park and view points, and may have glimpsed other condors, but none definitive. There’s no place to camp simply around there, so though I’d have loved to have seen other condors, I headed north. Bonuses: redwood-nesting Purple Martins, Acorn Woodpecker, White-throated Swift, Wrentit, Brown Pelican, Red-shouldered Hawk, Big Sur.
(Also along the way, Burrowing Owl, White-tailed Kite, White-faced Ibis, Oak Titmouse, pronghorn, ...) Thanks to those who shared information.
I have both a leucistic and a melanistic chickadees visiting my yard - black-capped and chestnut-backed, respectively. Anyone know the which are more common, leucism or melanism in birds?
>>>>>
>>>>> We recently traded the wetness of the west side for the wind of the east side.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some Harlequin Ducks had been reported at Cle Elum Lake so we tried (unsuccessfully) to find those. However, we found the main crossroad of the French Creek Sno Park located at the far end of the lake to be very birdy so the trip up the lake was worthwhile as well as scenic.
>>>
>>>
>>>>> Red Bridge Road east of Cle Elum is always productive. This time it yielded a first for us, juvenile Western Kingbirds.
>>>
>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48323904327/ >>>
>>> We also always love seeing the Mountain Bluebirds along Umtanum Road south of Ellensburg.
>>>
>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48323831001/ >>>
>>>
>>>>> The photo album tells the story of the trip.
>
>>>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/albums/72157709747042236 >>>
>>>>> To see where a photo was taken, click on it. The location is given either directly under the photo or as a tag further down.
>>>>
>>>>> Some of the IDs on this trip were challenging, for us at least. Thanks to Jason Vassallo for helping us with the IDs.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hank & Karen Heiberg
>>>>> Issaquah, WA
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
Date: 7/19/19 9:26 am From: B P Bell <bellasoc...> Subject: [Tweeters] Passing of John Friars - birder
Hi Tweets
I thought I would let you know that John Friars passed Wednesday - he was days shy of turning 90. As some of you may remember, John was a member of Seattle Audubon Society since I think the 1940's - as a kid -, and he told of a class Earl Larrison was teaching for SAS back then. He led field trips for SAS and Vashon Audubon for many years and he was active in both the SAS and Vashon Christmas Count's. John was an SAS Master Birder and was on the Committee running the program, when I took the class (1996-7). He was an excellent birder with fantastic hearing, was an incredible source of information to birders - he talked all the time - and enjoyed relating to people.
I know many of you Tweets have gone on field trips with John and know what an excellent birder and leader he was. He will be missed.
Date: 7/18/19 7:49 pm From: Jim Danzenbaker <jdanzenbaker...> Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR on Monday
Hi Tweeters,
Any tweeters going to be at Nisqually NWR next Monday at around 7:30 am? I'll be visiting there for my first time since October, 2017. Hoping for shorebirds before continuing on to Mountain Quail land and, finally, the coast for shorebirds and Wednesday's Westport Seabirds pelagic trip.
Keep your eyes and ears skyward.
Cheers.
Jim -- Jim Danzenbaker Battle Ground, WA 360-702-9395 <jdanzenbaker...>
Date: 7/18/19 7:37 pm From: Denis DeSilvis <avnacrs4birds...> Subject: [Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagles Pride Golf Course monthly bird walk - 7-18-2019
Tweeters,
Brrrr at the start (53degF with a wee Scottish mist, which thankfully cleared up soon after we stepped out) but ending at 70degF with most of us shedding outer layers by the walk's midpoint. No doldrums today for the 15 of us who toured the route. Highlights included 16 WOOD DUCKS; an OSPREY; 5 RED-TAILED HAWKS, including what we believe were two fledglings from the Hodge Lake nest; a nice selection both in variety and numbers of flycatchers (OLIVE-SIDED, WILLOW, and PACIFIC-SLOPE, with WESTERN WOOD PEWEES salted in); 38 BUSHTITS in four separate flocks; 6 BROWN CREEPERS; HOUSE WRENS; and 20 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES. We thought we were going to strike out on warblers, but managed to score one each of YELLOW, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, and WILSON'S. The topper for some of us, including one birder who'd not ever had a good view of one, was the last bird counted today: a male WESTERN TANAGER that was feeding about 5 feet off the ground in a Douglas-fir right next to the parking lot. Great views for several minutes. Another fine day!
On August 15, bird walk participants will have a special treat. Scott Markowitz will give a bird-banding demonstration somewhere during the middle of the walk and will be available to answer questions about the project on which he and others are working. The Tahoma Audubon Society has entered into a partnership with JBLM for a multiyear research project that entails banding birds at Eagles Pride.
The JBLM Eagles Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM. Starting point is Bldg # 1514, Driving Range Tee, Eagles Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. Upcoming walks include the following:
* August 15 (including banding demo and project info)
* September 19
* October 17
Anyone is welcome to join us!
From the eBird report:
41 species (+1 other taxa)
Wood Duck 16 All at Hodge Lake
Mallard 6
Pied-billed Grebe 1 Hodge Lake
Mourning Dove 1
Anna's Hummingbird 3
Rufous Hummingbird 1
Osprey 1
Red-tailed Hawk 5 The two young birds were giving "begging" calls.
Date: 7/18/19 6:41 pm From: Cara Borre <cmborre1...> Subject: [Tweeters] Video of Saturday's pelagic
Hi Tweets:
This is the first time I have solicited photos from birders on the trip as I did not have my "personal photographer" on board. I hope to do this more in the future and perfect a better way of receiving post-trip pics. If anyone was on the July 13th trip and has nice shots of Cassin's Auklet, Leach's and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, Pomarine Jaeger, or South Polar Skua, I'm happy to do another edit. I would love to include Humpback Whale and Pacific White-sided Dolphin pics as well.
Date: 7/18/19 6:30 pm From: Al n Donna <alndonna...> Subject: [Tweeters] 3 days in eastern Washington
Nearly all of my Washington birding has been on the rainy side, except for day-trips to Cle Elum, Vantage, Naches, Othello and Kennewick, in search of a specific bird. Without a proper vehicle or the courage for this 80 year old, a winter trip into the snow doesn't work.
For several years, I have saved all the eastern Washington Tweeters posts, for a possible summer trip. My birding buddy, Kurt Howard, and I decided now was the time. I put push pins on a map for all the roads mentioned in the posts. From that, I outlined our trip, recognizing that almost all of the posts were from winter trips--what would summer bring?
First stop in Cle Elum --again didn't find me a Veery. The second stop was Alta Lake State Park, where we found many tunnels in a vertical sandbank, where we saw dozens of Bank Swallows (a lifer for me) feeding chicks. This was near Pateros, one mile into the park entrance road. Find the picture at: https://pbase.com/alndonna/image/169518847
Most of the trip birding was from the car. Most of the roads we took were R & R only (Robins and Ravens.) A few roads were birdy. Best of all was Mary Ann Creek Road, so good that we drove it twice. Also good was the whole length of Havilla Rd. And, at the entrance to Pearrygin Lake State Park, we found a pair of Dusty Grouse (another lifer) crossing the entrance road. Find the picture at https://pbase.com/alndonna/image/169518857
Not so birdy roads included Sun Mountain Lodge, Wolf Creek, Highlands Sno-Park, and Conconully State Park. I'm not sure we located the Nealey Road feeders. The house had a dozen goats, but no trace of any feeders.
We saw many Mountain Bluebirds and Eastern Kingbirds
(see picture at https://pbase.com/image/169518870 and a few Lazuli Buntings--all birds I seldom see near home.
Traveling from Tacoma, we spent the first night in Winthrop and the second in Omak. We drove a total of 840 miles over 3 days-enjoyed the birds and the scenery.
Al in Tacoma
Date: 7/18/19 4:02 pm From: Michael Hobbs <birdmarymoor...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2019-07-18
Tweets – It was cool and dark, with rain threatening on this, the 48th day of Junuary, 2019. It eventually cleared, so that it was sunny for the Pea Patch, Mansion, and Rowing Club portion. Early on, the Willow Flycatchers and Swainson’s Thrushes were doing lots of calls and some songs, but most other species weren’t saying much. Not too many surprises today, but still not a bad day.
Highlights:
a.. Canada Goose – we had a small flock last week, following four weeks with none. Today, we had several flocks totaling at least 40 birds
b.. BLACK SWIFT – we expected to see these, but had only 1 briefly north of the mansion
c.. Anna’s Hummingbird – many
d.. Rufous Hummingbird – only 2 last week, and down to 1 this week
e.. Spotted Sandpiper – one spotless bird below the weir
f.. Caspian Tern – one hunting the lake, like last week
g.. Green Heron – one circling flyover
h.. Western Screech-Owl – Matt saw two this morning, probably both juveniles
i.. PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER – seen by half the group, west side of the East Meadow. New for our 2019 list
j.. Red-eyed Vireo – singing, unseen, near Dog Central
k.. Bullock’s Oriole – one stayed mostly hidden and silent; appeared to be a young male
l.. Black-throated Gray Warbler – one silent bird; we had three last week, our first since April
m.. Western Tanager – one that appeared to be a probable juvenile, and one adult male briefly glimpsed
n.. Black-headed Grosbeak – only two, no adult males
This week, we had great looks at three AMERICAN BEAVER near the beaver lodge across from Dog Central. Last week, we had a statistically much more notable sighting: a TOWNSEND’S CHIPMUNK. Although these are quite common in King County, this was only the 2nd time we’ve ever seen one at Marymoor, the other time dating back to May, 2003! It was at the Compost Piles last Thursday.
Last week, we ended up with 63 species. In addition to ones noted about, last weeks birds included COMMON MERGANSER (female with 3 “teenagers”), GREEN HERON, BARN OWL (Matt saw a juvenile on the windmill blade pre-dawn), HAIRY WOODPECKER, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.
Misses *today* included Rock Pigeon, Cliff Swallow, Marsh Wren (probably heard one from boardwalk, but...), and Brown-headed Cowbird (!).
For last week, we had 63 species; this week (not counting a probable MAWR and probable OCWA), 60 species. I’m sure we missed more species in the dark.
Date: 7/18/19 11:45 am From: Tom and Carol Stoner <tcstonefam...> Subject: [Tweeters] Female Western Tanager
Well, today's surprise was a female Western Tanager. Like the male Western Tanager I reported earlier, this one seemed inexperienced in dealing with the starling/squirrel excluding feature of the suet feeder and settled for the woodpecker suet.
Date: 7/18/19 11:41 am From: Shep Thorp <shepthorp...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk, Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR, for Wednesday 7.17.2019
Hi Tweets,
we had a cool moist breezy morning at the Refuge with cloudy skies, intermittent light rain, and gusty winds. The wind was our biggest challenge for spotting in comparison to rain. Temperatures in the 60's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit. A High 11.98ft Tide at 5:39am and a Low -1.8ft Tide at 12:45pm. Highlights included nice sightings of WESTERN TANAGER, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, YELLOW WARBLER and WILLOW FLYCATCHER. FOY SEMIPALMATED PLOVER on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail and GREAT HORNED OWL on the inside of the Twin Barns Loop Trail south of the Beaver Deceiver on the east side of the trail.
With the High Tide at 5:39am, I arrived at the Refuge at 5:45am to catch the tidal push along the dike. With a 9ft-11ft tide, the shorebirds are pushed closer to the dike both in the surge plain and along the west side of Leschi Slough. I had nice looks of 300-400 peeps, and picked up our early arrival second cycle MEW GULL on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Reminder - the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail may be closed at any time over the next 2 months for repairs.
Starting out at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we had nice looks at MALLARD ducklings and BARN SWALLOW.
The Orchard was quiet, but we had nice looks of TREE SWALLOW, MOURNING DOVE, CEDAR WAXWING, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and WESTERN TANAGER.
Along the Access Road we had good looks at ANNA HUMMINGBIRD, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER and fly over BALD EAGLE. A few BANK SWALLOW and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW were seen mixed in with the other foraging TREE and CLIFF SWALLOW. With the breezy conditions several juvenile BARN SWALLOW were observed roosting on the gravel road waiting to be fed by adults.
On the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, we observed NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW foraging over the Visitor Center Pond. We had great looks at YELLOW WARBLER feeding young. Several SWAINSON THRUSH, both adult and young, were foraging for insects along the waters edge. Both BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE were seen. We had nice looks at a family of WILLOW FLYCATCHER in the area of the Twin Barns Cut-off.
Abundant CEDAR WAXWINGS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen through out the Refuge. The Twin Barns Overlook was good for observing swallows feeding over the fields and large flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and EUROPEAN STARLINGS.
The Nisqually Estuary "dike" Trail provided distant views WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER and KILLDEER. Near the Access Road Sally spotted WILSON'S WARBLER. In the fresh water marsh on the inside of the trail we observed many swallows including BANK SWALLOW, numerous MALLARD and MARSH WREN. SAVANNAH SPARROW were seen along Leschi Slough.
Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, there is a colony of 40 plus CLIFF SWALLOWs nesting in the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform. BALD EAGLE chicks are still visible in the south nest. Pat Coddington spotted an early arrival SEMIPALMATED PLOVER on the inside of the trail foraging on mud flats with WESTERN SANDPIPER. Towards the mouth of McAllister Creek, we picked up BELTED KINGFISHER and SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Numerous RING-BILLED GULL and CALIFORNIA GULL were seen with several CASPIAN TERN and a couple of GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. From the Puget Sound Observation Platform we scoped BRANDT'S CORMORANT, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and numerous GREAT BLUE HERON and BALD EAGLE.
On our return, we had looks at BELTED KINGFISHER upstream from the Nisqually River Overlook, as well three River Otter playing in the River. Eric Slagle had reported a GREAT HORNED OWL which we located on the inside of the Twin Barns Loop Trail 10 feet south of the twin bench overlook.
We saw 55 species for the day, and with our FOY Semipalmated Plover now have 152 species for the year.
Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Townsend's Chipmunk, Harbor Seal, and River Otter.
Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Overlook, happy birding!
Date: 7/17/19 5:43 pm From: <byers345...> Subject: [Tweeters] Juvenile Cooper's Hawk in my yard
Hi Tweeters,
Every once in a while an accipiter comes to visit us. It's usually a Cooper's Hawk and that's what we had today (I think). I thought this one was interesting because it is molting into an adult bird. One picture shows the back of the bird with two tail feathers growing in. The shots of the breast show a combination of juvenile dark brown, teardrop-shaped feathers and the rufous and white bands of the adult. The first four pictures are of this new bird, the remainder of a hawk I shared pictures of last fall. All photos are those of husband Bill.
No matter what anyone says, equipment does not make the photographer. We all see examples every day of superior images being captured by supposedly "inferior" equipment.
I use Nikon equipment, but I'm not going offer the usual tribal narrative. Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses, and appeals according to personal preference. I will simply tell you my experience.
First off, I always have two bodies, the second being kind of a "back up." I know everyone does not have that luxury or makes that choice, so that's the bias for me. I have Nikon's top body, the D850, and I sold my second, a D750, and bought a mirrorless, the Z6 (choosing its faster frames-per-second over the Z7's larger files; already having the D850 made that an easy decision).
Like others, I have a lot of money invested in Nikon (or whatever brand) lenses, but the transition to mirrorless is made seamless by the adapter that Nikon used to and still may include with the Z bodies. So, yes, I use my nice (bigger) Nikon lenses with the mirrorless and still find a considerable advantage in weight loss and maneuverability.
The other advantage(s) over the D850 (which is hard to do because the D850 has almost every technical development): the electronic viewfinder may seem like a difficult adjustment until you consider that what you seen in the viewfinder is how your ultimate file will look. Once you become accustomed to that fact, and remember it, it makes it easier to make on-the-fly decisions in the field about exposure. Others may not have an articulating, touch-sensitive LCD screen on their DSLRs, though I do on the D850 and even my previous DSLR backup. I think they are game changers, so if that's one of the differences between your DSLR and a mirrorless you're considering, mark it as a major advantage.
If I had to get by on just the Z6, I would be fairly happy and consider myself ahead of where I was 3-5 years ago. My friend Rod Mar, the Seahawks' official photographer who is considered one of the best sports photographers in the world, routinely uses a Z6.
However ... I cannot deny that the D850 is far more responsive (focusing, though slightly fewer fps) and its far larger file sizes extend your reach because you can crop and not lose much detail. If I was going out for an "important" shoot and could carry only one body, I'd pick the D850 every time. Of course, the D850 is more expensive and should be better. No matter what anyone says, you get what you pay for.
That all said, it feels optimal to carry the D850 attached to a long lens on a tripod and have the Z6 with a smaller lens slung on my shoulder. You hardly notice. My conclusion is: It depends -- on what you're shooting, your budget, your other idiosyncrasies and needs. But overall the mirrorless bodies hold their own and, in the hands of a superior photographer, will make superior images.
I too am a long time Canon DSLR photographer that lugs around 20 lbs of gear on my birding expeditions. And will continue to use my 7D MKII with the 600 F4 MK II until something lighter and as flexible and easy to use comes along. And you are correct there is a significant investment in time to learn all the features of your gear well enough to change settings in the dark and by feel.
I’ve read far too much criticism of the menu systems on the new mirrorless cameras to jump in at the moment. When that improves and when there is a competitive long lens at a favorable price then it will be time.
"But for now, I will happily lug my SLR with my big 600mm lens sometimes attaching an extender. “
I am a Canon user with big bucks invested in my SLRs and lenses. With so much invested in my equipment and having mastered my equipment, I would find it highly expensive to make the transition to the "mirrorless revolution?. The single most important factor preventing serious photographers from switching equipment is the dramatic cost of switching equipment.
A couple years ago, I had two different friends ask me for suggestions for equipment. I told them what I use. Then they blissfully ignored my advice and purchased Sony mirrorless cameras on the advice of friends and family. They condescendingly informed me they were riding the wave of the future.
Two years later, both individuals are struggling with their equipment. One of the individuals has now informed me that she is disadvantaged by her Sony mirrorless and that is her excuse for mediocre photos. I was subsequently told by a very professional photographer that the menu on the Sony is so complex that he struggled to find his way around the menu. Both Sony and Nikon are experiencing a decline in market share in the camera market. This has been a challenging period for camera manufacturers with the demise of the point and shoot camera in favor of smart phone cameras.
The big seller for mirrorless cameras is weight and price, both which are more moderate than for a comparable SLR. But I also understand that mirrorless cameras are slower to focus and do not focus as sharply as SLR?s. That is a very important issue for bird photography. I do love looking through my 600mm lens on my SLR and being able to accurately move focus points around on a bird?s eye.
According to the web site Canon Rumors, Canon is putting heavy emphasis on the development of mirrorless cameras, so that does seem to be the wave of the future. Who knows, one of these days I may need to join the ?mirrorless revolution?. But for now, I will happily lug my SLR with my big 600mm lens sometimes attaching an extender.
Date: 7/17/19 6:37 am From: Elston Hill <elstonh...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Mirrorless Cameras
I am a Canon user with big bucks invested in my SLRs and lenses. With so much invested in my equipment and having mastered my equipment, I would find it highly expensive to make the transition to the "mirrorless revolution”. The single most important factor preventing serious photographers from switching equipment is the dramatic cost of switching equipment.
A couple years ago, I had two different friends ask me for suggestions for equipment. I told them what I use. Then they blissfully ignored my advice and purchased Sony mirrorless cameras on the advice of friends and family. They condescendingly informed me they were riding the wave of the future.
Two years later, both individuals are struggling with their equipment. One of the individuals has now informed me that she is disadvantaged by her Sony mirrorless and that is her excuse for mediocre photos. I was subsequently told by a very professional photographer that the menu on the Sony is so complex that he struggled to find his way around the menu. Both Sony and Nikon are experiencing a decline in market share in the camera market. This has been a challenging period for camera manufacturers with the demise of the point and shoot camera in favor of smart phone cameras.
The big seller for mirrorless cameras is weight and price, both which are more moderate than for a comparable SLR. But I also understand that mirrorless cameras are slower to focus and do not focus as sharply as SLR’s. That is a very important issue for bird photography. I do love looking through my 600mm lens on my SLR and being able to accurately move focus points around on a bird’s eye.
According to the web site Canon Rumors, Canon is putting heavy emphasis on the development of mirrorless cameras, so that does seem to be the wave of the future. Who knows, one of these days I may need to join the “mirrorless revolution”. But for now, I will happily lug my SLR with my big 600mm lens sometimes attaching an extender.
Date: 7/16/19 10:46 am From: Tucker, Trileigh <TRI...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Help with call ID? (West Seattle)
Hi again Tweets,
Still no ID on the mystery West Seattle caller in spite of the efforts of Tweeters, Western Washington Birders on Facebook, and several Master Birders. Ive had suggestions of F/juv Black-headed Grosbeak, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Coopers Hawk. I listened to a number of Macaulay and Xeno-Canto recordings for these and have not found any two-note calls that sound quite like this one. After finding a roughly similar juv Coop call on Macaulay, I ran it and my recording by Ed Deal, who responded: "The pitch and single note sounds like a juvie Coop food begging, but the call is too short and I've never heard a paired note like that out of a Coop. Sorry, No help. (Shared with Eds permission.)
I sleuthed around my neighborhood a bit more trying to get a glimpse. Although I wasn't able to see the bird, I did get a closer recording, at my Flickr link here<https://www.flickr.com/photos/trileigh/48300234591/in/dateposted-public/> (call at 4 sec and 11 sec). After walking around more, I believe the bird was not in the tree shown, but in a little clump of dense conifers just to the left of it. This is not in but just above a wooded ravine with small perennial stream. Ill keep looking...more ideas most welcome!
Ive been hearing this double-note call regularly in a wooded area for several months and have finally gotten an uploadable audio. The call is always two notes, same pitch, same intensity, same duration. I figure it must be some regular bird since Im hearing it so commonly, rather than some dramatically exotic visitor, and am planning to be duly embarrassed when someone tells me what it is. But Id sure like to know!
The call is at the Second 1 and Second 7 (not the Song Sparrow in the middle).
Happy summer everyone I have had 2 flycatchers hanging out in my backyard on a roll of wire fencing near the back window. 2 days now, they sit and look in @ me What a wonderful surprise Christina in Woodinville
Hello Tweets, I've been trying to get up to Green Mountain, northeast of Darrington, for over a month now but life has kept getting in the way. I finally made it up there today and was not disappointed.
I had a very damp slog to the top, but I did pick up one of the Dusky Flycatchers that have been heard or seen up there this summer. Thanks to Isaiah Nugent for the coordinates. Other good birds were at least two singing Gambel's White-Crowned Sparrows (along with similar numbers of Puget Sound subspecies for comparison) and a bunch of Lazuli Buntings. I was happily surprised to hear a House Wren about halfway up the mountain.
The weather had more or less dried by the time I reached the lookout. At the top I heard what I determined to be a White-Tailed Ptarmigan, but while I was trying to get a visual on the bird a flock of Gray-Crowned Rosy Finches flew by and stole my attention. I watched the flock land on the mountainside below and was able to re-find them and get close enough for some amazing photos. Almost all the birds in the flock were juveniles.
I returned to the lookout and tried in vain to locate the Ptarmigan without success. As I began to head down the trail an unfamiliar woodpecker called within a few feet of me. It flew to the next group of trees and showed a plain black back and white outer tail feathers. BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER! After some frustration I was able to coax the bird into view for some better looks and documentation photos. I'm not sure how many Snohomish county records there are for BBWO, but I'd be curious if anyone knows where and when the prior records were.
Nothing else of interest on my hike down but I did get some good looks at some mother Sooty Grouse with very cute babies.
The mirrorless revolution is coming on strong. The Sony A9 plus a Sony 100-400mm and 1.4x converter as mentioned by Nagi is so far the best out there for birds. Sony just released a 200-600mm lens which is getting pretty good reviews and isn't crazy expensive ($2,000). If you have money to burn, Sony released a 600mm lens as well. But around $13,000 for that! Tomorrow Sony may be announcing some new bodies and the rumors are that between July and September there might be a next gen A9 (aka A9II). I haven't moved over from Canon yet except for Landscape where I use the Sony A7rIII. But if Sony does release a new A9 that may be my tipping point. And hopefully they will improve the user interface of the menu!
Date: 7/15/19 12:37 pm From: Mitchell Von Rotz <biglou22...> Subject: [Tweeters] OT- SE Birding Festival
Hello Tweeters,
Sorry for the "off topic” post but I was just hit with an obvious opportunity that I hadn’t pieced together for this listserv. I am heading down to Southern Arizona next month and my stay will sandwich the festival (I will be doing one field trip on Sat the 10th) and I had posted on the AZNM listserv asking about 2 locations and was emailed by Rich from Mt Vernon, and he is heading down there as well and offering to possibly meet up to help with the locations in question. I had forgotten that I can also ask our local community if any WA birders are heading down during my time (Aug 5-14) and maybe want to join forces, either in person or staying in touch via texting/emails/calls for sightings. I would say these can be offline responses, however, if multiple people are heading down I would think that the more connections between more people would be helpful and more enjoyable? I am good with either method of response!
Date: 7/15/19 10:41 am From: Vicki Biltz <vickibiltz...> Subject: [Tweeters] Oops on quail info
Hi, I should have mentioned these were of course California Quail, I thought everyone would assume that. Also the location is in the country between Bonney Lake and Buckley, that all I can say on that. My neighbors would be very unhappy if I gave anymore info on location Thanks, Vicki Biltz <vickibiltz...> Buckley, WA 98321 --
Date: 7/15/19 9:49 am From: Bill Dewey <retief...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI: Mirrorless cameras for bird photography
Peggy, I was at that same seminar, he was talking about the M1X. I rented one from Glazers the following weekend to test. Weighed the M1X+300F4+1.4 TC next to my Nikon D500+200-500 as well as with the 500PF, which is lighter than the 200-500. My D500 also had the grip attached. With these combinations, the D500 with the 500PF was almost identical in weight, the Nikon with the 200-500 was slightly heavier. The other consideration is that the Olympus was physical easier to hold than the 200-500, as it is shorter. The 40-150f2.8 is also easier, and the zoom is easier to operate with one continuous motion.
The Nikon combination, D500 with either the 200-500 or the 500PF are fantastic, no doubt about that at all.
You are correct regarding price. Pro capture is fun, and more useful than I thought.
On 2019-07-15 09:13, Peggy Mundy wrote: > Hi Stefan, > In May, I attended a seminar at Kenmore Camera by Scott Bourne who is > a bird photographer and is promoted by and promotes Olympus. > Unfortunately I don't recall which models he was promoting that day. > He did a good sales job, claiming light weight, etc., but when I > googled the specs, the system he was pushing actually weighed more > than my current set up (Nikon D500 + Nikkor 200-500mm lens), and it > wasn't an inexpensive system either, so I didn't bite. The one > feature that the Olympus system has that is enviable, is the > "Pro-Capture" mode that allows you to capture images prior to > releasing the shutter (the camera temporarily stores images with the > shutter button partially pressed). But that wasn't enough for me to > give up all of my Nikon gear and make the expensive switch to Olympus. > > Peggy > > On Monday, July 15, 2019, 08:58:38 a.m. PDT, Stefan Schlick > <greenfant...> wrote: > > For many years the standard DSLR system for birders has been the > Canon 7D/7D Mark II with the 100-400mm IS (I or II) lens. Is anybody > using a mirrorless camera for bird photography and how is it working > out for you? In particular, is anybody using the Olympus E-M1X? > > Thanks, > > Stefan Schlick > Hillsboro, OR _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/15/19 9:45 am From: Bill Dewey <retief...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI: Mirrorless cameras for bird photography
I am now using a pair of Olympus E-M1X cameras, with the 40-150f2.8 and the 300mm f4, plus the 1.4 teleconverters. For years I have been using Nikon DSLR's, with 300/400/500/600 primes as primary lenses. As difficult as it is to say, I think Mirrorless is finally catching up with AF, and the viewfinders don't look like grainy videos. The weight difference is significant. What used to weigh 20lbs or so, I can now accomplish with about 5 lbs of gear, quality surprises me.
Feel free to contact me off list, I'll be happy to pass on all the info I have and research I did.
I did see the other post re: the Sony A9. Great camera, the reason I did not go that direction or the Nikon Z6/Z7 route was to gain the size/weight advantage of micro 4/3rds.
On 2019-07-15 08:57, Stefan Schlick wrote: > For many years the standard DSLR system for birders has been the > Canon 7D/7D Mark II with the 100-400mm IS (I or II) lens. Is anybody > using a mirrorless camera for bird photography and how is it working > out for you? In particular, is anybody using the Olympus E-M1X? > > Thanks, > > Stefan Schlick > Hillsboro, OR > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/15/19 9:16 am From: Peggy Mundy <peggy_busby...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI: Mirrorless cameras for bird photography
Hi Stefan,In May, I attended a seminar at Kenmore Camera by Scott Bourne who is a bird photographer and is promoted by and promotes Olympus. Unfortunately I don't recall which models he was promoting that day. He did a good sales job, claiming light weight, etc., but when I googled the specs, the system he was pushing actually weighed more than my current set up (Nikon D500 + Nikkor 200-500mm lens), and it wasn't an inexpensive system either, so I didn't bite. The one feature that the Olympus system has that is enviable, is the "Pro-Capture" mode that allows you to capture images prior to releasing the shutter (the camera temporarily stores images with the shutter button partially pressed). But that wasn't enough for me to give up all of my Nikon gear and make the expensive switch to Olympus.
Peggy
On Monday, July 15, 2019, 08:58:38 a.m. PDT, Stefan Schlick <greenfant...> wrote:
For many years the standard DSLR system for birders has been the Canon 7D/7D Mark II with the 100-400mm IS (I or II) lens. Is anybody using a mirrorless camera for bird photography and how is it working out for you? In particular, is anybody using the Olympus E-M1X?
Thanks,
Stefan SchlickHillsboro, OR_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
<Tweeters...>
http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/15/19 6:10 am From: Cara Borre <cmborre1...> Subject: [Tweeters] Westport Seabirds trip report Saturday, July 13, 2019
Westport Seabirds enjoyed another fabulous day on the water Saturday with a
great group of enthusiastic birders. We left the dock at 5:30am in
comfortable temps and overcast skies. The Grays Harbor bar crossing was
quite smooth as we made our way due west to a day of exciting birds,
mammals, and fish. As we had visitors from the eastern side of our state
and the country, we thought it fitting they got to enjoy the “full Pacific
Northwest experience” which has to include a little bit of rain. The brief
drizzle brought reduced visibility, but quickly transformed into a
beautifully sunny day where we could literally see for miles and miles. The
following species numbers in parentheses are all totals for the day.
Several onboard were new to pelagic birding so they began readying their
sea eyes on our largest alcid, Common Murre (1961) and most common
tubenose, Sooty Shearwater (2837). As is often the case, frustration over
the new challenge of focusing binoculars or a camera on moving, similarly
plumaged birds, from a moving boat, soon gave way to excitement to learn
new species and add to one’s life list. They were ready to see Pink-footed
Shearwater (73), Rhinoceros Auklet (63), and were treated to incredible
numbers of Cassin’s Auklet (959!). This little “tennis ball” with wings can
normally be difficult to get any features on as it bounces quickly away
from the approaching boat, but on this day, rafts of 100+ birds were the
norm. We had ample opportunity to view Cassin’s Auklet up close and
stationary, truly a special day.
On our way to intersect a group of shrimp boats, which for our purposes
concentrate birds, we got to experience incredibly close views of several
Humpback Whale (7) as they lazily lingered at the surface. At the boats we
added the show-stopper Black-footed Albatross (102) which with a wingspan
of 6.5 feet, certainly contrasts the smaller pelagic species we encountered
such as Red-necked (72) and Red (4) Phalarope. During our stop we added
fantastic views of Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (204) and Northern Fulmar
(22-notably low number), as well as, the seasonal speciality Leach’s
Storm-Petrel (20) before heading further west to our chum spot.
The “chum spot” can be an exciting moment when birds materialize out of
nowhere once we put a fishy oil attractant in the water. On this day
however, the weather would produce none of the desired effect as there
simply was not enough wind to carry our offerings to the tubenoses. We
were able to add a distant Arctic Tern (1) to our list due to the keen eye
of a young birder onboard so our pause at this turn-around point was not in
vain.
We took our time on the journey back, stopping near shrimp boats when the
numbers of birds warranted closer inspection. At one such stop, Captain
Phil seized a moment to cut the engine and started throwing out bait fish
at the stern. Suddenly birds were flocking to us offering magnificent
viewing and photo ops. It was delightful to see shearwaters plunging into
the clear water to retrieve the fish and albatross lumbered in for a free
meal. Ultimately for the day we added spectacular views of two Tufted
Puffin, and exciting views of South Polar Skua (3) and Pomarine Jaeger (2)
as they harassed the feeding gulls and tubenoses.
A bit closer to Westport we happened upon a flotilla of Sabine’s Gull (11)
which were cooperative for viewing on the water, then lifted individually
showing their stunning upper wing pattern in flight. Interestingly the
jetty contained quite a variety of shorebirds including Black (1) and Ruddy
(2) Turnstones, Wandering Tattler (1) and Surfbird (3). Other notable
species for the day were Pacific White-sided Dolphin (45), Northern
Elephant Seal (2), Northern Fur Seal (2), Blue Shark (6), and Ocean Sunfish
(9).
Please check the website which is current with available space on future
outings at www.westportseabirds.com
Date: 7/14/19 10:41 pm From: B B <birder4184...> Subject: [Tweeters] Fw: BC Rare Bird Alert: RBA: COMMON-RINGED PLOVER in Vancouver - July 14th
Found and photographed by my friend Melissa Hafting and others in Tsawwassen B.C. earlier this evening. She just gave the go ahead to share this on Tweeters.
Will try for it tomorrow on incoming high tide tomorrow afternoon/evening.
Blair Bernson
On Sun, Jul 14, 2019 at 7:22 PM Robert O'Brien <baro...> wrote:
> I meant to reply to this originally but was reminded a few days ago by the
> start of twittering of young Vaux Swifts, just 'hatched' for the 3rd year
> in my Chimney.
> I've never heard of them congregating like this at this time of year.
> Have i been missing something or is something unusual going on?
> Bob OBrien
> Portand
>
> On Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 10:17 AM Larry Schwitters <leschwitters...>
> wrote:
>
>> A thousand or so Vaux’s Swifts spent last night in the Monroe Wagner
>> chimney roost.
>>
>> Larry Schwitters
>> Issaquah
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> <Tweeters...>
>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >>
>
I meant to reply to this originally but was reminded a few days ago by the
start of twittering of young Vaux Swifts, just 'hatched' for the 3rd year
in my Chimney.
I've never heard of them congregating like this at this time of year. Have
i been missing something or is something unusual going on?
Bob OBrien
Portand
On Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 10:17 AM Larry Schwitters <leschwitters...>
wrote:
> A thousand or so Vaux’s Swifts spent last night in the Monroe Wagner
> chimney roost.
>
> Larry Schwitters
> Issaquah
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 7/14/19 7:06 pm From: Vicki Biltz <vickibiltz...> Subject: [Tweeters] Quail, 7 tiny babies and mom and dad
Hi, I knew this might happened, but this morning the new family went
running across the street from the horse paddock to the Bush I think
they’ve been nesting in. No sign of the other adults we spotted so they be
in the same situation.
Hey tweets, I forgot to mention in my last post about birding Bowdoin, Montana: We found this place by looking through a book I've had for years but never really consulted before. It's "The Birder's Guide to Montana," by Terry McEneaney. The book was published in 1993, so in many ways, it's way out of date (many bird names, for example, have changed as the ABA has split and lumped in the intervening years).
However, the places are still in place, and that's what we wanted to find out. We discovered that when this book says a place is birdy, it's *really* birdy, and when the author says you shouldn't miss a given spot, that's a spot you need to see.
Although out of print now, there are used copies available on Amazon, if you're interested. - Connie, Seattle
Date: 7/14/19 4:13 pm From: <mcallisters4...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
It would be valuable to get photos of the yellow caterpillars on these trees. I’m really curious about the species, whether it’s a native butterfly/moth or some non-native species. I tend not to range that far, being old and all.
Kelly McAllister
Olympia
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> On Behalf Of stan Kostka lynn Schmidt
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2019 10:33 AM
To: Hank H <h.heiberg...>
Cc: Tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
Hi Hank, thanks for the observation and photos, but this is something different.
Martins routinely gather fragments of green leaves from the top of a nearby tree and use these leaves to line their nests prior to and during egg laying. This is widely described in the literature. The function of this behavior is unclear. This is the first thing that came to mind when I read about the Illwaco martins. However, in that particular case the birds were in fact gathering insects from the tree. It’s reasonable to assume the birds first noticed the insects during leaf gathering, but then went on to actually glean insects from the branches, a very rarely observed behavior.
I don't know if what we saw yesterday at Semiahmoo Spit is relevant to the post below. We were surprised to see a Purple Martin in a tree where it appeared to be eating a leaf. I don't know if there were bugs on the leaf. There are Purple Martin houses attached to the piers at the end of the spit. The tree was near the resort buildings, but within sight of the piers. Here is a photo.
From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan...> <mailto:<lynnandstan...> >
Date: July 12, 2019 at 7:47:06 AM PDT
To: <tweeters...> <mailto:<tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
Good Morning Tweets,
Recently someone posted to OBOL an observation of Purple Martins gleaning insects from the branches of trees. I was most skeptical. However, Charles Brown’s 1997 species account, Page 7, Food Habits, capture and consumption, says, “Very rarely may glean insects off foliage or alight on ground to take caterpillars …” and cites Gullion, G.W. 1980. Purple Martins feeding on tent caterpillars. Loon 52: 190-191.
Gullion 1980 describes martins in Northeastern Minnesota eating tent caterpillars.
The OBOL observation is from the Illwaco marina on July 5. I followed up with the observer and a return to the site found the same behavior on July 8. Martins are gleaning small yellow caterpillars or something similar from birch trees at the marina. The birches are along the harbor walk, between the shops and restaurants, and the boat harbor. There may be 12 or so. The martins are nesting in pilings at the marina. There are 5 eBird reports of martins there this year, between 2 and 12 birds from April 25 thru June 10, plus the OBOL report.
I strongly encourage anyone who can make a trip there to look for this very rare phenomenon and further document it. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
To the best of my knowledge, this has never before been documented for Western martins.
Please let me know what you find. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
Hey tweets, to many people, our recent adventure to northeastern Montana and southern Saskatchewan might appear to be a collection of cramped days in a sleeper car; sketchy, repurposed motel rooms, ranging from assisted living quarters (where John said he could happily stay forever) to a former convent and mental institution; interminable drives on dusty, gravel roads; indifferent food; and untold hours staring at bushes and grass while fending off clouds of voracious mosquitoes.
To us, it was paradise.
We began this, our third adventure in my Year of Adventure, by booking a roomette on the Empire Builder from Seattle to Havre, Montana. Roomettes, in case you don't know, are closet-sized apartments on the train, with two seats facing each other that fold together to form one twin-sized bed. The other bed is a cot that lowers down from the ceiling, with buckled harness to hold in the sleeper, who has all of 27 inches or so of head room. It was commodious compared to sleeping in our car, which we used to do when we were younger and more flexible, joint-wise. Once we packed ourselves in, it was great fun to watch the world roll by. Our average speed was around 80 mph, so trying to identify birds as we zipped by was a real challenge, especially because the tracks go through spectacular scenery that is most distracting. Passing through Edmonds and Everett along Puget Sound, we were able to add Caspian Tern and Marbled Murrelet to our trip list. I had compiled a list of birds tha! t I thought we might see in the short-grass prairie, and Marbled Murrelts were not on it! But I always start counting my bird species from the moment a trip begins, so now you know that a short-grass prairie list can definitely include alcids.
The train ride was 19 hours, which sounds long but we slept a good part of the way. I haven't asked John yet about his upper bunk experience, but for me, watching the moonlight dance among the treetops while the train gently rocked me to sleep was an exercise in peacefulness rarely encountered.
In Havre the next morning, we picked up our rental Jeep in the station parking lot - "The keys are in the visor," said the Budget rental agent. "Just drive it away and put the keys back in the visor when you return." A small-town amenity, the first of many we found on our adventure into nowhere (as in, "We're driving through the middle of nowhere."). We drove a ways to a tiny town called Malta, where we spent the night in a repurposed assisted living facility. it was very restful! We had had the forethought to buy enough food for breakfast and lunch the next day, a practice we implemented on each of our 6 days. This allowed us to get an early start each morning, when all the little towns we visited were still shut up tight.
Our first major birding stop the next morning was Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge. This is a 15,500-acre refuge near Malta. It consists of a big lake surrounded by mixed-grass prairie, with an auto route that circles the lake. The area has received a fair amount of rain over the past few weeks, which turned all the grasses green and brought out wildflowers of surpassing beauty. If you have a flexible-enough schedule, I would strongly urge you to plan a similar trip about 2 weeks after a good rain. You will see greens unlike anything in our part of the world, and the mosquitoes will be memorable. Of course, where there are good bugs, there are good birds.
In and around the lake, and along the auto route we found: American Avocets with babies (looking like miniature adults); a Willet family; 11 species of ducks, including nesting Ruddies; numerous nesting Eared Grebes and Wilson's Pharalopes; Soras, Virginia Rails, White-faced Ibises, nesting Marbled Godwits, Double-crested Cormorants (who knew they would fly so far inland?), enormous numbers of Franklin's Gulls, American White Pelicans, and two of our most-wanted target birds: Sprague's Pipit and Baird's Sparrow.
Sprague's Pipit is supposed to be hard to see, as it is declining in numbers and likes to skulk in low grasses. But at Bowdoin, they come out onto the road, where low plants grow down the center, and there they forage in plain sight, walking in and out of the center strip with aplomb, showing off their squatty pink legs, black eyes, and palely elegant faces. Baird's Sparrow was for me much harder to find and ID. All the prairie sparrows looked alike to my unpracticed eye! As we drove along and a sparrow would dart up onto a grass stem, John would ask me, "What sparrow is that?" Some were Vespers, I could tell, and many were Savannahs, but the Grasshopper Sparrows looked different from ours, with variable plumage around the lores and eyes, and Baird's was just plain plain. They were all singing, though, so I asked John to take out his computer, upon which we have downloaded the Macaulay Library of bird songs. I wanted to listen to the Baird's songs and calls so I could tune ! my ear to them, but before we knew it, a Baird's heard our quiet (I swear we were quiet!) playback and came zooming up to see who was daring to challenge him. We turned off the computer immediately and sat there, feeling guilty. Well, truth be told, guiltily happy about seeing a new bird in our lives, but that is not how you want to do it! I have to say, as time passed and we saw hundreds of prairie sparrows, I did get better about pcking out the subtle field marks of these cryptic birds. Baird's were present in fairly good numbers, though National Audubon's recent "North American Grasslands and Birds Report" lists them already in decline and susceptible to coming global climate change. Ditto for Horned Larks, which at least in this part of the prairie were abundant - probably our most abundant bird.
The drive around the lake took us about 4 hours, but that was mostly because we couldn't go more than a few feet before we had to stop and look. Mostly we car-birded because the mosquitoes were so amazing - and I've experienced the famous mosquitoes of Alaska and Texas. We got out from time to time when the clouds of bugs abated, which allowed us to feel the prairie breezes on our faces and smell the perfume of the grassland. It was love at first sight for both John and me. And we had this eden all to ourselves - not another soul on the whole refuge. It was just us, the birds, a long-tailed ferret, and some prairie dogs.
We were finally able to tear ourselves away and drive off to our next motel, a cowboy bar (The Royal Hotel) in the tiny town of Glentworth, Saskatchewan, where Marge the proprietor kept the home fires burning for us until we arrived shortly before 9 p.m. Though it was so late, she graciously cooked full dinners for John and me, which we ate in the little cafeteria beside the bar. Things were pretty lively in the bar, we could hear, but the patrons all have cattle and farms to care for in the morning, so everything grew quiet by by 10:30 or so. Glentworth is one of the gateways to Grasslands National Park's East Unit.
In my next post, I'll tell you about our Grasslands NP adventures. - Connie, Seattle
Date: 7/14/19 2:22 pm From: Marv Breece <marvbreece...> Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit County Dowitchers & Godwits
Yesterday (7.13.19) there were 36 dowitchers off of the Swinomish Channel, accessed from Channel Drive. They were not all LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. In the video below, a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER takes center stage, shows off its white belly & then displays a very short bill.
Later, Gary Bletsch and I visited Hayton Reserve. In his previous post Gary mentioned that we were fortunate to observe both a MARBLED GODWIT and a BAR-TAILED GODWIT.
It was a good day. -- Marv Breece Tukwila, WA <marvbreece...>
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet." - Thomas Jefferson
Date: 7/14/19 2:18 pm From: STEVEN ELLIS <sremse...> Subject: [Tweeters] O.T. 3 Week Road Trip to B.C. & Yukon Territory Part 1 (Long)
Here's a report in 3 parts of our camping trip . The distances are so great we didn't get in a ton of birding (plus birds have to compete with wildflowers, mammals, butterflies for our attention).
Day1: Coupeville Wa. to Lac La Heche Provincial Park. 1st bird in Canada was a GB Heron that had just caught a fat mammal. Kestrels & Red-tails were sighted along the way along with Mt Bluebirds. The campground is in Douglas-firs and aspens. Western Tanagers, siskins, Hermit Thrush et al. That evening we walked to the lake and saw a young Common Loon riding on the back of a parent. Columbian Ground & Red Squirrels.
Day2: North towards Prince George and then west on Hwy16. Several deer along the way. A rest area near Hixon had the 1st of a zillion Y-rumped Warblers we were to see & a Red-naped Sapsucker. Lots of rolling hills, pastures, ponds and creeks. Near Topley, our 1st Yellow-shafted No. Flicker. Hwy118 to Red Bluff Prov.Park. 2 Black Bears and a Moose along the route.The campground is set on a lake surrounded by lush forest. Very birdy: 6 warbler species including MacGillivray's American Redstart & Magnolia. I highly recommend this spot. We were the only campers.
Day3&4 Continued west on Hwy16, then north on Hwy37 (Cassiar Hwy) to Meziadin Lake Prov.Park. 4 bear day including 2 cinnamon phase Black Bears. Near 1 bear was a silver phase Red Fox (which always looks black to me).
The lake had its requisite loons- we heard the tremelo call in the am. Beaver in an amazingly small pond. Drove to Stewart, Hwy37A. Great looks at glaciers. Black Bear with 2 cubs crossed the road. Red-breasted Sapsucker in town. We took the boardwalk over the estuary. Interesting flowers including no.rice-root lily. All the while, I had the strong feeling I'd see a weasel. No luck until we were driving about a mile out of town. I hit the brakes to keep from running over a Short-tailed Weasel scampering across the road with a prey item in its mouth. Spruce Grouse standing by the side of the road watching the traffic go by.
Day5&6 Glad to get away-too many human neighbors in the campground. We did hear loon wail and yodel calls. North on Hwy 37 where the forest makes a dramatic change to spruce and lodgepole pines. Rest area north of Iskut- female White-winged Crossbill- lifer! 1 bad stretch of road, perhaps 5 miles. Stopped to bird Lower Gnat Lake (love the name; weirdly, it seems to be above Upper Gnat Lake). Open, shrubby area- Alder Flycatcher,Green-winged Teal,Greater,Yellowlegs, Mew Gulls(& loons, of course). Continued on seeing 2 bull Moose in a lake near the Dease River, 4 Black Bears for the day, and a cross phase Red Fox. Camped at Boya Lake Prov. Park. A soda lake and kind of smelly but the campground had some good birds: Ruffed Grouse w/4-5 young, family of Boreal Chickadees.One of the fuzzy young almost landed on the picnic table. LOTS of wildflowers and butterflies- we're still keying them out. Y-rumps are now Myrtles and the juncos are slate-colored. More White-winged Crossbill! s.
Date: 7/14/19 10:37 am From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
Hi Hank, thanks for the observation and photos, but this is something different.
Martins routinely gather fragments of green leaves from the top of a nearby tree and use these leaves to line their nests prior to and during egg laying. This is widely described in the literature. The function of this behavior is unclear. This is the first thing that came to mind when I read about the Illwaco martins. However, in that particular case the birds were in fact gathering insects from the tree. It’s reasonable to assume the birds first noticed the insects during leaf gathering, but then went on to actually glean insects from the branches, a very rarely observed behavior.
Stan Kostka
lynnandstan at earthlink.net <http://earthlink.net/> Arlington WA
> On Jul 12, 2019, at 6:36 PM, Hank H <h.heiberg...> wrote:
>
>
>> I don't know if what we saw yesterday at Semiahmoo Spit is relevant to the post below. We were surprised to see a Purple Martin in a tree where it appeared to be eating a leaf. I don't know if there were bugs on the leaf. There are Purple Martin houses attached to the piers at the end of the spit. The tree was near the resort buildings, but within sight of the piers. Here is a photo.
>>
>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48268578631/ <https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48268578631/> >>
>> Hank Heiberg
>> Issaquah, WA
>>
>>
>>
>>> From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan...> <mailto:<lynnandstan...>> >>> Date: July 12, 2019 at 7:47:06 AM PDT
>>> To: <tweeters...> <mailto:<tweeters...> >>> Subject: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
>>>
>>> Good Morning Tweets,
>>>
>>> Recently someone posted to OBOL an observation of Purple Martins gleaning insects from the branches of trees. I was most skeptical. However, Charles Brown’s 1997 species account, Page 7, Food Habits, capture and consumption, says, “Very rarely may glean insects off foliage or alight on ground to take caterpillars …” and cites Gullion, G.W. 1980. Purple Martins feeding on tent caterpillars. Loon 52: 190-191.
>>>
>>> Gullion 1980 describes martins in Northeastern Minnesota eating tent caterpillars.
>>>
>>> The OBOL observation is from the Illwaco marina on July 5. I followed up with the observer and a return to the site found the same behavior on July 8. Martins are gleaning small yellow caterpillars or something similar from birch trees at the marina. The birches are along the harbor walk, between the shops and restaurants, and the boat harbor. There may be 12 or so. The martins are nesting in pilings at the marina. There are 5 eBird reports of martins there this year, between 2 and 12 birds from April 25 thru June 10, plus the OBOL report.
>>>
>>> I strongly encourage anyone who can make a trip there to look for this very rare phenomenon and further document it. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
>>>
>>> To the best of my knowledge, this has never before been documented for Western martins.
>>> Please let me know what you find. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
>>>
>>> Stan Kostka
>>> lynnandstan at earthlink.net <http://earthlink.net/> >>> Arlington WA
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Tweeters mailing list
>>> <Tweeters...> <mailto:<Tweeters...> >>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters <http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters>
Date: 7/14/19 9:05 am From: Devorah the Ornithologist <birdologist...> Subject: [Tweeters] Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs Hitch Rides On Australian Gulls
Hello everyone,
I just published a story about the recent, concerning, discovery that Australia's silver gulls carrying antibiotic-resistant bacteria all around the country. These bacteria originated in people, and thanks to poor management of the country's household waste, a significant minority of the nation's wild gulls are now carrying these bacteria.
Date: 7/14/19 8:01 am From: Hank H <h.heiberg...> Subject: [Tweeters] Birding using Mt. Vernon as base camp
> This past week we stationed ourselves in Mt. Vernon, WA and took daily trips like spokes from the hub of a wheel. Here are some of the highlights.
>
> Rainy Pass: Canada Jays
> Washington Pass: Canada Jays & Clark's Nutcrackers
> Highway 20 going to the passes: Black Bear on the side of the road (our fifth encounter with a Black Bear in WA)
> Semiahmoo: very close views of a pair of White-winged Scoters; a Black Oystercatcher bathing and a Purple Martin sitting in a tree eating a leaf
> Oso: American Redstart
> Wylie Slough: Black Phoebe
>
> Then there was the earthquake, which we both were awake to feel. That was our second quake while on a birding trip.
>
> Here is a link to the photo album from the trip.
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/albums/72157709605008171 >
> Hank & Karen Heiberg
> Issaquah, WA
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
Date: 7/14/19 7:57 am From: Tom and Carol Stoner <tcstonefam...> Subject: [Tweeters] Western Tanager
I was surprised to see a male Western Tanager at my suet feeder this morning. It's not unusual to see them in the spring, but I believe this is a first summer visit.
Dear Tweeters,
Marv Breece and I were not seeing too many shorebirds at the Fir Island Game Range this afternoon (13th July), so we decided to go to Hayton Reserve. We jokingly remarked that we had to hurry up and get to Hayton so we could see the Hudsonian Godwit.
We were not too disappointed when we got there and saw two godwits out on an islet in the main pond. One was a MARBLED GODWIT. We agonized quite a while over the other godwit. We watched it standing, walking, stretching, and finally flying off with the Marbled Godwit; it was so pale, with no red or cinnamon on it, and the upperwings and underwings were so whitish, and the bird was so much smaller than the Marbled Godwit with it, that I can't call it anything but a Bar-tailed Godwit--it was not a Hudsonian, of course, but a very good bird nonetheless!
Yours truly,
Gary Bletsch
_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/13/19 7:39 pm From: Paul Baerny <pbaerny...> Subject: [Tweeters] Fort Simcoe, Yakima Co. Blue Gray Gnatcatchers
I saw two Blue Gray Gnatcatchers at Fort Simcoe state park today. For those westsiders not familiar with the park I thought I might help with directions. Thanks to Andy Stepniewski for directing me earlier in the week.
From the parking lot, walk west past the white jail building. Follow the tract that heads south to the Block house. Just past the Block house there is a rocky tract that runs east/west. Go left(east) for about 250 yards. You’ll pass a small sign on the right of the path/road. There will be a lone oak tree on the right side of the path and a large oak that overhangs the path as well as the boundary fence on the left. I saw the birds in the oaks left of the path at the overhanging oak. I did not hear the birds as others have(too many Ramones concerts as a youth).
Date: 7/13/19 4:18 pm From: Hubbell <ldhubbell...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch - Rama - The Young Osprey
Tweeters,
This week’s post features two Union Bay osprey each of which gets quite involved with a broken branch. They might even be related to each other. I hope you enjoy the post!
Date: 7/13/19 10:41 am From: Scott Downes <downess...> Subject: [Tweeters] Atkins Lake, Douglas Co.
Atkins lake in Douglas County was very productive for shorebirds this morning. 15 shorebird species total, which for mid-July is amazing! Notables were an adult Pacific Golden Plover, Whimbrel (in flight with Godwits), 4 Marbled Godwit and 2 early Baird’s Sandpiper. Lots of ducks on the lake as well with notable numbers of scaup, bufflehead and a female pintail.
Date: 7/12/19 10:49 pm From: Eric Ellingson <abriteway...> Subject: [Tweeters] A rather juvenile day in Whatcom County ... White-crowned, Barn Swallow, Cedar Waxwing and my favorite
Three different fledglings species and a nest with at least four funny looking Marsh Wrens sticking their bright yellow beaks open hoping to get the next bug brought by the parents. Wondering if the bright color of the bills/mouths helps the parents get the food to them in dim lights.
I hope you find the photos interesting. I guess I have not got out birding much this time of the year before and finding the juveniles and nests fascinating.
Another bird of the day on Ptarmagin Ridge was a female Horned Lark. - photo on eBird.
I had a nice surprise visitor to my backyard fountain just now. About 25 Red-crossbills took baths and drinks for about 5 minutes. And then they were off! While Crossbills are not unusual in my neighborhood, seeing them in my fountain on the ground was a first and quite a treat!
Cheers,
Amy Powell
East Renton Highlands
<schillingera...>
Date: 7/12/19 6:41 pm From: Hank H <h.heiberg...> Subject: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
> I don't know if what we saw yesterday at Semiahmoo Spit is relevant to the post below. We were surprised to see a Purple Martin in a tree where it appeared to be eating a leaf. I don't know if there were bugs on the leaf. There are Purple Martin houses attached to the piers at the end of the spit. The tree was near the resort buildings, but within sight of the piers. Here is a photo.
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48268578631/ >
> Hank Heiberg
> Issaquah, WA
>
>
>
>> From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan...>
>> Date: July 12, 2019 at 7:47:06 AM PDT
>> To: <tweeters...>
>> Subject: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
>>
>> Good Morning Tweets,
>>
>> Recently someone posted to OBOL an observation of Purple Martins gleaning insects from the branches of trees. I was most skeptical. However, Charles Brown’s 1997 species account, Page 7, Food Habits, capture and consumption, says, “Very rarely may glean insects off foliage or alight on ground to take caterpillars …” and cites Gullion, G.W. 1980. Purple Martins feeding on tent caterpillars. Loon 52: 190-191.
>>
>> Gullion 1980 describes martins in Northeastern Minnesota eating tent caterpillars.
>>
>> The OBOL observation is from the Illwaco marina on July 5. I followed up with the observer and a return to the site found the same behavior on July 8. Martins are gleaning small yellow caterpillars or something similar from birch trees at the marina. The birches are along the harbor walk, between the shops and restaurants, and the boat harbor. There may be 12 or so. The martins are nesting in pilings at the marina. There are 5 eBird reports of martins there this year, between 2 and 12 birds from April 25 thru June 10, plus the OBOL report.
>>
>> I strongly encourage anyone who can make a trip there to look for this very rare phenomenon and further document it. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
>>
>> To the best of my knowledge, this has never before been documented for Western martins.
>> Please let me know what you find. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
>>
>> Stan Kostka
>> lynnandstan at earthlink.net
>> Arlington WA
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> <Tweeters...>
>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/12/19 6:21 pm From: Hank H <h.heiberg...> Subject: [Tweeters] Oso Redstart is a resilient bird
> Today when we went to Oso to find the American Redstart, we found a very bad situation. A tree company was cutting brush and tree limbs across the street from the nursery. They were using heavy equipment and cutting high into the trees and it was loud. Also, someone was using a riding mower along the side of the road. Despite the racket we could hear the Redstart calling from high in the poplars just north of the area across from the nursery. Karen suggested that we stay until noon hoping that the workers would take a break for lunch. Sure enough they did. The noise ended and the Redstart appeared on a branch about 30 feet in front of us. Here are two photos.
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48268396417/ >
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48268315976/ >
> So if you go to see the Redstart, don't give up because of the cutting that has been done. The bird is still there.
>
> Hank Heiberg
> Issaquah, WA
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
Date: 7/12/19 7:49 am From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan...> Subject: [Tweeters] Purple Martins gleaning insects from tree branches (really).
Good Morning Tweets,
Recently someone posted to OBOL an observation of Purple Martins gleaning insects from the branches of trees. I was most skeptical. However, Charles Brown’s 1997 species account, Page 7, Food Habits, capture and consumption, says, “Very rarely may glean insects off foliage or alight on ground to take caterpillars …” and cites Gullion, G.W. 1980. Purple Martins feeding on tent caterpillars. Loon 52: 190-191.
Gullion 1980 describes martins in Northeastern Minnesota eating tent caterpillars.
The OBOL observation is from the Illwaco marina on July 5. I followed up with the observer and a return to the site found the same behavior on July 8. Martins are gleaning small yellow caterpillars or something similar from birch trees at the marina. The birches are along the harbor walk, between the shops and restaurants, and the boat harbor. There may be 12 or so. The martins are nesting in pilings at the marina. There are 5 eBird reports of martins there this year, between 2 and 12 birds from April 25 thru June 10, plus the OBOL report.
I strongly encourage anyone who can make a trip there to look for this very rare phenomenon and further document it. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
To the best of my knowledge, this has never before been documented for Western martins.
Please let me know what you find. Photographs would be extremely valuable.
Date: 7/12/19 4:42 am From: Matt Bartels <mattxyz...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI - Windy Gap
The directions from Matt D are great — if anyone is interested in a short site-guide article Gene Hunn & I wrote for Washington Birds years ago [along w/ the sketch map it included], let me know and I can forward a copy.
I haven’t been up there for several years, so I’d rely on Matt and others for recent road conditions and sightings, but the directions and general info should still be good.
Matt
> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:14 PM, Matt Dufort <matt.dufort...> wrote:
>
> Mitchell, Lonnie, et al.
>
> Windy Gap is a fascinating spot, right on the line between King and Kittitas counties. It's in the same general area as Naches Pass / Government Meadows and Kelly Butte, which are all also worth visiting. Windy Gap itself is right on a forest service road, and can be accessed in a normal passenger vehicle during the summer months when the road is not snow-covered. There may be rocks on the road and slightly rough spots along the way, but it's definitely manageable.
>
> Directions: from Hwy 410, about 2 miles southeast of Greenwater, turn east onto FR 70 . Follow FR 70 for about 8 miles, and turn left (north) onto FR 7030 (aka Whistler Creek Road). You will soon cross a bridge over the Greenwater River. Continue following FR 7030 for about 4 miles, staying on the main line and ignoring smaller side roads, until you hit a T intersection with FR 7036. Turn right onto FR 7036 (turning left would take you towards Kelly Butte). Follow FR 7036 for about 3.5 miles to a flat open area where a smaller road goes off to the right. This is the south end of Windy Gap, and where I usually park.
>
> This whole area is great for birding, including FR 7036 before you reach the gap itself. I've had the best luck along the main road, and on the ridge north of the parking area. Walking north from the parking area you'll hit a ridge with lots of dead trees, with the main road running around its east side. You can walk straight up the ridge, or follow the two disused roads that run along the crest and west side. All of these are great for sparrows, warblers, bluebirds, finches, etc., and there are often birds flying over or along the ridge itself, especially in fall. For county birders, the crest of the ridge itself is the King/Kittitas county line. The road that leads south/southeast from the parking area is also quite good (though it runs into Kittitas County).
>
> If anyone has additional questions, feel free to email me directly.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Matt Dufort
> Seattle
>
> On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 1:58 PM Mitchell Von Rotz <biglou22...> <mailto:<biglou22...>> wrote:
> My apologies, I reversed the order of my email, its <vonrotzm...> <mailto:<vonrotzm...>. My gmail address is perfectly fine too.
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Biglou22 <biglou22...> <mailto:<biglou22...>> > Date: Jul 10, 2019, 11:33 AM -0700
> To: Tweeters <tweeters...> <mailto:<tweeters...>> > Subject: RFI - Windy Gap
>
>> Hello Tweeters, I have been curious about the reports from Windy Gap over the years. I can’t seem to find info in the Birder’s Guide to Washington, all the areas seem to border but not discuss it. If I am just missing it I would appreciate hearing which section it is in. Otherwise, if any one has any details they would be willing to share I would be happy to learn. For instance I see on google that it’s right on a forest service road, can this be driven up to the spot, is this a hike? Do I want to follow google and use NF-70 off of 410? Thanks in advance for any help. You can reply off this thread unless you think it is something others would want to know as well.
>>
>> Mitchell Von Rotz
>> <mvonrotz...> <mailto:<mvonrotz...> > _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...> <mailto:<Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters <http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters> > _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/11/19 10:14 pm From: Ed Newbold <ednewbold1...> Subject: [Tweeters] Arboreal Weasel shot from Nisqually; plus, I love everybody!!!
Hi all,
Delia and I and our friend Julie were down at the Nisqually today and heard distress calls from a Douglas Squirrel. A large male Long-tailed Weasel was doing a great Marten imitation, racing up and down the tree trunks trying for lunch--which I didn't know they did, and strangely I got a decent shot, which is at
https://ednewbold.com/summer-and-still-no-smoke/
We had a brief look at a flock of about 16 (presumably) Long-billed Dowitchers and some fleeting glimpses of chinstraps indicating their owners were Bank Swallows, but no Solitary Sandpiper or Great Horned Owl.
On the recent dustup:
I take a different view from many other birders. I see a dying sport with an ever-diminishing future. Young boys and girls in the future aren't going to take up birding if Warblers don't fallout in front of them, like they did for my father-in-law as a boy in Bushnell, IL (19 species) or there aren't huge flocks of Sandpipers on the beach to rouse their interest. I am suddenly, belatedly seeing the thrilling potential of ebird but it also carries its own danger, as it is essentially invisible to the nonbirder in a non-birding and even anti-birding culture. (I took no joy from the recent Jeopardy win-streak, since I am certain none of the answers was "What is a Whimbrel, Alec.") As such it carries the danger of making us even more of an insular cult separated from the normal people even in our language--we had some nice looks at amgos today.
I also had a flash of annoyance at the Phaino report, ("Which City?") and a fleeting thought crossed my mind that it could be inaccurate, but I immediately doused that, esp. since one showed up just last year in Sequim.
But I'd like to suggest some things:
One is to routinely thank people for posting sightings on tweeters. They don't have to, and it makes life more interesting when they do, it helps tweeters and in some important way it helps birds. If it's someone who's name you don't recognize from 25 years of long-winded posts on tweeters like me, then all the more so.
Another is, let's be kind. Because I am a mistake-prone birder, I'm especially appreciative of this. I was thrilled to have Frank Caruso for instance find an ingenious way to make me not feel bad about a mistake I made involving vocalizations of two species, Purple Finch and Cassin's Vireo, and Marv Breece couldn't have corrected me in any nicer way when I recently tried to turn a Red-winged Blackbird into a Trumpeter Swan (or was it a Tricolored Blackbird.) I appreciated this hugely and they were excellent learning experiences.
My last plea is only peripherally related and it has to do with building birding as a sport and eco-tourism as a conservation tool. Why doesn't tweeters open up to birders reporting their trips to other places outside of Washington? Ebird has removed some of tweeters reasons-for-being, which leads me to really appreciate it when people do post on tweeters. But even those of us such as Delia and I who are unable to make trips abroad or to other parts of the country that aren't named New Mexico get a tremendous thrill from hearing about them and maybe going to Flickr pages or websites to enjoy vicariously someone's fantastic trip.
Thanks all,
Ed Newbold
. Tweeters may be more accessible to someone who isn't already represents a threat to tweeters, which is one place someone from outside of birding could go to get news.
.
Date: 7/11/19 5:13 pm From: Shep Thorp <shepthorp...> Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 7.10.2019
Hi Tweets,
about 14 of us enjoyed a cool to warm, moist/humid day at the Refuge with temperatures in the 60's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit with cloudy skies and intermittent rain. Highlights included FOY SOLITARY SANDPIPER and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, and many very nice sightings of recently fledged young being feed by parents.
We started out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am and were greeted with great looks of a SOLITARY SANDPIPER foraging the mudflats just to the right of the observation deck where the spring feeds the pond. We usually check this area for Wilsons Snipe, but today found our FOY Solitary. BARN SWALLOW continue to nest in the Visitor Center and we had good looks of SONG SPARROW and TREE SWALLOW. BELTED KINGFISHER was heard. Two PURPLE MARTINS spent some time perched in the Douglas Fir or "Peregrine Tree."
The Orchard was good for SWAINSON'S THRUSH, SPOTTED TOWHEE, CEDAR WAXWING, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PINE SISKIN and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. Many of our Alder Trees are missing leaves on the crown, and those leaves still on the crown are riddled with holes. Many of our Song Sparrow were working the top portion of Alder Trees for what we suspect are worms foraging on leaves . I only observed one web worm nest through out the Refuge, so there must be another variety of foraging worm. We do have many paper yellow jacket/wasp/hornet nests in trees, more than usual, perhaps because of the very dry and warm June.
Along the Access Road we had nice observation of WILLOW FLYCATCHER, SAVANNAH SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, PURPLE FINCH, and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW.
On the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, there were good numbers of Swainson's Thrush foraging for insects along the water edge. We observed a WARBLING VIREO feeding a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and had nice sightings of YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, and DOWNY WOODPECKER. WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and BUSHTIT were heard. A COMMON RAVEN was observed flying over-through the Refuge.
The Twin Barns Overlook was good for additional sightings of Willow Flycatcher, Cedar Waxwing, and Yellow Warbler feeding Brown-headed Cowbird.
Out on the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail, we picked up MARSH WREN, VIRGINIA RAIL, HOODED MERGANSER, and many additional Mallard in the fresh water marsh. There were high numbers of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD and EUROPEAN STARLING feeding in the marsh, as well as many Swallows.
The Observation Tower at the start of the boardwalk was the place to be at noon on an incoming hide tide. Here we got to observe about 300 peeps foraging on the west side of Shannon Slough including FOY SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. We had good numbers of WESTERN SANDPIPER and LEAST SANDPIPER. A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was heard and seen flying into the fresh water marsh.
The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was nice for DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, RING-BILLED GULL, CALIFORNIA GULL, CASPIAN TERN, GREAT BLUE HERON and SPOTTED SANDPIPER. We observed a pair of MERLIN catch, drop and pick up a Barn Swallow kill. We speculated this may have been a parenting lesson on hunting for this years juvenile? The McAllister Creek Viewing Platform is soiled in dirt and guano from a colony of CLIFF SWALLOW. Very large BALD EAGLE chicks are still hanging out in nests along the west bank of the creek. At the mouth of the Nisqually River we observed a diving duck that looked most like a GOLDENEYE, but definitive ID was tough. COMMON MERGANSER x 30 plus are flocking up along the mouth of the River and along Animal Slough or Six Gill Shark Slough just west of the mouth.
On our return we picked up BROWN CREEPER and CHESTNUT-BACK CHICKADEE along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER demonstrated territorial behavior in the mature stand of deciduous trees east of the Old Nisqually Dike Trail.
Back at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we ended the day with nice looks of male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE.
For the day we had 63 species, with 151 species for the year. Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbia Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Muskrat, and Harbor Seal.
Until next week, when we will do it all over again, good birding!
Date: 7/11/19 3:46 pm From: Hans-Joachim Feddern <thefedderns...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marbled Murrelets at Browns Point
At about 2:00 PM today, there were at least two pairs of Marbled Murrelets at Browns Point Lighthouse Park in Pierce County. One pair was close to shore and I even had one of them and a Pigeon Guillemot in my binocular view at the same time! Caspian Terns were patrolling back and forth and a pod of Dall Porpoises was heading into Commencement Bay. Also seen was a Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron and Glaucous-winged Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants.
Good Birding!
-- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA <thefedderns...>
Date: 7/11/19 3:10 pm From: mary hrudkaj <mch1096...> Subject: [Tweeters] Baby Quails First Dust Bath
Just now dad mountain quail and 3 chicks were feeding just outside my window. They moseyed out to the driveway area where dad kept guard while the chicks wandered around being kids. Dad must have felt secure enough to indulge in a dust bath in an area where there had been a raised bed but is now just sandy soil flush with the rest of the yard. He was scratching and wallowing away when one chick ran back across the driveway to see what pa quail was up to. That chick watched for a couple seconds then joined in the dust bathing. A second chick ran across the road too to see what was going on. It too took up the dust bathing following dad's lead. The third chick came over to the dry area, scratched a moment then set down on the dirt like a little kid at the beach with a sand castle to build. Dad and the first two chicks got to scratching and throwing the sandy dirt around until they were all the same shade of khaki. Apparently all are happy now and have moved out of my sight. Like father like child even in the world of quail.
This is the first it's been dry enough since the little ones hatched to make a good dust bath. One could almost hear the chick saying 'gee, this looks like fun'.
Date: 7/11/19 2:28 pm From: Megan Ward <meganward28...> Subject: [Tweeters] Making a yard bird-friendly
Hi Tweeters,
Some of you have met our 9 year old daughter, Emily, who has been an avid birder for several years now. In addition to being on a mission to reach 500 life birds by the end of this year (total from the time she started keeping a list, not for this year only), she is also interested (to put it mildly) in making our yard more bird friendly. We have 2 seed feeders, suet, a hummingbird feeder and a bird bath, and she has been busily making drawings and plans to expand this. She is interested in plants/landscaping that would help birds, as well as a running water feature which she says could attract more warblers. She has seen at least one person on Tweeters talk about having a recirculating creek in their yard so she asked if I could post here to find more information on that. I'm thinking the cost would be out of reach, but she would like concrete details to be sure. ;) Any book or website recommendations, or other information you could point her towards would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Hey tweets, I want to thank Ed for his message about taking care when it comes to observing our nesting hawks. To my knowledge, this is the first time we have ever had nesting Cooper's Hawks of any kind at the Fill. It would be wonderful if this pair succeeded in raising young, and purely awful if they failed on account of human interference. - Connie, Seattle
> On Jul 9, 2019, at 7:19 PM, ED DEAL <falcophile...> wrote:
>
> All,
>
>
>
> Please do not approach the nest too closely in search of a better view or picture. If the female stares at you or gives a kek-kek-kek alarm call, please BACK OFF! This is a very rare event. The banded male is 1 year old and still in juvenile plumage. One year old males almost never nest. The leading Cooper's Hawk researcher Bob Rosenfield published a 32 year data set of 732 nesting pairs, with only 13 one year old males. So do help him succeed. Thank you!
>
>
>
> Ed Deal
>
> Seattle Cooper's Hawk Project
>
> Urban Raptor Conservancy
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/11/19 9:06 am From: <james.fiero51...> Subject: [Tweeters] Shorebirds at the fill
Where there are 4 there must be more! 4 dowitchers, 4 killdeer and a couple of least sandpipers were feeding in the little mud flat just S and W of the bench on grassy knoll, about 7:30 am.
Date: 7/11/19 8:58 am From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
The chance of seeing the bird sitting at the same intersection days later are, in my opinion, microscopic. There are Symphoricarpus shrubs in nearby gardens including Discovery Park and Chittendon Gardens, both of which are located in Seattle, and presumably in backyard gardens in the area as well.
I was in the neighborhood this afternoon, so I decided to stop by the intersection of Emerson and Gilman for a quick look. I found not only an absence of any potential Phainopeplas, but a lack of any plant from which a white berry could have come, save for a few shriveled pods off of a bushy yucca — a taste of home for a lost southwestern bird, perhaps?
If there was indeed a Phainopepla here on Monday, it might have likely just been passing through on its way to somewhere else in the Queen Anne / Magnolia area of northwest Seattle. Or maybe this was the wrong spot, after all.
Good birding, Joshua Glant
Mercer Island, WA
> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:31 PM, Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote:
>
> Thanks very much for the clarification. My only point was Tweeters is a state-wide list serve…
>
> Mark
>
>> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:09 PM, Dave Slager <dave.slager...> wrote:
>>
>> I can't vouch for this report, but if it was in Seattle, it sounds
>> like it could have been at this intersection:
>> 47.6559,-122.3864
>> https://www.google.com/maps?q=47.6559,-122.3864 >>
>> Dave Slager
>> Seattle, WA
>>
>>> On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 3:55 PM Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> As in UW campus?? It would be nice to know the actual location with a little more precision. The berries were likely snowberries, btw...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...>
>>> Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
>>> Date: July 10, 2019 at 7:13:40 AM PDT
>>> To: <Tweeters...>
>>>
>>>
>>> There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Tweeters mailing list
>>> <Tweeters...>
>>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
<Tweeters...>
http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/11/19 8:44 am From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Please include more details
I never would have thought that a simple oversight with regard to identifying the city in which I saw a bird would result in my inbox being flooded with this level of sarcasm and condescension. While this has not been true of every request for further information, it has been true of enough of them to question the point of continuing with this any longer. The person who questioned the veracity of the sighting by pointing out that he/she couldn’t personally vouch for it was typical of the sort of contrived condescension I received.
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Phillips <linda_phillips1252...>
To: <tweeters...> <tweeters...>
Sent: Wed, Jul 10, 2019 08:33 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Please include more details
Date: 7/11/19 7:06 am From: <merdave...> Subject: [Tweeters] Whimbrels and Golden Plover; Douglas County
Hi, Birders. Atkins Lake, and the pond on Heritage, in Doug. Co. are still providing some good shore birds. Yesterday at Atkins, on the east side of Rd. M we saw 2 Whimbrels in the wet grassy field. Sometimes they came to the road and sat down! Then we saw a Plover out in the grasses. Spent at least a half-hour trying for photos and an i.d. We know it was a Golden Plover, but sure hope someone else has time to wait maybe longer for good views. On April 25 Kav had a Pacific Golden Plover in that area. We think the female we saw is the same species. Other shorebirds seen inc. Black-necked Stilts, Spotted, Bairds, Least, Western and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, plus Killdeer. Enjoy these areas while they last! Meredith Spencer, Bridgeport P.S. We also saw at least 40 Pelicans flying to the north.
Date: 7/10/19 8:38 pm From: Linda Phillips <linda_phillips1252...> Subject: [Tweeters] Please include more details
Tweeters,
Please remember that this listserv has readers are from all over the area and not everyone knows all the bird hot spots.
Rather than saying Bird x has been seen at the intersection of Main and Central, please include the city.
Rather than say duck x is on the pond at the visitors center, please tell us what park you are at also.
I was in the neighborhood this afternoon, so I decided to stop by the intersection of Emerson and Gilman for a quick look. I found not only an absence of any potential Phainopeplas, but a lack of any plant from which a white berry could have come, save for a few shriveled pods off of a bushy yucca — a taste of home for a lost southwestern bird, perhaps?
If there was indeed a Phainopepla here on Monday, it might have likely just been passing through on its way to somewhere else in the Queen Anne / Magnolia area of northwest Seattle. Or maybe this was the wrong spot, after all.
Good birding, Joshua Glant
Mercer Island, WA
> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:31 PM, Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote:
>
> Thanks very much for the clarification. My only point was Tweeters is a state-wide list serve…
>
> Mark
>
>> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:09 PM, Dave Slager <dave.slager...> wrote:
>>
>> I can't vouch for this report, but if it was in Seattle, it sounds
>> like it could have been at this intersection:
>> 47.6559,-122.3864
>> https://www.google.com/maps?q=47.6559,-122.3864 >>
>> Dave Slager
>> Seattle, WA
>>
>>> On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 3:55 PM Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> As in UW campus?? It would be nice to know the actual location with a little more precision. The berries were likely snowberries, btw...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...>
>>> Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
>>> Date: July 10, 2019 at 7:13:40 AM PDT
>>> To: <Tweeters...>
>>>
>>>
>>> There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Tweeters mailing list
>>> <Tweeters...>
>>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/10/19 5:29 pm From: Jeff Gibson <gibsondesign15...> Subject: [Tweeters] Three Thrush Thrill
July 5th was a gray day here in Port Townsend. Why? Because of "Baked Alaska" stealing our sunshine! (I read about it in the news). It did result in my 3 thrush thrill at Fort Worden that morning though.
First thrush thrill was at home for the 430 am Robin chorus: Robins are something I, to date, have never failed to appreciate. If I ever do I then hope my body is somehow donated for earthworm food. I realize this would be hard to arrange pre- irrevocable marble loss, but maybe I could luck out in the end. Hey, this isn' t morbid, it's ecology!
My next thrush thrill was on Artillery Hill, Fort Worden (like Fats Domino without the blueberries) when, under the grey cool blanket of low overcast, the Salmonberry Birds (AKA Swainson's Thrush) were singing! Always wonderful.
Then the bonus thrill as I walked on past the clifftop view down to the lighthouse,which may have been fog-driven, since fog started rolling in off the straits. Sometimes it seems to me that thrushes are like natures moisture meters. Rain makes the Robins (and their worms) happy, and Salmonberry Birds seem to appriciate humid overcast skies to sing under. But to me the fog thrush will always be Varied Thrush.
That's primarily due to several years working at Paradise, the aptly named locale on Mt. Rainiers southern slopes. Paradise is like the summer fog capital of the cascade range, really gets socked in. Even through a week or more of solid fog, you could depend on Varied Thrush song. Amazing acousics.
I guess one could compare various thrush songs - Salmonberry Bird, Hermit, Veery, and even Robin , and find some similar characteristics, but the Varied Thrush is way out there in music world: imagine way out improvisational musicians - jazz guys, or the Grateful Dead live with slo mo feedback. I first heard a burry call as the fog came in at Fort Worden, at a low musical pitch: "Wow", I thought, "that sounds like a Varied Thrush", but I had my doubts, it being July in the lowlands. Port Townsend is a way bit on the dry side for great Varied Thrush habitat though this spot on the North and Northwest side of Artillery Hill is a go- to spot in winter to hear them. Still a reluctant Jeffery, I waited for more imput and was not dissapointed when I heard a call at a higher pitch that cinched my id. Further waiting paid off when the thrush hit that high burry pitch that just says Varied Thrush. As experienced Varied Thrush listeners know, you just have to wait for the next pitch.
Date: 7/10/19 4:49 pm From: ck park <travelgirl.fics...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Stokes Lantern bird feeder warning
not sure you gain much by changing feeders, unless you go with open platform or block feeders. i sometimes find chickadees and other small birds inside wild bird vertical column feeders, too... when noticed, i simply release them by opening the lid. thankfully, it's maybe once a year it happens. i could have less-smart birds than the norm, or perhaps it could be fledglings who are still learning :)
00 caren ParkGallery.org george davis creek, north fork
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 4:26 PM diane exeriede <dianeexreed...> wrote:
> Hi All, > I am going to replace my Stokes feeder as a chickadee got trapped in it > when it was almost empty. Fortunately I was there in time to rescue. I > checked Amazon and others have reported this issue. So the feeder will > become a flower pot instead. > Diane Exeriede > Issaquah, WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Thanks very much for the clarification. My only point was Tweeters is a state-wide list serve…
Mark
> On Jul 10, 2019, at 4:09 PM, Dave Slager <dave.slager...> wrote:
>
> I can't vouch for this report, but if it was in Seattle, it sounds
> like it could have been at this intersection:
> 47.6559,-122.3864
> https://www.google.com/maps?q=47.6559,-122.3864 >
> Dave Slager
> Seattle, WA
>
> On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 3:55 PM Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> As in UW campus?? It would be nice to know the actual location with a little more precision. The berries were likely snowberries, btw...
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...>
>> Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
>> Date: July 10, 2019 at 7:13:40 AM PDT
>> To: <Tweeters...>
>>
>>
>> There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> <Tweeters...>
>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Hi All,
I am going to replace my Stokes feeder as a chickadee got trapped in it when it was almost empty. Fortunately I was there in time to rescue. I checked Amazon and others have reported this issue. So the feeder will become a flower pot instead.
Diane Exeriede
Issaquah, WA
Date: 7/10/19 4:17 pm From: Matt Dufort <matt.dufort...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Fwd: RFI - Windy Gap
Mitchell, Lonnie, et al.
Windy Gap is a fascinating spot, right on the line between King and
Kittitas counties. It's in the same general area as Naches Pass /
Government Meadows and Kelly Butte, which are all also worth visiting.
Windy Gap itself is right on a forest service road, and can be accessed in
a normal passenger vehicle during the summer months when the road is not
snow-covered. There may be rocks on the road and slightly rough spots
along the way, but it's definitely manageable.
Directions: from Hwy 410, about 2 miles southeast of Greenwater, turn east
onto FR 70 . Follow FR 70 for about 8 miles, and turn left (north) onto FR
7030 (aka Whistler Creek Road). You will soon cross a bridge over the
Greenwater River. Continue following FR 7030 for about 4 miles, staying on
the main line and ignoring smaller side roads, until you hit a T
intersection with FR 7036. Turn right onto FR 7036 (turning left would
take you towards Kelly Butte). Follow FR 7036 for about 3.5 miles to a
flat open area where a smaller road goes off to the right. This is the
south end of Windy Gap, and where I usually park.
This whole area is great for birding, including FR 7036 before you reach
the gap itself. I've had the best luck along the main road, and on the
ridge north of the parking area. Walking north from the parking area
you'll hit a ridge with lots of dead trees, with the main road running
around its east side. You can walk straight up the ridge, or follow the
two disused roads that run along the crest and west side. All of these are
great for sparrows, warblers, bluebirds, finches, etc., and there are often
birds flying over or along the ridge itself, especially in fall. For
county birders, the crest of the ridge itself is the King/Kittitas county
line. The road that leads south/southeast from the parking area is also
quite good (though it runs into Kittitas County).
If anyone has additional questions, feel free to email me directly.
Good birding,
Matt Dufort
Seattle
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 1:58 PM Mitchell Von Rotz <biglou22...>
wrote:
> My apologies, I reversed the order of my email, its <vonrotzm...>
> My gmail address is perfectly fine too.
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> *From:* Biglou22 <biglou22...>
> *Date:* Jul 10, 2019, 11:33 AM -0700
> *To:* Tweeters <tweeters...>
> *Subject:* RFI - Windy Gap
>
> Hello Tweeters, I have been curious about the reports from Windy Gap over
> the years. I can’t seem to find info in the Birder’s Guide to Washington,
> all the areas seem to border but not discuss it. If I am just missing it I
> would appreciate hearing which section it is in. Otherwise, if any one has
> any details they would be willing to share I would be happy to learn. For
> instance I see on google that it’s right on a forest service road, can this
> be driven up to the spot, is this a hike? Do I want to follow google and
> use NF-70 off of 410? Thanks in advance for any help. You can reply off
> this thread unless you think it is something others would want to know as
> well.
>
> Mitchell Von Rotz
> <mvonrotz...>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 3:55 PM Mark Egger <m.egger...> wrote: > > > As in UW campus?? It would be nice to know the actual location with a little more precision. The berries were likely snowberries, btw... > > > > From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...> > Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla > Date: July 10, 2019 at 7:13:40 AM PDT > To: <Tweeters...> > > > There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
As in UW campus?? It would be nice to know the actual location with a little more precision. The berries were likely snowberries, btw...
>
>
> From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...> <mailto:<robertgary02...>> > Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
> Date: July 10, 2019 at 7:13:40 AM PDT
> To: <Tweeters...> <mailto:<Tweeters...> >
>
> There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth.
>
>
Date: 7/10/19 2:10 pm From: Georgia Conti <antep12...> Subject: [Tweeters] Looking for help
I am awed by the response from the birding community. Happy to say I am covered!!! Now if everyone will say a prayer to the bird gods, am hoping to spot at least one Whiskered auklet and would faint to find a lost Smew. Lol. Thank you to everyone who offered help.
Date: 7/10/19 2:01 pm From: Mitchell Von Rotz <biglou22...> Subject: [Tweeters] Fwd: RFI - Windy Gap
My apologies, I reversed the order of my email, its <vonrotzm...> My gmail address is perfectly fine too.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Biglou22 <biglou22...>
Date: Jul 10, 2019, 11:33 AM -0700
To: Tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: RFI - Windy Gap
> Hello Tweeters, I have been curious about the reports from Windy Gap over the years. I can’t seem to find info in the Birder’s Guide to Washington, all the areas seem to border but not discuss it. If I am just missing it I would appreciate hearing which section it is in. Otherwise, if any one has any details they would be willing to share I would be happy to learn. For instance I see on google that it’s right on a forest service road, can this be driven up to the spot, is this a hike? Do I want to follow google and use NF-70 off of 410? Thanks in advance for any help. You can reply off this thread unless you think it is something others would want to know as well.
>
> Mitchell Von Rotz
> <mvonrotz...>
On 7/10/19, 12:07 PM, "Tweeters on behalf of Georgia Conti" <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of <antep12...> wrote:
I am in transit to Alaska to catch the ferry from Homer to Dutch Harbor and somehow my carry-on backpack with Leica binocs and sleeping bag were forgotten to be put in my transportation service vehicle and left on my car ramp in Mexico. Any chance someone can lend me either or both? I am on my way to Seattle and will be there until the 15th. The ferry departs Homer in the 16th late evening and I will be back in Seattle by July 26. This is a bucket list trip so heading out without optics will be not good and as much as I would like to run out to buy Leica Trinivids in Seattle my wallet cannot accommodate it. I am pretty sure I can borrow a sleeping bag but am hard pressed to borrow decent binocs. If you have something I can borrow please PM me. I have also reached out to the Alaska birding community hoping someone remembers me from my time there and service in Anchorage Audubon.
Date: 7/10/19 12:10 pm From: Georgia Conti <antep12...> Subject: [Tweeters] Looking for help
I am in transit to Alaska to catch the ferry from Homer to Dutch Harbor and somehow my carry-on backpack with Leica binocs and sleeping bag were forgotten to be put in my transportation service vehicle and left on my car ramp in Mexico. Any chance someone can lend me either or both? I am on my way to Seattle and will be there until the 15th. The ferry departs Homer in the 16th late evening and I will be back in Seattle by July 26. This is a bucket list trip so heading out without optics will be not good and as much as I would like to run out to buy Leica Trinivids in Seattle my wallet cannot accommodate it. I am pretty sure I can borrow a sleeping bag but am hard pressed to borrow decent binocs. If you have something I can borrow please PM me. I have also reached out to the Alaska birding community hoping someone remembers me from my time there and service in Anchorage Audubon.
Date: 7/10/19 11:41 am From: Lonnie Somer <mombiwheeler...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI - Windy Gap
Hi Tweeters,
Actually, can you send the response to Tweeters as well? I'm curious about
the directions to the area as well as the condition of the forest roads
that lead to it. For example, does one need a high clearance vehicle?
Thanks,
Lonnie Somer
Seattle
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 11:34 AM Biglou22 <biglou22...> wrote:
> Hello Tweeters, I have been curious about the reports from Windy Gap over
> the years. I can’t seem to find info in the Birder’s Guide to Washington,
> all the areas seem to border but not discuss it. If I am just missing it I
> would appreciate hearing which section it is in. Otherwise, if any one has
> any details they would be willing to share I would be happy to learn. For
> instance I see on google that it’s right on a forest service road, can this
> be driven up to the spot, is this a hike? Do I want to follow google and
> use NF-70 off of 410? Thanks in advance for any help. You can reply off
> this thread unless you think it is something others would want to know as
> well.
>
> Mitchell Von Rotz
> <mvonrotz...>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 7/10/19 11:37 am From: Biglou22 <biglou22...> Subject: [Tweeters] RFI - Windy Gap
Hello Tweeters, I have been curious about the reports from Windy Gap over the years. I can’t seem to find info in the Birder’s Guide to Washington, all the areas seem to border but not discuss it. If I am just missing it I would appreciate hearing which section it is in. Otherwise, if any one has any details they would be willing to share I would be happy to learn. For instance I see on google that it’s right on a forest service road, can this be driven up to the spot, is this a hike? Do I want to follow google and use NF-70 off of 410? Thanks in advance for any help. You can reply off this thread unless you think it is something others would want to know as well.
Date: 7/10/19 7:16 am From: Robert Gray <robertgary02...> Subject: [Tweeters] Phainopepla
There was a male Phainopepla at the corner of Emerson and Gilman on Monday. He had a white berry of some sort in his mouth. _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/9/19 7:43 pm From: Eric Ellingson <abriteway...> Subject: [Tweeters] Tufted Puffin, Rhino's and gull with a beakful, Protection Island area.
Marcia and I just had a very rewarding 4-mile kayak trip over a long 4th weekend out from Diamond Point (near Miller Peninsula State Park, Washington) in calm waters near Protection Island. This was our first stop en route to Neah Bay.
Protection island contains one of the last two nesting colonies of Tufted Puffin in the Puget Sound area or did... 2004 article. It also has one of the largest nesting colonies of Rhinoceros Auklets in the world.
We found this single puffin, a dozen Rhinoceros Auklets, and a few Pigeon Guillemots feeding some distance offshore. Looking thru binoculars there were hundreds of nesting burrows in the cliffside but no birds were seen in or near them. Unused? Out feeding? On the north side of the island? Does anyone know if they are around during mid-day or just out feeding?
The name Protection Island was given by George Vancouver in 1792 from the way it protected the entrance to Discovery Bay, not as the protected reserve for it's now endangered wildlife.
What a rare treat to spend about half an hour with this puffin and a few rhino's swimming and diving around our kayaks. Harbor Seals would also pop up to take a look at us. Onshore, four River Otters were seen playing on rocks.
Also of interest was a gulls feeding behavior I'd not seen before. It gathered a beakful of minnows as the Rhino's and Puffins do before swallowing them. I saw about 6-8 in its bill. As these gulls nest and breed on a couple of islands together with the Rhinos and Puffins, they must have picked this technique up from them. The gulls would grab these minnows as the diving Rhino's and the Puffin would drive them to the surface.
A couple of days later kayaking with a whale off Bullman Beach, Neah Bay area. Great trip.
Date: 7/9/19 7:22 pm From: ED DEAL <falcophile...> Subject: [Tweeters] Montlake Fill Cooper's Hawk nest
All,
Please do not approach the nest too closely in search of a better view or picture. If the female stares at you or gives a kek-kek-kek alarm call, please BACK OFF! This is a very rare event. The banded male is 1 year old and still in juvenile plumage. One year old males almost never nest. The leading Cooper's Hawk researcher Bob Rosenfield published a 32 year data set of 732 nesting pairs, with only 13 one year old males. So do help him succeed. Thank you!
Date: 7/9/19 4:05 pm From: Tucker, Trileigh <TRI...> Subject: [Tweeters] Help with call ID? (West Seattle)
Hi Tweets,
Ive been hearing this double-note call regularly in a wooded area for several months and have finally gotten an uploadable audio. The call is always two notes, same pitch, same intensity, same duration. I figure it must be some regular bird since Im hearing it so commonly, rather than some dramatically exotic visitor, and am planning to be duly embarrassed when someone tells me what it is. But Id sure like to know!
The call is at the Second 1 and Second 7 (not the Song Sparrow in the middle).
Date: 7/9/19 1:38 pm From: Barry Brugman <bbrug15...> Subject: [Tweeters] Cooper's Hawks at Montlake Fill
Would anyone be willing to share the location of the Cooper's Hawk nest at the Fill with me? No need to post it publicly, if you would rather not. You could send it to me by email. The more explicit the directions, the better. I'd like to observe it before the chicks fledge, if possible.
Date: 7/9/19 12:42 pm From: Daniel Lipinski <dano135...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Natural Area 7/9
Wonderful quick walk at UBNA is Seattle. Highlights- possible Hutton's Vireos calling from cottonwoods Chuwee- Chuwee..... 1-drake green-wing teal (totally unexpected), 1-duckling cinnamon teal, 2- american wigeon (mallards, wood ducks, Canada goose, and gadwall present in good numbers as well). Virginia Rail w/ 5 fluffy little black golf ball sized chicks (pond toward rowing club) Purple martins were only swallows seen. Lots of juvenile sparrows/finches (song, house, gold - possibly Savannah sparrows but pretty far away) and cowbirds. Green heron x2. Osprey only raptor seen. Other regulars seen as well -- towhees, crows, robins, cedar waxwings, junco, b.c. chickadees, r.w. blackbirds, marsh/bewicks wrens.
Date: 7/8/19 10:17 am From: Bryan Tarbox <bctarbox...> Subject: [Tweeters] RFI: North Cascades and Rainier National Parks
Hi all,
I'll be visiting North Cascades & Mt Rainier National Parks in two weeks and was wondering if anyone had any birding advice for those parks? We'll be visiting each during the week, in hopes of avoiding the most intense traffic, etc.
The two biggest target birds are Black Swift and Sooty Grouse.
Secondary target species include: Clark's Nutcracker, Black-billed Magpie, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Pine Grosbeak, Three-toed & White-headed Woodpeckers, and Lazuli Bunting.
Also interested in just generally birdy spots/trails, and good locations for seeing mammals (mountain goat, pika, bears, etc).
And would I be correct to assume that finding Flammulated, Boreal, Spotted or Great Gray Owl would be extremely unlikely? And in the case of Spotted, any location information shouldn't be shared, to protect the species, right?
Thank you! Bryan Tarbox San Marcos, TX <bctarbox...>
Date: 7/8/19 9:20 am From: Carol Riddell <cariddellwa...> Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - June 2019
June was a slow month in Edmonds. The big news was the appearance of a Brewer’s Sparrow (code 5) in a yard near Pine Ridge Park on June 3rd. The only previous reported sighting of that species was on September 7, 2012, near the Edmonds marsh. We finally had two Turkey Vultures fly over the Edmonds Bowl on June 21st. Heermann’s Gulls (code 1) arrived at the Edmonds Marina breakwater on June 8th. Southbound shorebird migration began on June 28th when the first Least Sandpipers (code 1) arrived in the marsh.
I forgot to note in the May Roundup that a Green Heron (code 3) was at the Edmonds marsh on May 26th and remained for a couple of days. We usually see this species later in the summer.
We recently learned that a Chipping Sparrow (code 4) was feeding and in a yard in north Edmonds on April 28th and was photographed. There have been several recent reports of Chipping Sparrows in eBird by out-of-state birders. They were all heard only and would represent birders confusing a much rarer species with our abundant Dark-eyed Juncos calling.
At the end of June we were at 155 species for the year. Species on our collective list are noted in the bird information display box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier. If you would like an electronic copy of the current Edmonds checklist, please request it at <checklistedmonds...> <mailto:<checklistedmonds...>.
Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA
Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records
_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/8/19 8:48 am From: normandlaura donelson <normandlaura...> Subject: [Tweeters] West Seattle Rose-breasted Grosbeak Update
Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, the male rose-breasted grosbeak reported by Ed Swan appeared again at his feeder for several minutes at 3:30. We waited another 10-15 minutes to see if the bird would come right back for more, but it did not.
Viewing were my wife Laura and I, Todd Sahl, and Paul (last name?). Sorry for the late report Paul mentioned that he was posting to Tweeters on the spot, but his post seems to have been lost in transit.
Thanks to Ed Swan for reporting, and for clear viewing instructions! Address is 2247 Prescott Ave SW, with viewing from the carport.
Date: 7/8/19 8:41 am From: Devorah the Ornithologist <birdologist...> Subject: [Tweeters] Snowball The Dancing Cockatoo Spontaneously Creates New Dance Moves
Hello everyone,
A new study focused on Snowball, the internationally famous dancing sulfur-crested cockatoo, has just been published. This fun-loving cockatoo has been busily creating new dance moves to further impress scientists, suggesting that parrots and cockatoos really are truly special birds because of their impressive cognitive abilities and vocal mimicry skills.
Date: 7/7/19 6:25 pm From: My <cgluckman...> Subject: [Tweeters] Hummer pass through - David Gluckman, Port Townsend, WA
We also experienced a significant hummer appearance at our 2 feeders in in Port Townsend in May/June that lasted a week or two before most moved on. We still have a few but nothing like the June influx. We've lived in same house for 13 years with the same number and type of feeder and don't recall noticing this amount of influx during previous years. _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/7/19 5:23 pm From: Izzy Wong <gobirder...> Subject: [Tweeters] Snoqualmie Valley Trail/Stillwater
Hey y’all!
We birded Stillwater for about 1.5 hours today and were pleased with the bird activity.
When we arrived at about 11 am, we were greeted by a full symphony of calls and songs from a nice variety of birds.
Birds both seen and heard included:
Red-winged Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat, Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Willow Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, Western Wood-Pewee, Violet-green Swallow, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Am. Goldfinch, Am. Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Song Sparrow, Belted Kingfisher and Black-headed Grosbeak.
An American Bittern showed up in the open mudflats giving us great views. We also saw it fly over the surrounding fields.
A young Red-breasted Sapsucker appeared for a few seconds on a trunk right next to the trail.
A couple of different Wood Duck families - moms with their young -were working the swamps.
We also noted a couple of young Great Blue Herons in the marshes.
Pied-billed Grebes were also seen floating quietly.
We had one Turkey Vulture fly over.
Although things have slowed down, bird life is still quite active there, with obvious breeding, territorial behavior and feeding.
If anyone has missed seeing Swainson’s Thrushes this year, I recommend this area to fill in that gap on your list.
I am at Fort Simcoe State Park, and there is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on the trail that goes along the south boundary of the park. It is about halfway along the east-west trail, between the east end where it joins the Fort Simcoe road and the blockhouse. To the south is sagebrush and bitterbrush and to the north are oaks.
Hummers also need more protein for nesting season, then LOTS of protein for
the babies, both in nest and following fledge.
Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores
On Sat, Jul 6, 2019 at 3:06 PM <andie777...> wrote:
> HI: That's life !! Rufous get out of here by July. Males leave first then
> the female and the kids. Miss the little devils but they will be back in
> the
> spring. The Anna's will be around even in the winter so don't pack your
> feeders away. They won't be thick so one feeder shud suffice. They love
> Crocosmia flowers and my basket of Calibrachoa. Enjoy ! Use to live in
> Port
> Townsend. Your smart being in Port Angeles!
> Andie fm Anacortes.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathy Kesner
> Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2019 2:06 PM
> To: <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Hummer Question
>
> Hi,
> We bought a home near Port Angeles Wa. After living in Seattle for many
> years. Last winter was the first winter there and we had a few
> over-wintering Anna’s as I expected. In the early spring we had a crazy
> number of Anna’s and Rufous hummingbirds - they were going through maybe a
> gallon and a half of food a week. Then, 3 or 4 weeks ago 95% of them
> vanished and we are back to just a few Anna’s. Does anyone know if this is
> typical for the Olympic Peninsula? Was the big crowd part of the Northern
> migration that moved on? They were all here for maybe 5 or 6 weeks. I
> found
> the sudden drop off puzzling.
> Thanks for any info!
> Kat
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 7/6/19 3:44 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park a. m. Saturday
Hello, Tweets,
"Best" birds this morning (7:15-noon) were a half dozen Red-breasted Mergansers southbound overhead, plus the usual four Alcid spp., nine Western Sandpipers, and more usual birds. Most distracting was the show put on by about eight orca whales from 9:15 to 11-plus, sometimes close, including tail slaps, pectoral fin waves, rolls, spy hops, and full breaches (!). No salmon-driven bird feeding scrums happened during this interval. Also harbor porpoise and harbor seals.
HI: That's life !! Rufous get out of here by July. Males leave first then
the female and the kids. Miss the little devils but they will be back in the
spring. The Anna's will be around even in the winter so don't pack your
feeders away. They won't be thick so one feeder shud suffice. They love
Crocosmia flowers and my basket of Calibrachoa. Enjoy ! Use to live in Port
Townsend. Your smart being in Port Angeles!
Andie fm Anacortes.
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy Kesner
Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2019 2:06 PM
To: <tweeters...>
Subject: [Tweeters] Hummer Question
Hi,
We bought a home near Port Angeles Wa. After living in Seattle for many
years. Last winter was the first winter there and we had a few
over-wintering Anna’s as I expected. In the early spring we had a crazy
number of Anna’s and Rufous hummingbirds - they were going through maybe a
gallon and a half of food a week. Then, 3 or 4 weeks ago 95% of them
vanished and we are back to just a few Anna’s. Does anyone know if this is
typical for the Olympic Peninsula? Was the big crowd part of the Northern
migration that moved on? They were all here for maybe 5 or 6 weeks. I found
the sudden drop off puzzling.
Thanks for any info!
Kat
Date: 7/6/19 2:22 pm From: Hubbell <ldhubbell...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } Hope's Challenge
Tweeters,
This week’s post covers the ongoing saga of Hope and Stewart, our new young osprey who are nesting, near Union Bay, for their very first time. Ah, the optimism of youth! I certainly wish them well. More details at:
Hi,
We bought a home near Port Angeles Wa. After living in Seattle for many years. Last winter was the first winter there and we had a few over-wintering Anna’s as I expected. In the early spring we had a crazy number of Anna’s and Rufous hummingbirds - they were going through maybe a gallon and a half of food a week. Then, 3 or 4 weeks ago 95% of them vanished and we are back to just a few Anna’s. Does anyone know if this is typical for the Olympic Peninsula? Was the big crowd part of the Northern migration that moved on? They were all here for maybe 5 or 6 weeks. I found the sudden drop off puzzling.
Thanks for any info!
Kat
On Sat, Jul 6, 2019, 10:48 AM Ed Swan <Edswan2...> wrote:
> I just noticed a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at my backyard bird feeder in
> West Seattle. I’ll put an id photo on ebird. Haven’t had a chance to get
> a shot that’s not through a window yet.
>
>
>
> The address is 2247 Prescott Ave SW and is the brick house next to a four
> story construction monstrosity that at times has bunnies running around on
> the scaffolding. The feeder is in the backyard on the edge of the lawn and
> the Fairmont ravine. It can be viewed from the back end of our carport.
> Observers have permission to enter our carport to look into the back yard.
> There is no permission to walk down into our backyard. Please do not go
> down the stairs or walkway on either side of the house into the backyard.
>
>
>
> Good birding,
>
> Ed
>
> Ed Swan
>
> Nature writer and guide
>
> <edswan2...>
>
> 206.949.3545
>
> www.theswancompany.com
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 7/6/19 1:45 pm From: Neil and Carleen Zimmerman <n3zims...> Subject: [Tweeters] Rio Grande Birding Festival
Hello Tweeters, My wife and I are planning on attending the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival this November. The field trip list looks great. I know many of you have attended in the past. Any must do trips you can suggest? Any other tips would be appreciated like favorite chigger defense. Please write me directly but feel free to post on Tweeters if you prefer. What trips are you leading Jim D? Thanks, Neil Zimmerman Brier, WA
Date: 7/6/19 12:25 pm From: David Lang <dlang991...> Subject: [Tweeters] Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak
A male Rose Breasted Grosbeak was sited at a backyard feeder on the 4th of July at about 6:00 P.M. I witnessed it - beautiful bird! Never expected to see one in Portland.
Date: 7/6/19 10:51 am From: Ed Swan <Edswan2...> Subject: [Tweeters] Rose-breasted Grosbeak in West Seattle
I just noticed a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at my backyard bird feeder in West Seattle. I'll put an id photo on ebird. Haven't had a chance to get a shot that's not through a window yet.
The address is 2247 Prescott Ave SW and is the brick house next to a four story construction monstrosity that at times has bunnies running around on the scaffolding. The feeder is in the backyard on the edge of the lawn and the Fairmont ravine. It can be viewed from the back end of our carport. Observers have permission to enter our carport to look into the back yard. There is no permission to walk down into our backyard. Please do not go down the stairs or walkway on either side of the house into the backyard.
Date: 7/6/19 6:14 am From: Tom Mansfield <birds...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What a Milestone and What an Experience!
Nice one Dalton! Lewis is one tough county... And thanks for sharing those good birds you found along the way in real time. Good luck, Tom Mansfield in Seattle.
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> On Behalf Of Faye McAdams Hands
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2019 1:34 PM
To: <offthehookflyshop...>; <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What a Milestone and What an Experience!
Way to Go Dalton!
Congratulations!
Now go find those Montana Birds.
Happy Birding
Faye
<zest4parus...><mailto:<zest4parus...> Belfair, WA
For those of you who keep county lists in Washington you know that there is one number to reach for and when you achieve that number your goal is met. For some underbirded Eastside counties that number should probably be 175 and for some of the rarity crazed Westside counties that number should be 225. All said though the magic number remains 200.
200 species in a single county is quite a feat. Some people can do that in a year but most take several and some a lifetime. In Lewis county few people have reached that mark. Yesterday though I can now claim to join a very elite group of birders who have done so in their lifetime.
With the help of Dave and Sherry Hayden, Kathleen Snyder, Rachel Hudson, Paul Hicks, Bill Tweit, Russ Koppendrayer, Chris Warlow, Gary Wiles, and countless others I have completed the task in 1,163 days. A record time for a county that is very difficult to find birds in especially for a westside county.
Some of you may wonder why this is such a huge accomplishment. For most of that time I could not drive and relied on others for transportation. I was also in High School for all but 3 of those species which were seen post graduation. All of this on top of the fact that I only started birding 5 years ago.
Once again I want to thank all of those who have helped me along the way and I hope that someday I can help inspire a generation of young birders just as this community has helped to inspire me!
Date: 7/5/19 7:41 pm From: Jeff Gibson <gibsondesign15...> Subject: [Tweeters] As Fish Fly By....
Looking out at the sad grey sky today, I remembered this old classic tune:
" You must remember this, a fish is still a fish, a case of do or die. The fundamental things apply, as fish fly by..."
Well, I think that's how it goes: My memory is sort of feebing out these days. Anyhoo, I thought about that tune as I watched one of the next door neighbor Bald Eagle adults carrying yet another fish up its Big Babies: one of those animal fundamentals - gotta eat. The other day food was a big Sculpin. Today some sort eel-like fish - a big Penpoint Gunnel, or maybe a Snake Prickleback would fit the menu item I watched go by. Recently, down at the Marine Science Center, I was pointing out to a visitor that a Starry Flounder, with its striking striped fins, can easily be identified as it flies overhead: in the talons of an Osprey, of course; something I've seen in Everett many times - lots of Starry Flounders and Ospreys in Everett.
Oh, by the way, I did confirm there are at least two big babies - saw both at once as they moved up to get their meal
Date: 7/5/19 5:11 pm From: Brandon Andre <Brandon.Andre...> Subject: [Tweeters] Jeff Bouton Pro Day at Leica Store Bellevue July 13, Bird Walk at Magnuson Park July 14, and Full Moon Photography at Kerry Park July 15
Hello Tweeters!
We have a few events coming up at Leica Store Bellevue and in Seattle that may be appealing.
Leica Sport Optics USA North America Birding Manager Jeff Bouton will be at Leica Store Bellevue on Saturday, July 13 from 11am-7pm to talk and demo Leica Sport Optics. He will also be leading a birding walk at Magnuson Park on Sunday, July 14 from 8:30am-10-30am. We will be meeting at the southern-most parking lot south of the boat launch where NE 65th St becomes Lake Shore Dr NE. Look for the white Leica Store Bellevue tent. While Jeff will have numerous Leica binoculars and spotting scopes to loan for the walk, please feel free to bring your own. Finally, we have a full-moon photography talk at Leica Store Bellevue on Sunday, July 14 at 1:00pm, and on Monday, July 15 at 7pm we will be meeting at Kerry Park to photograph the full moon rising over the Seattle skyline. Jeff will have Leica Televid spotting scopes on hand with adapters for cell phones and Leica cameras. Feel free to bring an SD card to make a photo of the full moon with a Leica camera through a Leica Televid!
Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message.
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Date: 7/5/19 1:36 pm From: Faye McAdams Hands <zest4parus...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] What a Milestone and What an Experience!
Way to Go Dalton!
Congratulations!
Now go find those Montana Birds.
Happy Birding
Faye
<zest4parus...>
Belfair, WA
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of Dalton Spencer <offthehookflyshop...>
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2019 11:17:21 AM
To: <tweeters...>
Subject: [Tweeters] What a Milestone and What an Experience!
Hi all,
For those of you who keep county lists in Washington you know that there is one number to reach for and when you achieve that number your goal is met. For some underbirded Eastside counties that number should probably be 175 and for some of the rarity crazed Westside counties that number should be 225. All said though the magic number remains 200.
200 species in a single county is quite a feat. Some people can do that in a year but most take several and some a lifetime. In Lewis county few people have reached that mark. Yesterday though I can now claim to join a very elite group of birders who have done so in their lifetime.
With the help of Dave and Sherry Hayden, Kathleen Snyder, Rachel Hudson, Paul Hicks, Bill Tweit, Russ Koppendrayer, Chris Warlow, Gary Wiles, and countless others I have completed the task in 1,163 days. A record time for a county that is very difficult to find birds in especially for a westside county.
Some of you may wonder why this is such a huge accomplishment. For most of that time I could not drive and relied on others for transportation. I was also in High School for all but 3 of those species which were seen post graduation. All of this on top of the fact that I only started birding 5 years ago.
Once again I want to thank all of those who have helped me along the way and I hope that someday I can help inspire a generation of young birders just as this community has helped to inspire me!
Date: 7/5/19 11:21 am From: Dalton Spencer <offthehookflyshop...> Subject: [Tweeters] What a Milestone and What an Experience!
Hi all,
For those of you who keep county lists in Washington you know that there is one number to reach for and when you achieve that number your goal is met. For some underbirded Eastside counties that number should probably be 175 and for some of the rarity crazed Westside counties that number should be 225. All said though the magic number remains 200.
200 species in a single county is quite a feat. Some people can do that in a year but most take several and some a lifetime. In Lewis county few people have reached that mark. Yesterday though I can now claim to join a very elite group of birders who have done so in their lifetime.
With the help of Dave and Sherry Hayden, Kathleen Snyder, Rachel Hudson, Paul Hicks, Bill Tweit, Russ Koppendrayer, Chris Warlow, Gary Wiles, and countless others I have completed the task in 1,163 days. A record time for a county that is very difficult to find birds in especially for a westside county.
Some of you may wonder why this is such a huge accomplishment. For most of that time I could not drive and relied on others for transportation. I was also in High School for all but 3 of those species which were seen post graduation. All of this on top of the fact that I only started birding 5 years ago.
Once again I want to thank all of those who have helped me along the way and I hope that someday I can help inspire a generation of young birders just as this community has helped to inspire me!
Dalton Spencer Centralia, Washington
Date: 7/4/19 4:45 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park morning
Hello, again,
With overlapping help from other birders, I watched from West Point from about 6:30 to noonish today. Nothing shocking, but two Parasitic Jaegers, an immature Brown Pelican (south around 7, north around 11:30), Pacific Loon, Harlequin Duck, four Alcid spp., Western Sandpipers, Peregrine Falcon, harbor seals, harbor porpoise.
Date: 7/4/19 2:33 pm From: Michael Hobbs <birdmarymoor...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2019-07-04
Tweets – an overcast morning with a hint of sun now and then, along with an unfulfilled threat of rain now and then. Singing is quieting down from several species. And some birds seem to be moving on in post-breeding dispersal. Matt is in Duluth, so there was nobody doing pre-dawn owling.
Highlights:
a.. Black Swift – ideal looking day, but we only had one
b.. Rufous Hummingbird – suddenly scarce – just two, with no adult males
c.. LEAST SANDPIPER – one adult seen flying towards the slough with Killdeer. We rushed over and found the Killdeer 200 yards below the weir on the near side, and the Least was still with them. Our earliest “fall” Least Sandpiper ever, and only the 13th time we’ve ever had the species in the park
d.. Ring-billed Gull – not totally sure of ID. Over lake
e.. Great Blue Heron – many young have left the nest. One only made it to the ground under the trees
f.. Red-tailed Hawk – one adult; only 2nd sighting since May
g.. Pileated Woodpecker – twice saw an adult with a juvenile
h.. RED-EYED VIREO – heard singing east of southernmost Dog Swim Beach; later, SAW the bird at the Rowing Club, 100 yards west of where we’d heard it before
i.. Tree Swallow – seemed to be many fewer than recent weeks
j.. Northern Rough-winged Swallow – one glimpsed near weir
k.. Swainson’s Thrush – still a lot of singing, and at least SIX BIRDS SEEN
l.. Bullock’s Oriole – quieter, but did have one adult male, and 1-3 females and/or young
Misses today included Hooded Merganser, Rock Pigeon, Green Heron, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Cliff Swallow, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
For the day, 55 species, with Least Sandpiper new for 2019.
Date: 7/4/19 2:26 pm From: Shep Thorp <shepthorp...> Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk 7/3/2019
Hi Tweets,
about thirty of us had a cool but very nice day at the Refuge with cloudy skies and temperatures in the 50's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit and a Low -3.51ft Tide at 12:47pm. Highlights included fledgling WOOD DUCK, BARN SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, YELLOW WARBLER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, MARSH WREN, and BALD EAGLE. The morning chorus is still pretty sweet, but the breeding species parents are very busy foraging for insects so summertime change is slowing down the sightings. A large flock of bachelor BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS works the mud flats during low tide. I made an early morning dash to the Puget Sound Viewing Platform at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk to catch the falling High 13.17ft Tide at 5:27am and had great looks at LEAST SANDPIPER and WESTERN SANDPIPER. The terminus was good for spotting WESTERN GREBE, RED-NECKED GREBE and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in the Puget Sound. The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail is scheduled for closure July 16th for approximately 60 days to replace the bridge between the Observation Tower and the Shannon Slough Photo Blind.
Starting out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am, we had nice looks at WOOD DUCK and ducklings.
The Orchard was good for BULLOCK'S ORIOLE x 3, two adults feeding juvenile. We also had nice looks of YELLOW WARBLER, CEDAR WAXWING, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, TREE SWALLOW, VAUX'S SWIFT, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. There is a couple of WARBLING VIREOS on territory in tall Cottonwoods, but super tough to find - audible only.
Along the Access Road we enjoyed ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, SAVANNAH SPARROW, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. Over our grass covered fields many swallows were observed including TREE SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and BANK SWALLOW.
The west side of the Twin Barns loop trail was good for SWAINSON'S THRUSH, DOWNY WOODPECKER, PACIFIC SLOPE-FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, BROWN CREEPER, and YELLOW WARBLER. There is an active RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nest over the inner rail of the boardwalk in an overhanging Maple Tree branch just north of the twin bench overlook before you get to the Twin Barns Cut-off.
The Twin Barns Overlook had very good observation of RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, CEDAR WAXWING, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.
Out on the dike, or Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, the restored surge plain had good numbers of peeps including LEAST SANDPIPER and WESTERN SANDPIPER. SAVANNAH SPARROW, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and MARSH WREN are readily seen and visible on breeding territory along the dike. The fresh water marsh and mud flats are good for observing many species of swallows and good numbers of juveniles. A few frantic moments with alarm calls did not produce any raptors. VIRGINIA RAIL was heard in the fresh water marsh.
Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail we had three River Otters running across the mud flats. We checked in on our BALD EAGLE nests along the McAllister Creek west bank ridge. The nest south of the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform has two chicks, the one adjacent to the Puget Sound Viewing Platform has one chick. The juveniles look larger than their parents so I suspect they are about to fledge. We had great looks of CALIFORNIA GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL and CASPIAN TERN. There is a second cycle early migrant MEW GULL in the area. We also had nice looks of BELTED KINGFISHER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW. The CLIFF SWALLOWS have built a late colony of nesting mud huts in the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform which is a real treat to enjoy. Especially if you're into photography. Unfortunately the platform is covered with guano and mud. PURPLE MARTIN continue to nest at Luhr Beach.
On our return we picked up WILSON'S WARBLER near the Riparian Forest cut-off. That bridge is being repaired as well! This is also a good area for WARBLING VIREO singing.
For the day we had 67 species with 147 species for the year. Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, River Otter, Harbor Seal, Harbor Porpoise, and Columbia Black-tailed Deer.
Until next week when we do it all over again, good birding!
Date: 7/4/19 1:57 pm From: Dan Reiff <dan.owl.reiff...> Subject: [Tweeters] Young Varied Thrush
Hello Tweeters community, Just returned from Iceland, last night. A nice surprise: I observed a recently fledged Varied thrush near our home on Mercer Island, clear close view for six minutes, about an hour ago. Based on feathers and behavior, I would speculate that it fledged 2-3 weeks ago. No doubt regarding species identification. This is the first young Varied thrush I have seen in the Greater Seattle area. Dan Reiff Mercer Island
Date: 7/4/19 9:59 am From: Linda Phillips <linda_phillips1252...> Subject: [Tweeters] Western Tanager
Hi Tweeters-
I bird in my local park, Wallace Swamp Creek Park- Kenmore almost daily. Every May I see a couple of Western Tanagers pass through during migration. I often see more WETA in the fall as the new families head back south. This year through out May & June I had occasional sightings. Some of them were heard only and I might have written them off as wishful thinking except, I noticed on Ebird that another birder visited the park and also recorded WETA. I suspected I had a pair nesting in the park. Yesterday my hunch was confirmed when I saw a female tanager with an insect in her bill perch on an exposed branch, call for several minutes, maybe it was seconds, but long enough for me to get a very good look at her before she dropped into a thicket of hawthorn & black berries. Peering into the thicket I located the back end of a bird but could not tell if it was the female or a juvenile. Since the thicket doesnt match the nesting information I read (conifer trees, horizontal fork, away from trunk) I believe the tanager I saw was feeding recently fledged young hidden in the tangle.
Is it unusual that WETA are nesting in a low altitude suburban park?
Linda Phillips
Kenmore WA
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
Date: 7/3/19 5:39 pm From: AMK17 <amk17...> Subject: [Tweeters] Spring and into summer yard birds
Hi Tweets,
It always surprises me when I see the activity in my Seattle urban yard. This spring the yard has become somewhat of an avian nursery, pre-school, and rest stop. The black-capped chickadees that usually nest in the yard, opted to nest in a birch across the street but the adults 'raise' this year's fledgelings in my yard. Last year's leucitic chickadee disappeared during nesting season but has reappeared after about 3 months absence much to my delight.
A pair of robins did nest in the yard and after weeks of crows targeting the yard trying to figure out where the nest was - had 3 fledgelings. The robins kept the young in the yard but have now moved on; hopefully in neighboring yards. After the robins fledged I checked the nest and found a layer of stone pits. Odd? No idea what berries but they were rather large-ish I thought for a robin. No fruit just pits.
A willow flycatcher and a young spotted towhee visited the yard during late spring and beginning of summer.
Lastly, a downy woodpecker just arrived with its fledged youngster (which spurned this email). Alas, the youngster took off and the adult is calling for it (with food in it's beak). Sure they are not far from each other.
The bushtits, absent for most of the nesting period, are back en masse with young of the year as well.
Hope you are all enjoying the nesting season in your yards or elsewhere.
Date: 7/3/19 3:35 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Bay early shift
Hi, Tweets,
This morning from around 7 (mist) to 11 at West Point: the usual four Alcid spp. (in order of abundance, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot and Marbled Murrelet, then one or so Common Murre), a few peeps (including Western Sandpiper), and today four (!) Parasitic Jaegers, often together so the count was easy. Also one female-looking Hooded Merganser, a female Greater Scaup, and a few Surf Scoters. Harbor seals, harbor porpoise, Steller's sea lion (1). A male Purple Martin seemed to head west over the Sound.
Date: 7/3/19 12:49 pm From: Ryan Merrill <rjm284...> Subject: [Tweeters] Report of a Pine Warbler in Cle Elum on 6/30
Hi Tweeters,
I'm passing on some additional information about the location of the
reported Pine Warbler in Cle Elum on 6/30 by Laurie S. Perhaps the bird is
still around and someone can document it with a photo?
"Yes - I had a really good look as I said before. He stayed around for
probably 8 minutes. I had no idea it might be a first for the state! I hope
someone with a camera can get out there and find him!
We started the Coal Trail in Roslyn - at the gravel pit-type parking lot
near a huge sign that said urban forest. Headed toward Cle Elum. The Pine
Warbler was on the right side of the trail, about a half-mile or a mile
down that trail, and about 8-10’ high - hopping around foraging and
singing. I am pretty sure through those trees I could see a field of some
kind, but not sure how big that opening was. Yes, he was pretty much fully
yellow, except for a little whiteish half-way down his belly toward the
rump, and his wings which were more greyish with the wing bars.
It was not too far from Roslyn. I used to live in Wisconsin, so I’m
familiar with that bird, but it surprised me. As I mentioned, I was
expecting to see a chipping sparrow or a junco. (Hoping to see a Chipping
Sparrow, actually - they have eluded me!) But I didn’t know it might be a
first for the state - I just got back from Malheur and was surprised at the
eastern birds that can be found there.
If it helps someone familiar with the birdy residents of that trail, soon
after leaving the warbler there was a pair of Lazuli Buntings hanging
around. Looked like they might be regulars in that spot.
Sorry I can’t be more specific regarding location. Even sorrier I have not
graduated to photos. It was great lighting and perfect distance/height."
Date: 7/3/19 8:48 am From: Jeffrey Bryant <jbryant_68...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park seawatch yesterday , second shift
I watched from west point from about 2:15 to almost 6, with no unusual alcids. Curtis Pearson was watching in the interim between Alan Grenon’s visit and mine, with similar luck.
Highlights were Marbled Murrelets right off the point, close enough to hear them, and an early Red-necked Phalarope spinning among the (numerous) Rhinoceros Auklets.
Date: 7/3/19 7:17 am From: Jeff Gibson <gibsondesign15...> Subject: [Tweeters] A Big Baby
4:30 AM, PORT TOWNSEND
Well, it's a grey dim morning here in PT after a day of real rain for a change - the robins are happy, sounds like. Off in the background, the babies were crying. The big babies.
June was awash in babies. My mom has been feeding birds on the deck and at times all the juvenile bird's way outnumber the adults. One summer long ago I worked as a data collector (for a real Ornithologist) on a summer-long breeding bird survey in the Sierra Nevada. Collecting data amounted to watching birds all day and keeping track of their territories, nests, eggs laid, young hatched, young fledged, etc.
Young fledgling birds we referred to as "punks" - despite their grown-up size, still sponging off ma and pa. While a non-scientific term, punk aptly described the behavior. In that study, the worst (if you were a parent),or best (if you were a punk) punks were Dark-eyed Junco's, with Cassin's Finch a close second. Parent Juncos being harassed by a small herd of their own children following the parents every move! It was obviously super-annoying. Here on moms deck, I enjoyed watching three punk House Finches successfully conning dad into feeding them (while they were standing on a pile of bird food). Nearby young Song Sparrows and Towhee's exhibited more mature behavior.
The big babies around here are Bald Eagles - nest just a block away. I've been hearing the baby cries for about a month -gradually getting louder. The eagle nest is not clearly visible from any direction, being in a stand of Douglas fir trees, with no looks into the nest, so I'd been waiting for the youngsters to leave the nest, which happened last week: large dark birds crashing around nearby firs. I knew I'd read somewhere that young eagles flight feathers were larger than the adults, and refound that factoid in the Sibley species account. So you're not crazy if you perceive young eagle wings as appearing especially ginormous - they really are.
So last week was eagle "flight school" which involves a lot crashing around in the firs. It is amusing to watch young eagles trying to handle those big ol' wings - it takes some getting used to - taking short "flights'' (barely) at first, then gradually longer, but still staying in their block of trees. Sunday I watched an early flight of the youngster as it soared out into the open sky, without much certainty - "whoa, whoaa..... whooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" it might've been feeling. It did all right in the end. Maybe the extra large wing feathers are like eagle training wheels, providing more lift to make staying up a bit easier? I don't know.
Yesterday I watched an adult eagle on the "Eagle Tree" drying it's laundry. One branch (the one preferred by eagles) is mostly bare (from many years of eagle use) but the outer end still has a few branches of foliage which the eagles use as a "drying rack" to spread their wet wings - yesterday maybe from rain, but also maybe after nabbing a fish. On Monday I watched as an adult eagle hauled a sizable fish up from the waterfront far below. It stopped in about three different trees on the way up the hill, possibly to rest a minute, or maybe to try to get a crow off its tail. Whatever, as it got closer I could see the fish was one of those gnarly big- headed sculpin's (also an otter favorite) which it delivered to its big baby in the fir grove. Yummy.
I'm not sure if there is one baby or more (have only seen one at a time) but it sounds like more than one - they had two last year. I'll have to try and get a closer look.
Jeff Gibson watching the twerps in Port Townsend Wa
Date: 7/2/19 8:29 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park today
Hello again,
I watched most of the morning and early afternoon from West Point today, and nothing shocking appeared. The usual four Alcid spp., a couple distant cormorants, two loons, one Heermann's Gull, and best, one cool Parasitic Jaeger harassing a Caspian Tern for a fish. Birds were more dispersed and less actively moving past in today's clouds than yesterday's sun.
Date: 7/2/19 3:29 pm From: Dalton Spencer <offthehookflyshop...> Subject: [Tweeters] Lewis County Gray Catbird
Currently looking at a Gray Catbird on Peters Rd near Randle in Lewid county. The bird is just south of the second bridge on the east side of the road in some blackberry bushes.
For those of you who know the area well its right next to where you park your car to get out and walk.
Dalton Spencer Centralia, Washington
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/1/19 6:46 pm From: Walter Kuciej <WALTERK74...> Subject: [Tweeters] Juncos nesting in fuchsias
My girlfriend has a pot with fuchsias hanging from the soffit by her back door. Last week we noticed a pair of juncos visiting it. Today we found a nest with 5 eggs in the center of the pot. A perfect predator free location: not enough room for crows or other large birds to get between the nest and the soffit. _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/1/19 3:01 pm From: pan <panmail...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park sea watch
Hi, Tweets,
I spent from before 9 to around 2 today in Discovery Park, mostly sea watching from West Point. I did not see yesterday's giant find. I did see one or two adult Parasitic Jaegers right away, and later a handful of passing peeps, including one Western Sandpiper that paused on the point. Best was a Horned Puffin that flew in from the south about 10:25, landed on the water near a Rhinoceros Auklet to the north, dove a couple times, and disappeared within five minutes. At 11:20, a Brown Pelican flew north far out (vicinity of the yellow buoy).
I, too, did not expect summer to have such activity (beyond shorebirds).
Date: 7/1/19 1:53 pm From: Dee Dee <deedeeknit...> Subject: [Tweeters] Subject: Re: Bufflehead or Barrow's Goldeneye chick
Quick look at pics on Cornell Lab site ID Info page for Barrow’s Goldeneye, compared to pics of ducklings of the Common Goldeneye or Common Merganser, convinces me it’s a Barrow’s. Couldn’t find pics of Harlequin ducklings...guess they are more camera shy....
I enjoyed seeing some with their mom on a small river up in the Cascades many years ago, but alas, no camera and it was Very Loong Ago so I can’t rely on memory for their exact appearance; in any case, the little one in your picture sure matches the Barrow’s pics I saw.
Dee Warnock
Edmonds
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2019 16:57:35 +0000
From: "Morrison, Michael L" <mmorriso...>
To: "<tweeters...>" <tweeters...>
Subject: [Tweeters] Bufflehead or Barrow's Goldeneye chick
Message-ID: <1DF7669D-CE25-406B-B42B-3A234E4A115F...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
We watched this tiny single duckling swimming and diving for half hour in shallow water close to shore and saw no adults (none last night either). Perhaps it is the first of the clutch? Wish we could have stayed all day to see if more chicks fledged. Thought it was a harlequin initially but never seen them on lakes. Could it be a Barrow's Goldeneye?
Photos can be seen at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57828788 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/1/19 10:30 am From: Larry Schwitters <leschwitters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Bufflehead or Barrow's Goldeneye chick
How about Common Merganser.
Larry Schwitters Issaquah > On Jul 1, 2019, at 9:57 AM, Morrison, Michael L <mmorriso...> wrote: > > We watched this tiny single duckling swimming and diving for half hour in shallow water close to shore and saw no adults (none last night either). Perhaps it is the first of the clutch? Wish we could have stayed all day to see if more chicks fledged. Thought it was a harlequin initially but never seen them on lakes. Could it be a Barrow's Goldeneye? > Photos can be seen at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57828788 > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 7/1/19 10:01 am From: Morrison, Michael L <mmorriso...> Subject: [Tweeters] Bufflehead or Barrow's Goldeneye chick
We watched this tiny single duckling swimming and diving for half hour in shallow water close to shore and saw no adults (none last night either). Perhaps it is the first of the clutch? Wish we could have stayed all day to see if more chicks fledged. Thought it was a harlequin initially but never seen them on lakes. Could it be a Barrow's Goldeneye? Photos can be seen at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57828788 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 6/30/19 11:46 pm From: Matt Dufort <matt.dufort...> Subject: [Tweeters] More on Discovery Park Crested Auklet, and other birds
Hi tweets,
Spencer Hildie and I decided to seawatch from West Point this morning, in the hopes of turning up a few early southbound shorebirds and maybe some oddball summering species. The day was packed with surprises; we were in shock even before the Crested Auklet showed up. Details and a few photos in the eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/pnw/view/checklist/S57825222.
More info on the Crested Auklet. It flew in from the north at about 8:10 with 3 Rhinoceros Auklets. They joined a big group of Rhinos feeding off West Point, and the Crested hung out there for 30+ minutes, making occasional short flights but always returning to the raft. Eventually it flew off to the south by itself, settling on the water with a different pair of Rhinoceros Auklets, maybe 1 mile SSW of West Point. Again, it made a bunch of short flights, and many foraging dives, but never left that pair of Rhinos. So it clearly likes the company of other auklets. We eventually lost it around 9:40 as it drifted south-southwest into the heat shimmer.
Other highlights from this morning at the park: Adult Tufted Puffin, flew by then stopped briefly before proceeding southward. Two Parasitic Jaegers, apparently continuing from their unprecedented abundance in Puget Sound this spring Out-of-season waterbirds: Red-throated Loon, White-winged Scoters (9!), Common Mergansers, and Common Murre. Early shorebird migrants: one each of Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, and Whimbrel. Continuing House Wrens near the stables.
I often struggle to predict which days will have good bird movements at West Point. I really wasn't expecting much today. But I will definitely be spending more time there in mid-summer from now on!
Date: 6/30/19 11:00 pm From: Gene Beall <gene.beall...> Subject: [Tweeters] E Lake Samm eagle nest - eaglets 11 weeks old
The two eaglets in the nest on the east side of Lake Sammamish are now about 11 weeks old and getting close to leaving the nest. I suspect that may happen over the course of this next week. It would be pretty cool if these national symbols took flight on Independence Day! I've posted three very short videos that I took earlier this evening: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene-s_photos/albums/72157705004440592
We enjoyed a walk at Browns Point Lighthouse (Pierce County) this beautiful sunny afternoon. There was very little bird activity, however there were two pairs and one single Marbled Murrelet actively feeding close to shore. They did not seem to mind the boats speeding by. The single one had two jet skis pass within 15 yards without diving! It made me think though, that it would be nice to lower the speed for boats in Commencement Bay. A lone Pigeon Guillemot also flew by.
-- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA <thefedderns...>
Great adventure, Connie, and quite the gift. Looking forward to reading about the rest of your year.
Another good place to see Condors is Pinnacles NP, in our case, accessed driving inland from the Monterey CA area. We’ve seen them on both of our visits there, the second time from the parking lot!
Penny Koyama, Bothell
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jun 30, 2019, at 4:50 PM, Constance Sidles <constancesidles...> wrote:
>
> Hey tweets, for my 70th birthday recently, my husband John gave me the gift of a year of adventure. We just got back from our second adventure on Friday (email me privately if you'd like to read about our first adventure, which involved musical wax moths). We hopped a plane to Las Vegas on Tuesday, rented a car, and drove to the Grand Canyon to look for California Condors, a bird I had never seen in the wild. I wanted to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these majestic birds soaring over the same cliffs and valleys that their ancestors had done during the Pleistocene. Then, they looked for dead mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, and other megafauna. Now they've had to scale back their carcasses to elk-size and smaller, but the soaring and floating are the same.
>
> Before we left, we researched where condors have been sighted most recently. If you're pining to go, these are good websites to try (courtesy of John):
>
> (1) http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/California_Condor > (click the button "where they live" for details)
> (2) https://www.mygrandcanyonpark.com/things-to-do/where-to-see-a-condor > (3) http://wildlifeviewingareas.com/viewing-area/vermilion-cliffs-condor-viewing-site/ > (4) https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/condors.htm >
> Our first stop was the south rim of the Grand Canyon, starting at Grand Canyon Village (where you can stay if you make reservations early enough - we didn't and stayed in Page nearby, where we also had made reservations, but only a day or two before we left). Along the south rim is a paved walking path that takes you right to the edge of the canyon. We started walking from the El Tovar Hotel to Mary Colter's Lookout, the best places to search for soaring condors.
>
> Sure enough, at 11:10 ( condors tend not to be early risers), a magnificent condor came shooting up over the rim of a cliff and spiraled overhead, showing off its little pale feet (if anything about this bird can be called little) tucked up under its tail, its yellowish head turning this way and that, and its 9-foot wingspan outspread to show off the white wing linings. The sight was breathtaking - or maybe I was just gasping from the altitude, but I don't think so.
>
> No sooner had the condor disappeared into the distant blue than a Zone-tailed Hawk zipped around the canyon bend to soar beneath me, doing its own version of hunting. I have sought this bird in vain for 20 years, so you can imagine how my heart was beating to see this lovely creature at last.
>
> Also on view at the Village: black-backed Lesser Goldfinches, Virginia's Warbler, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Pygmy Nuthatches, Western Bluebirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, numerous Turkey Vultures, White-throated Swifts, and Common Ravens, among others.
>
> After this transcendent experience, we left the Grand Canyon to seek more condor sites. On our second viewing day, we headed east for the Vermillion Cliffs, where we scanned the skies from two main sites:
>
> (a) the middle of the Navajo Bridge (for pedestrians) at Marble Canyon off Highway 89A (didn't see any condors here)
> (b) the condor viewing station at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd. 1065; directions to follow) along Vermillion Cliffs National Monument between Marble Canyon and Jacob Lake.
>
> Along the way, we stopped at the House Rock Wildlife Area, an incredible sagebrush valley loaded with Sage Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, Horned Larks, and other desert birds. House Rock Wildlife Area is at Forest Service Road 8910. We also found more jack rabbits than we had ever seen before. Most were resting under the shade of big bushes along a wash and gave us wonderful views of their giant ears, translucent in the bright sunlight. This wildlife area is enormous, with many side roads. We didn't have a good map so we stuck with the road going directly from the highway, and we didn't go down it very far. There is no cell phone reception here, so you are on your own if your car breaks down. We took 3 gallons of water with us, in case John had to hike back out to the highway, leaving me behind with the rabbits and the birds.
>
> From the wildlife area, we drove east on Highway 89A, scanning the Vermillion Cliffs along the way, to a turnoff at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd 1065, which measured 27.4 miles from Navajo Bridge). After we turned off, we drove 3 miles north to the condor viewing kiosk (signed) at the side of the road. This is a great place to sit at a covered picnic table and scan the cliffs for condors. It's more popular in the winter and early spring months (so said the signage), when the condors roost on the cliffs. We could see much whitewashed evidence of this but no condors. Still, we hoped some would come our way, searching for food, and sure enough, 3 (!) eventually did. We think 2 of them were a pair, as they circled the thermals together, but perhaps they were just two chance-met condors. At any rate, at one point, we had them both in our binoculars as they orbited the thermal under the pale moon. What a sight!
>
> Greedy for more condors, we drove to our last viewing site, Big Bend at Zion National Park. This overlook is on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, a paved road that runs south to north through the park, more or less. You used to be able to drive it yourself, but now no cars are allowed. Instead, you can bike or hike or take a free shuttle bus. The shuttle bus stops at 9 different places along the road to drop off anyone who wants off and pick up anyone who is waiting to be picked up. The shuttles run every 15 minutes or so. Normally I dislike riding on shuttles, but in this case, it's a great way to see this part of the park because you can have long moments when you're all alone, and only the sound of the wind through the trees blends with the chorus of bird song. No people, no cars, nothing to interfere between you and nature.
>
> We arrived at the first pickup point, the visitors' center, well before dawn, which, with the time change was 6:15 a.m. There was already a line of people waiting for the shuttle - maybe 50 people ahead of us, and believe me, that is hard to do when you get up as early as we do. They were all young hikers who wanted off at the first stop, the trailhead to Angel's Landing, a rugged hike to the tippy-top of the ridge, with sheer drops on either side. Just to the north of Angel's Landing is a long flat slab of rock that runs from the top of the ridge to about halfway down the cliff. It is cut with 3 large cutouts or caves. In the third one down is a condor nest. To see it properly, we got off at the Big Bend stop and waited for dawn. As the moon slowly faded into the deep blue of the morning sky, an immature condor floated by, silent and still, wafted by a breeze I could not feel. It wasn't just the chill of the morning that made the hair on my neck stand up. It was the thought that the condors are returning to their ancient hunting grounds. How I wished the mammoths and mastodons were still here to greet them. But now people are one of the few remaining megafauna. I made sure to get up and move around as the condor searched the canyon.
>
> We never did see the nestlings or the parents at this site. We fear the baby that is thought to have hatched in late May may not have survived. But another nest in the Vermillion Cliffs has a two-month-old chick that seems to be doing well. Condors still need our help, but the breeding/release program has resulted in a population growth from 27 individuals to an estimated 400+, of which 276 live in the wild. I urge all you tweeters who haven't experienced them wild and free to do so. Your eyes will never feel the same. - Connie, Seattle
>
> <csidles...>
> <constancesidles...>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 6/30/19 6:08 pm From: B P Bell <bellasoc...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Condors
Hi Connie
Thanks for the Condor report. Makes me think of when I first saw a Condor - it was before the last wild ones were taken in. I was still living in the Sacramento area and a group of us went down the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley to a Forest Service Road overlook (there were only twenty left wild). It was part of the 11th Annual Condor Watch and Tequila Bust ( an annual affair then). I was scanning out over the Valley and watched a small plane coming toward me (a ways out). Well, I finally figured out this was not a plane but a Condor. I watched it for 15-20 minutes as it came right in and passed directly over us. It only flapped its wings once - a single big flap down and right back up to horizontal. As you say, truly awesome.
A few years ago I did see one at the Grand Canyon, nice to see them back.
Good Birding!
Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
Mail to bell asoc a t iso me dia dot com
From: Tweeters [mailto:<tweeters-bounces...>] On Behalf Of Constance Sidles Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2019 4:51 PM To: Tweeters (E-mail) Subject: [Tweeters] Condors
Hey tweets, for my 70th birthday recently, my husband John gave me the gift of a year of adventure. We just got back from our second adventure on Friday (email me privately if you'd like to read about our first adventure, which involved musical wax moths). We hopped a plane to Las Vegas on Tuesday, rented a car, and drove to the Grand Canyon to look for California Condors, a bird I had never seen in the wild. I wanted to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these majestic birds soaring over the same cliffs and valleys that their ancestors had done during the Pleistocene. Then, they looked for dead mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, and other megafauna. Now they've had to scale back their carcasses to elk-size and smaller, but the soaring and floating are the same.
Before we left, we researched where condors have been sighted most recently. If you're pining to go, these are good websites to try (courtesy of John):
Our first stop was the south rim of the Grand Canyon, starting at Grand Canyon Village (where you can stay if you make reservations early enough - we didn't and stayed in Page nearby, where we also had made reservations, but only a day or two before we left). Along the south rim is a paved walking path that takes you right to the edge of the canyon. We started walking from the El Tovar Hotel to Mary Colter's Lookout, the best places to search for soaring condors.
Sure enough, at 11:10 ( condors tend not to be early risers), a magnificent condor came shooting up over the rim of a cliff and spiraled overhead, showing off its little pale feet (if anything about this bird can be called little) tucked up under its tail, its yellowish head turning this way and that, and its 9-foot wingspan outspread to show off the white wing linings. The sight was breathtaking - or maybe I was just gasping from the altitude, but I don't think so.
No sooner had the condor disappeared into the distant blue than a Zone-tailed Hawk zipped around the canyon bend to soar beneath me, doing its own version of hunting. I have sought this bird in vain for 20 years, so you can imagine how my heart was beating to see this lovely creature at last.
Also on view at the Village: black-backed Lesser Goldfinches, Virginia's Warbler, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Pygmy Nuthatches, Western Bluebirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, numerous Turkey Vultures, White-throated Swifts, and Common Ravens, among others.
After this transcendent experience, we left the Grand Canyon to seek more condor sites. On our second viewing day, we headed east for the Vermillion Cliffs, where we scanned the skies from two main sites:
(a) the middle of the Navajo Bridge (for pedestrians) at Marble Canyon off Highway 89A (didn't see any condors here)
(b) the condor viewing station at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd. 1065; directions to follow) along Vermillion Cliffs National Monument between Marble Canyon and Jacob Lake.
Along the way, we stopped at the House Rock Wildlife Area, an incredible sagebrush valley loaded with Sage Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, Horned Larks, and other desert birds. House Rock Wildlife Area is at Forest Service Road 8910. We also found more jack rabbits than we had ever seen before. Most were resting under the shade of big bushes along a wash and gave us wonderful views of their giant ears, translucent in the bright sunlight. This wildlife area is enormous, with many side roads. We didn't have a good map so we stuck with the road going directly from the highway, and we didn't go down it very far. There is no cell phone reception here, so you are on your own if your car breaks down. We took 3 gallons of water with us, in case John had to hike back out to the highway, leaving me behind with the rabbits and the birds.
From the wildlife area, we drove east on Highway 89A, scanning the Vermillion Cliffs along the way, to a turnoff at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd 1065, which measured 27.4 miles from Navajo Bridge). After we turned off, we drove 3 miles north to the condor viewing kiosk (signed) at the side of the road. This is a great place to sit at a covered picnic table and scan the cliffs for condors. It's more popular in the winter and early spring months (so said the signage), when the condors roost on the cliffs. We could see much whitewashed evidence of this but no condors. Still, we hoped some would come our way, searching for food, and sure enough, 3 (!) eventually did. We think 2 of them were a pair, as they circled the thermals together, but perhaps they were just two chance-met condors. At any rate, at one point, we had them both in our binoculars as they orbited the thermal under the pale moon. What a sight!
Greedy for more condors, we drove to our last viewing site, Big Bend at Zion National Park. This overlook is on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, a paved road that runs south to north through the park, more or less. You used to be able to drive it yourself, but now no cars are allowed. Instead, you can bike or hike or take a free shuttle bus. The shuttle bus stops at 9 different places along the road to drop off anyone who wants off and pick up anyone who is waiting to be picked up. The shuttles run every 15 minutes or so. Normally I dislike riding on shuttles, but in this case, it's a great way to see this part of the park because you can have long moments when you're all alone, and only the sound of the wind through the trees blends with the chorus of bird song. No people, no cars, nothing to interfere between you and nature.
We arrived at the first pickup point, the visitors' center, well before dawn, which, with the time change was 6:15 a.m. There was already a line of people waiting for the shuttle - maybe 50 people ahead of us, and believe me, that is hard to do when you get up as early as we do. They were all young hikers who wanted off at the first stop, the trailhead to Angel's Landing, a rugged hike to the tippy-top of the ridge, with sheer drops on either side. Just to the north of Angel's Landing is a long flat slab of rock that runs from the top of the ridge to about halfway down the cliff. It is cut with 3 large cutouts or caves. In the third one down is a condor nest. To see it properly, we got off at the Big Bend stop and waited for dawn. As the moon slowly faded into the deep blue of the morning sky, an immature condor floated by, silent and still, wafted by a breeze I could not feel. It wasn't just the chill of the morning that made the hair on my neck stand up. It was the thought that the condors are returning to their ancient hunting grounds. How I wished the mammoths and mastodons were still here to greet them. But now people are one of the few remaining megafauna. I made sure to get up and move around as the condor searched the canyon.
We never did see the nestlings or the parents at this site. We fear the baby that is thought to have hatched in late May may not have survived. But another nest in the Vermillion Cliffs has a two-month-old chick that seems to be doing well. Condors still need our help, but the breeding/release program has resulted in a population growth from 27 individuals to an estimated 400+, of which 276 live in the wild. I urge all you tweeters who haven't experienced them wild and free to do so. Your eyes will never feel the same. - Connie, Seattle
Hey tweets, for my 70th birthday recently, my husband John gave me the gift of a year of adventure. We just got back from our second adventure on Friday (email me privately if you'd like to read about our first adventure, which involved musical wax moths). We hopped a plane to Las Vegas on Tuesday, rented a car, and drove to the Grand Canyon to look for California Condors, a bird I had never seen in the wild. I wanted to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these majestic birds soaring over the same cliffs and valleys that their ancestors had done during the Pleistocene. Then, they looked for dead mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, and other megafauna. Now they've had to scale back their carcasses to elk-size and smaller, but the soaring and floating are the same.
Before we left, we researched where condors have been sighted most recently. If you're pining to go, these are good websites to try (courtesy of John):
Our first stop was the south rim of the Grand Canyon, starting at Grand Canyon Village (where you can stay if you make reservations early enough - we didn't and stayed in Page nearby, where we also had made reservations, but only a day or two before we left). Along the south rim is a paved walking path that takes you right to the edge of the canyon. We started walking from the El Tovar Hotel to Mary Colter's Lookout, the best places to search for soaring condors.
Sure enough, at 11:10 ( condors tend not to be early risers), a magnificent condor came shooting up over the rim of a cliff and spiraled overhead, showing off its little pale feet (if anything about this bird can be called little) tucked up under its tail, its yellowish head turning this way and that, and its 9-foot wingspan outspread to show off the white wing linings. The sight was breathtaking - or maybe I was just gasping from the altitude, but I don't think so.
No sooner had the condor disappeared into the distant blue than a Zone-tailed Hawk zipped around the canyon bend to soar beneath me, doing its own version of hunting. I have sought this bird in vain for 20 years, so you can imagine how my heart was beating to see this lovely creature at last.
Also on view at the Village: black-backed Lesser Goldfinches, Virginia's Warbler, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Pygmy Nuthatches, Western Bluebirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, numerous Turkey Vultures, White-throated Swifts, and Common Ravens, among others.
After this transcendent experience, we left the Grand Canyon to seek more condor sites. On our second viewing day, we headed east for the Vermillion Cliffs, where we scanned the skies from two main sites:
(a) the middle of the Navajo Bridge (for pedestrians) at Marble Canyon off Highway 89A (didn't see any condors here)
(b) the condor viewing station at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd. 1065; directions to follow) along Vermillion Cliffs National Monument between Marble Canyon and Jacob Lake.
Along the way, we stopped at the House Rock Wildlife Area, an incredible sagebrush valley loaded with Sage Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, Horned Larks, and other desert birds. House Rock Wildlife Area is at Forest Service Road 8910. We also found more jack rabbits than we had ever seen before. Most were resting under the shade of big bushes along a wash and gave us wonderful views of their giant ears, translucent in the bright sunlight. This wildlife area is enormous, with many side roads. We didn't have a good map so we stuck with the road going directly from the highway, and we didn't go down it very far. There is no cell phone reception here, so you are on your own if your car breaks down. We took 3 gallons of water with us, in case John had to hike back out to the highway, leaving me behind with the rabbits and the birds.
From the wildlife area, we drove east on Highway 89A, scanning the Vermillion Cliffs along the way, to a turnoff at House Rock Valley Road (BLM Rd 1065, which measured 27.4 miles from Navajo Bridge). After we turned off, we drove 3 miles north to the condor viewing kiosk (signed) at the side of the road. This is a great place to sit at a covered picnic table and scan the cliffs for condors. It's more popular in the winter and early spring months (so said the signage), when the condors roost on the cliffs. We could see much whitewashed evidence of this but no condors. Still, we hoped some would come our way, searching for food, and sure enough, 3 (!) eventually did. We think 2 of them were a pair, as they circled the thermals together, but perhaps they were just two chance-met condors. At any rate, at one point, we had them both in our binoculars as they orbited the thermal under the pale moon. What a sight!
Greedy for more condors, we drove to our last viewing site, Big Bend at Zion National Park. This overlook is on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, a paved road that runs south to north through the park, more or less. You used to be able to drive it yourself, but now no cars are allowed. Instead, you can bike or hike or take a free shuttle bus. The shuttle bus stops at 9 different places along the road to drop off anyone who wants off and pick up anyone who is waiting to be picked up. The shuttles run every 15 minutes or so. Normally I dislike riding on shuttles, but in this case, it's a great way to see this part of the park because you can have long moments when you're all alone, and only the sound of the wind through the trees blends with the chorus of bird song. No people, no cars, nothing to interfere between you and nature.
We arrived at the first pickup point, the visitors' center, well before dawn, which, with the time change was 6:15 a.m. There was already a line of people waiting for the shuttle - maybe 50 people ahead of us, and believe me, that is hard to do when you get up as early as we do. They were all young hikers who wanted off at the first stop, the trailhead to Angel's Landing, a rugged hike to the tippy-top of the ridge, with sheer drops on either side. Just to the north of Angel's Landing is a long flat slab of rock that runs from the top of the ridge to about halfway down the cliff. It is cut with 3 large cutouts or caves. In the third one down is a condor nest. To see it properly, we got off at the Big Bend stop and waited for dawn. As the moon slowly faded into the deep blue of the morning sky, an immature condor floated by, silent and still, wafted by a breeze I could not feel. It wasn't just the chill of the morning that made the hair on my neck stand up. It was the thought that the condors are returning to their ancient hunting grounds. How I wished the mammoths and mastodons were still here to greet them. But now people are one of the few remaining megafauna. I made sure to get up and move around as the condor searched the canyon.
We never did see the nestlings or the parents at this site. We fear the baby that is thought to have hatched in late May may not have survived. But another nest in the Vermillion Cliffs has a two-month-old chick that seems to be doing well. Condors still need our help, but the breeding/release program has resulted in a population growth from 27 individuals to an estimated 400+, of which 276 live in the wild. I urge all you tweeters who haven't experienced them wild and free to do so. Your eyes will never feel the same. - Connie, Seattle
Date: 6/30/19 4:48 pm From: Vicki Biltz <vickibiltz...> Subject: [Tweeters] Any organic landscapers in Pierce Cty?
Hi, due to continual battles on what is a weed and what is not, as well and
my refusal for pesticides and herbicides, my husband gave up and is now
looking for a landscaper to help me get things back in order.
I’m hoping someone knows anyone that can refer me to a native friendly
yard.
This is after he used the weed wacker on my bee balm and chopping
branches off, while I was only trimming them up.
Vicki Biltz
Buckley, Wa 98321
Date: 6/30/19 4:37 pm From: Nathaniel Peters <ncpeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park lighthouse - No Crested Auklet but lots of seabird activity 230-430PM
I observed 3 bait balls/clusters of seabird activity from the lighthouse between 2:30-430PM. Many of the usual gulls and ~25-40 Rhinos each time, with a Marbled Murrelet on the last one just a few min ago.
No Crested Auklet but nice activity and great Rhino views! I was joined by Peter Carr for the last hour and a half.
-- - May the* F*lu*OR*escen*CE* be with you! - Nathaniel Peters Ph.D. University of Washington <ncpeters...>
Date: 6/30/19 9:41 am From: mombiwheeler <mombiwheeler...> Subject: [Tweeters] Eastern Kingbird, at Three Forks Park dog run, Snoqualmie
Currently flycatching from willows bordering the water about 30 ft to the right from the parking area.Lonnie SomerSeattleSent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S® 6._______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 6/30/19 9:35 am From: Larry S. Goodhew <lsg...> Subject: [Tweeters] Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Last night I found a Pacific-slope Flycatcher in one of my shops. This
AM I went to be sure it could get out and found that it had a nest just
above the door. Will enjoy it for awhile.
Date: 6/30/19 9:29 am From: Jeff Gibson <gibsondesign15...> Subject: [Tweeters] Black And Blue Exterminators
Got bugs? Call Black and Blue Exterminators!
Hey, here in Port Townsend we got bugs! Pests! Wasps! Or we did before Black and Blue showed up.
What we have are European Paper Wasps. These bugs are fairly recent immigrants to the USA, land of opportunity. They are hard working citizens, mind their own business, and apparently are here to stay. My parents had a knee jerk reaction to wasps and had a whole shelf of poisonous bug killing products to do 'em in with. Alas, dad has passed on and I conned mom into leaving them alone - unlike yellowjackets the paper wasps are pretty benign unless you really ask for trouble. I did hose them down with cold water in twilight conditions then squished them and removed the nests from the eaves back in 2014 - I had a house to paint. Sorry!
While I did have momentary regret about committing manual insecticide the wasps did come back. I enjoy watching them flying around, long rear legs dangling. They are one of the tougher bugs their size - this past winter, they were active during our benign January, and surprisingly on sunny days during Februarys snow, catching enough radiant heat to keep on truckin'.
This year, probably due to the survivable winter, we had plenty of wasps. Didn't bug me any. Mom, mentally erratic, decided she was gonna feed the birds this year and has been scattering seed on the deck and rail. That included sunflower seeds which was as good as phoning Black and Blue Exterminators: "we beat 'em, then we eat 'em" is their motto.
I first noted this as a beautiful black and blue Steller's Jay was whomping a wasp on the deck rail about a month ago. After it's beating, it got gulped down. Then the systematic annihilation of the wasps began. The rail- hopping jays kept cocking their heads and peering up under the eaves - then one day saw one fly up and snag a paper wasp nest, tear it off and haul it down to the rail, where it pinned it down with a foot and proceded to delaminate it, and picking out the little protein nuggets of larvae. Yummy! In a weeks time the jay, or jays, had removed about all of them - maybe a dozen nests'
But they didn't get 'em all - sneaky wasps had found a narrow gap the jays couldn't get to - and so it goes.
Date: 6/30/19 7:52 am From: Matt Dufort <matt.dufort...> Subject: [Tweeters] Seattle Tufted Puffin
Hi tweets,
Spencer Hildie and I saw a Tufted Puffin from Discovery Park’s West Point
at about 7:00 this morning. It flew south, stopped for a few minutes off
Four Mile Rock to feed with a flock of gulls and auklets, then continued
south into Elliott Bay. It’s probably still in the area; I would look for
bait balls with gulls and auklets.
Date: 6/30/19 7:13 am From: Jeff Gibson <gibsondesign15...> Subject: [Tweeters] Gnat Nabbing In Port Townsend
Sitting at my computer this morning watching an Anna's Hummingbird nabbing gnats out of the air, which is cool to witness. The hummer is perched on a shadowed branch and zips out to nab the gnats which are highlighted in a ray of sunlight. Now, these may not really bee gnats - maybee some other tiny flies. It's just too early in the morning for nitpicking about gnat id - hopefully, that doesn't bug anyone.
Jeff Gibson watching birds and bugs in Port Townsend Wa
Date: 6/29/19 12:30 pm From: Hubbell <ldhubbell...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } The Challenges of Youth
Tweeters,
This week’s post focuses on young Northern Flickers and American Crows. This time of year, they are all around us and can be easily seen and heard. I hope you enjoy the post!
Date: 6/28/19 9:49 pm From: B B <birder4184...> Subject: [Tweeters] Birding, Fishing, Eating and Ceramics in Montana
This blog post recounts my "more than birding" visit to Montana. We were able to find 50+ species in a day (twice) for state #42 on my 50/50/50 Adventure and added in some new friends, great food, flyfishing and a visit to the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramics Art.
blairbirding.com/2019/06/28/montana-50-50-50-at-its-best-and-a-summary-of-the-mountain-state-trip/
I am not sure when I will be able to finish my 50 state quest still needing to bird in 8 states in the center of the country. Maybe in the Fall. Sure has been fun.
_______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list <Tweeters...> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
Date: 6/28/19 2:21 pm From: Douglas Irle Will <diwill...> Subject: [Tweeters] Pair of Canada Jays UW Seattle Parking N-12
Yesterday (Thurs, June 27th) i saw a pair of Canada Jay's in a Ponderosa Pine near UW Seattle parking lot N-12. Harsh scream calls consistent with recordings.
Date: 6/27/19 7:14 pm From: Al n Donna <alndonna...> Subject: [Tweeters] (Late report) We dipped on Kitsap Peninsula Mountain Quail
On Monday, June 24 we checked out two ebird hotspots.
We got nice photo’s of a Wilson’s Warbler at the spot called 146KPN. Birding is probably nice from inside homes, but when you get out of your car, you have 6 nearby dogs barking at you. Not good for finding nervous quails. We won’t go back there.
We got nice photo’s of a Willow Flycatcher, an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a Mourning Dove and a Common Nighthawk (flying over us) at Tahuya-Blacksmith rd spot. This was my sixth unsuccessful visit to this location. Maybe 7th is a charm.
Date: 6/27/19 5:55 pm From: Shep Thorp <shepthorp...> Subject: [Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 6/26/2019
Dear Tweets,
thirty of us enjoyed a nice morning at the Refuge with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 8.54ft Tide at 1:46pm. Highlights included a nice morning chorus with summer breeders, nesting RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BULLOCKS ORIOLE, and fledgling CINNAMON TEAL and WOOD DUCKS. FOX SPARROW was seen in the Orchard, MEW GULL on the mud flats, and the GREAT HORNED OWL was seen in the riparian stand on the inside of the Twin Barns Loop Trail east side just north of the twin benches.
Starting out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we had good looks of BARN SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, SONG SPARROW, NORTHERN FLICKER and MALLARD.
The Orchard was good for YELLOW WARBLER feeding BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, WARBLING VIREO, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD and WILLOW FLYCATCHER. An unlikely sighting of SOOTY FOX SPARROW was seen by a few birders, plain face with white eye ring.
The Access Road was good for CEDAR WAXWING, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, CANADA GOOSE, and numerous swallows. In addition to Barn Swallow and Tree Swallow, many CLIFF SWALLOWS with some BANK SWALLOWS were seen.
The west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail was good for Yellow Warbler, SONG SPARROW feeding Brown-headed Cowbird, Willow Flycatcher Swainson's Thrush, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, BUSHTIT, and DOWNY WOODPECKER with young. A Rufous Hummingbird nest with female in the nest is easily observed in a Maple Tree limb hanging directly over the trail just north of the last twin bench overlook before the Twin Barns cut-off.
The Twin Barns Overlook was a great spot to see BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. At the fork of the Access Road Loop immediately adjacent to the Twin Barns, we observed a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE mobbing a BALD EAGLE. We suspect the Bullocks Oriole have a nest very near the fork as this species has been regularly reported seen and heard in the immediate vicinity.
Out on the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail we heard first of autumnal migration LEAST SANDPIPER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. SAVANNAH SPARROW and MARSH WREN are still singing on territory. Both CINNAMON TEAL and Mallard female with young were seen. The fresh water marsh was full of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and swallows. Mostly Cliff Swallow, but several Bank Swallow as well.
The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail will only be open for another week prior to closure for bridgework between the Observation Tower and Photo Blind. Here we had good sightings of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, CALIFORNIA GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, CASPIAN TERN, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. A rare sighting of a MEW GULLL was observed by many on the mudflats. NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and BAND-TAILED PIGEON were seen just south of the Observation Platform. We had good looks at both Bald Eagle nests with young.
On our return, we picked up COMMON MERGANSER at the Nisqually River Overlook. PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, BROWN CREEPER, and HAIRY WOODPECKER were seen along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. We relocated are GREAT HORNED OWL, just north of the twin benches on the inside of the trail and had terrific looks at Warbling Vireo and WOOD DUCK with young.
A pretty nice summer day with 64 species observed and 144 species for the year.
Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, River Otter, Columbia Black-tailed Deer and Muskrat.
Until next week when we will do it all over again!
Date: 6/27/19 5:55 pm From: Jim Danzenbaker <jdanzenbaker...> Subject: [Tweeters] Semipalmated Sandpiper - Lower River Road, Clark County
Hi Tweeters,
There was an adult Semipalmated Sandpiper at one of the receding ponds at the end of Lower Rover Road in the Vancouver Lowlands of Clark County this morning. It was feeding with 3 Western Sandpipers and at least 20 Least Sandpipers. Good to see Fall shorebird migration has reached Clark County!
Date: 6/27/19 4:05 pm From: Philip Dickinson <pdickins...> Subject: [Tweeters] Apparent immature Black Phoebe at Wiley Slough
I found what appears to be an immature Black Phoebe at Wiley Slough today. It was hopping around the rocks next to the nest site and made only short flights to the nearby bushes and back. It is gray/brown in color, even lighter than Sibley's illustration, and not the charcoal plumage of an adult. I have posted photos on the Western Washington Birders Facebook page.
Date: 6/27/19 11:47 am From: Gary Wiles <wilesharkey...> Subject: [Tweeters] Eastern Kingbird continues at the Toutle River Sediment Dam
Tweeters,
I stopped by the sediment dam along the North Fork of Toutle River yesterday afternoon and was able to see one of the two Eastern Kingbirds that was present there last week. The bird was flycatching from the snags in the northeast end of the pond located beneath the dam on the upriver side.
Gary WilesOlympia
Date: 6/27/19 11:37 am From: Michael Hobbs <birdmarymoor...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2019-06-27
This week, Week 26, is the heart of “The Doldrums”, where just about every bird we see is a local breeder, and where we can predict with very high accuracy the exact list of species we’ll see. Barely worth doing the walk, one might say. Week 26, at just a cumulative 94 species, has the worst diversity of any week of the year. Or *had* the worst. Today was a special exception. The weather was definitely not propitious, with dark gray clouds and several brief morning showers. So much for predictions. Our best bird was an AMERICAN REDSTART, but that was by no means the only unusual sighting.
Highlights:
a.. BLACK SWIFT – four seen over boardwalk
b.. Spotted Sandpiper – one on the weir
c.. Great Blue Herons – many young still on the nest, but at least a dozen fledged birds flying about the park
d.. Barn Owl – none seen today, but Matt again heard young in the windmill
e.. Western Screech-Owl – Matt photographed a juvenile near east end of the boardwalk
f.. Red-breasted Sapsucker – several sightings, including two juveniles
g.. WESTERN KINGBIRD – one in East Meadow – new for Week 26
h.. RED-EYED VIREO – one singing and seen in flight near the heronry. First June/July sighting since 2013
i.. EVENING GROSBEAK – flyover flock of five – new for Week 26
j.. Bullock’s Oriole – probably 3+ birds, poorly seen
k.. Orange-crowned Warbler – never common at Marymoor this time of year, but today we heard 2-3 singing
l.. AMERICAN REDSTART – bright adult male seen singing just south of the Dog Area along the slough trail! Our only previous sighting of this species was two birds on August 22, 2002. Obviously also new for Week 26
m.. Western Tanager – never common at Marymoor this time of year; two at the Rowing Club
n.. MANY MANY JUVENILE BIRDS OF MANY MANY SPECIES
Misses today included Canada Goose, Pied-billed Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Green Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Cliff Swallow, and Lazuli Bunting. For the day, 61 species.
Week 26 picked up three species (WEKI, EVGR, AMRE) bringing it to 97 species, one more than Week 4. And the AMERICAN REDSTART was a year bird. A pretty special day.
Date: 6/26/19 7:49 pm From: Hank H <h.heiberg...> Subject: [Tweeters] Great Blue Herons being fed
> Recently we were at the Everett marina and saw some juvenile Great Blue Herons being fed. This was a new birding experience for us. Here is a video.
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/48111221752/ >
> Hank & Karen Heiberg
> Issaquah, WA
>
> Sent from my iPad
I have a copy of Birds of Colombia by Hilty and Brown (1986) if you are
interested. I have a lifetime collection of bird books and would be glad to
send you or anyone else interest an excel spreadsheet of them.
Dan Tallman
On Wed, Jun 26, 2019 at 12:35 PM Janet Ray <janetlaura...> wrote:
> Does anyone happen to have a copy they’d be willing to sell of:
> “Birds of Colombia” by Miles McMullan and Thomas Donegan, 2nd edition
> ??
> Jan Ray
> Preston WA
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
--
Dan or Erika Tallman
Olympia, Washington
<danerika...>
Date: 6/26/19 12:37 pm From: Janet Ray <janetlaura...> Subject: [Tweeters] Colombia bird book needed
Does anyone happen to have a copy they’d be willing to sell of:
“Birds of Colombia” by Miles McMullan and Thomas Donegan, 2nd edition
??
Jan Ray
Preston WA
Date: 6/26/19 11:36 am From: Nagi Aboulenein <nagi.aboulenein...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Cordilleran Flycatcher and bird recordings
Hi Cara -
Just a note on bird song app recommendations. I'm primarily an Oregon birder, and we had Nathan Pieplow as the keynote speaker at our recent annual meeting. He stated that he recently switched from using SpectrumView to Song Sleuth, his newly preferred app for in-field bird song recording. Primarily he switched because Song Sleuth has a feature absent in other apps, namely a recording buffer.
Song Sleuth buffers up to 2 seconds of audio, and when you hit the record button it will record from the beginning of its buffer on-wards. I.e., it will start recording from the 2 seconds prior to when you actually hit the record button, which makes catching a bird song so much easier. With the other apps, you either invariably miss the beginning of the song, or you wind up hitting record and then hoping that the bird starts singing soon (which it usually won't :-) ).
Song Sleuth also has a song ID feature, but that currently misses more often than it gets it right (in fact some of its misses can be outright amusing). According to Nathan Pieplow, this isn't because the AI is bad - but rather it is because of lack of good recordings to train the AI. He stated that around 1000 good recordings are needed to train the AI on a particular species' songs and vocalizations, and very few birds have that many good-quality recordings. Even something as common as the Red-winged Blackbird, where there are a gazillion song recordings of the male, have almost no recordings whatsoever for the female. Contrast that to the Merlin app which is very good at getting bird IDs from photos, and that is simply because thousands and thousands of good photos exist for many species, covering males, females, juveniles, etc. In principle, the AI logic is the same for both apps - it is just a lack of the training data that's needed to train the AI for the bird sound apps.
All the best,
Nagi Aboulenein
On Wed, Jun 26, 2019 at 11:07 AM Cara Borre <cmborre1...> wrote:
> Hello Tweets: > > We just returned from a great extended weekend birding in our beautiful SE > corner of the state with my goal of adding a Cordilleran Flycatcher to my > Washington list. The only way I was going to do this to my satisfaction > was to record the male's call and visualize the two part call on a > spectrogram after uploading it to ebird. Our more common Pacific-slope > Flycatcher has a similar call but it is one up-slurred note. This is hard > for the ear to detect, but easy to see on a spectrogram. > > I realize there is controversy regarding whether these birds should have > been separated or if they should still be called "Western Flycatcher", the > AOU will sort that out, but my quest was to merely add Cordilleran if I > could feel good about my documentation. I recorded all Pac-slope types I > heard calling and could call none Cordilleran. I would encourage recording > calling birds when trying to document Cordilleran. Here are some links and > tools to help: > > 1. Listen to Nathan Pieplow at the following podcast. I will be > purchasing his book the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western (or > Eastern) North America. He explains spectrograms in detail and why we > should record bird songs in the field and upload them to ebird. > > > https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bcr-166-nathan-pieplow-peterson-bird-sounds-of-western-na/id1128139090?i=1000434484164 > > 2. Read Nathan's article on "The Western Flycatcher problem" on his > Earbirding blog: > > http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/2996 > > 3. If you can figure out how to use the app he recommends for recording > in the field, it's called SpectrumView (for iphone); please teach me how, I > found it somewhat confusing. I prefer Voice Record Pro to record in the > field with my iphone I then email the recording to myself and upload the > file to ebird as you would a photo. Ebird generates the spectrogram and it > is here that I visually confirmed every "Western Flycatcher" I heard and > recorded was Pacific-slope. > > Analyzing spectrograms is also a way to potentially ID an unknown bird > vocalization using Nathan's book and I'm sure reliable phone apps in the > future. Ebird really wants to increase it's library of bird sounds as this > will be another way of documenting birds for those of us unable to master > the fine art of focusing a camera. That's why I shoot video, sooner or > later something's in focus! > > Hope you find this information as exciting as I did. > > As an aside, anyone wanting to go on a hunt for Kentucky Warbler? I have > the next few days off (and my birding buddy does not), please contact me. > > Cheers, > > Cara Borre > Gig Harbor > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 6/26/19 11:09 am From: Cara Borre <cmborre1...> Subject: [Tweeters] Cordilleran Flycatcher and bird recordings
Hello Tweets:
We just returned from a great extended weekend birding in our beautiful SE corner of the state with my goal of adding a Cordilleran Flycatcher to my Washington list. The only way I was going to do this to my satisfaction was to record the male's call and visualize the two part call on a spectrogram after uploading it to ebird. Our more common Pacific-slope Flycatcher has a similar call but it is one up-slurred note. This is hard for the ear to detect, but easy to see on a spectrogram.
I realize there is controversy regarding whether these birds should have been separated or if they should still be called "Western Flycatcher", the AOU will sort that out, but my quest was to merely add Cordilleran if I could feel good about my documentation. I recorded all Pac-slope types I heard calling and could call none Cordilleran. I would encourage recording calling birds when trying to document Cordilleran. Here are some links and tools to help:
1. Listen to Nathan Pieplow at the following podcast. I will be purchasing his book the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western (or Eastern) North America. He explains spectrograms in detail and why we should record bird songs in the field and upload them to ebird.
3. If you can figure out how to use the app he recommends for recording in the field, it's called SpectrumView (for iphone); please teach me how, I found it somewhat confusing. I prefer Voice Record Pro to record in the field with my iphone I then email the recording to myself and upload the file to ebird as you would a photo. Ebird generates the spectrogram and it is here that I visually confirmed every "Western Flycatcher" I heard and recorded was Pacific-slope.
Analyzing spectrograms is also a way to potentially ID an unknown bird vocalization using Nathan's book and I'm sure reliable phone apps in the future. Ebird really wants to increase it's library of bird sounds as this will be another way of documenting birds for those of us unable to master the fine art of focusing a camera. That's why I shoot video, sooner or later something's in focus!
Hope you find this information as exciting as I did.
As an aside, anyone wanting to go on a hunt for Kentucky Warbler? I have the next few days off (and my birding buddy does not), please contact me.
Date: 6/26/19 4:23 am From: Devorah the Ornithologist <birdologist...> Subject: [Tweeters] Are Ortolan Buntings Endangered Or Not?
Hello everyone,
A new EU-commissioned study reveals that the ortolan buntings that migrate through France are endangered, yet public outcry to allow legal use of these wild birds in traditional French cuisine are growing louder
I'm hoping this study and my piece describing it will provide some clarity to the public regarding this bird, as well as some insights into how the IUCN red list works. Of course, please so share with your friends and colleagues, especially those traveling to France.
Date: 6/25/19 8:02 pm From: Nicholas Mrvelj <nickmrvelj...> Subject: [Tweeters] RBA Kentucky Warbler in Okanogan County
Hello birders,
Early this morning I found a KENTUCKY WARBLER along Bear Creek Road near
the northern end of Pearrygin Lake. The bird was not very cooperative, and
flew off soon after I detected it. I was not able to relocate the bird for
photos, and judging by the spectacular exit it made after I saw it, I’m
skeptical how chaseable it will be.
Pardon the delay for relaying this information, as I just subscribed to
Tweeters today and have been rather busy traveling throughout the day.
The details can be found on my eBird checklist below.
Date: 6/25/19 1:56 pm From: Tucker, Trileigh <TRI...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Weird West Seattle California Quail
Hi Ed,
In about 2003-2004, I saw a family of quail on my neighbors roof near Lincoln Park. Ive sure wished I could see more, but never have.
Trileigh
From: Ed Swan <Edswan2...><mailto:<Edswan2...>> Date: Monday, June 24, 2019 at 1:14 PM
To: <tweeters...><mailto:<tweeters...>> Subject: [Tweeters] Weird West Seattle California Quail
For the last several weeks, I have heard a California Quail calling from tall Douglas-fir trees in my neighborhood in West Seattle. I wouldnt expect to find a quail here or to hear one calling from 10-20m up in a fir tree. I have never seen it well enough to have any idea of what it could be and disregarded the quail hypothesis despite the proper call until my neighbor Randall Willet took two photographs of the bird sitting on a roof. Its never been seen or heard on the ground. It moves around the neighborhood calling single note calls regularly, nearly always from tall Douglas-fir.
I would guess this is an escaped hatched bird. I posted the photo on ebird.
Good birding,
Ed
Ed Swan
Nature writer and guide
<edswan2...><mailto:<edswan2...> 206.949.3545
www.theswancompany.com
Date: 6/25/19 12:25 pm From: Elizabeth McManus <eliz.mcmanus...> Subject: [Tweeters] Trip to Utqiaġvik (Barrow) AK?
Trip to Utqiaġvik (Barrow) AK? Hi - we would like to got to Utqiagvik AK
this summer to see sea ice (by boat?) and eiders (and owls, if possible).
Seeking recommendations in general and for guides/ trips. Thank you!
Date: 6/25/19 8:57 am From: <byers345...> Subject: [Tweeters] Birding east of the Cascades
Hello Tweeters,
While it remained cloudy and cool in western Washington last week, Bill and I headed east on Thursday to try our luck with the birds there. After lunch at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery (windy), we headed north to the Okanogan area. We drove the Cameron Lake Road from south to north. Aside from lots of beautiful teal and Redheads, we found over 40 American Pelicans at Duley Lake. We came back in the afternoon the next day, but only a few were left.
On Friday we decided to head up to Canada to bird at Lake Vaseux. There was no line at all going or coming across the border. The border agents on both sides asked us lots of questions, though. I suppose we might have looked suspicious. Lake Vaseux, about 30 miles north on Highway 97, has a nice bird observation area including a boardwalk and an observation tower. It's probably not the best season for ducks there, but you can get close views of Black-headed Grosbeaks and Gray Catbirds. The scenery here is wonderful too, and there is also the option to stop and many places for wine tasting. Lots of fresh fruit too, but we weren't sure if we could bring it back to the US.
We spent Saturday in the Okanogan Highlands. Wildflowers were blooming everywhere and scenery was really beguiling. We stopped at the Highland Sno-park, near Havillah. We always look for the Great Gray Owl here, but we haven't seen one since 2005. We did get a shot of a female Williamson's Sapsucker, which I think are here every year. Otherwise the usual birds you would find in a forest at 4,500 feet-Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Tanager, and the like. We at lunch at Molson. There were hundreds of Yellow-headed Blackbirds nesting there. We usually see a Common Loon there. This time there were 2 and quite close to the lake shore. Another bonus.
Our route homeward was across the North Cascades. We usually stop for a cup of coffee at the Washington Pass Overlook to say hi to the Canada Jays there. I think they have become completely spoiled by tourists feeding them as they will land on your hand to take nuts. (How do I know this, you ask!) But unexpectedly, though not rare here, was the female American Three-toed Woodpecker that dropped by to work on trees right next to our picnic table. For me this is an "I've died and gone to heaven" moment. Lots of photos!
Anyway, as you might expect, I have put the best of our bird photos plus several of critters and two Badgers, in a Flickr album that you can access by clicking below. The badgers were a huge bonus on day two. We found them on Cameron Lake Road. They didn't seem to worried about us and we kept our distance from them.
I found a Hudsonian Godwit today at Three Crabs beach access near Sequim in Clallam county. It was loosely associated with 2 Marbled Godwits. Interestingly another HUGO was also found today in Oregon. Photos are included in my eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57657108
Date: 6/24/19 5:28 pm From: B B <birder4184...> Subject: [Tweeters] Birding in Wyoming - 50+ Species in Beautiful Grand Tetons National Park
Beautiful place, great birds and great company - and lots of fun and memories. This is my just completed Blog Post about my 50/50/50 adventure in Wyoming - especially at Grand Tetons National Park
blairbirding.com/2019/06/25/grand-birds-in-the-grand-tetons-a-second-day-with-50-species/
Hi, Fellow Birders. Yesterday at the pond on Heritage Rd. east of Mansfield there was one Black Tern sitting on the west side of the road. The last one reported in Douglas County was in 2014. The county has put down more gravel on the road, so the Stilt and Killdeer nests are gone... Meredith Spencer, Bridgeport
Date: 6/24/19 2:01 pm From: Ed Swan <Edswan2...> Subject: [Tweeters] Weird West Seattle California Quail
For the last several weeks, I have heard a California Quail calling from tall Douglas-fir trees in my neighborhood in West Seattle. I wouldn't expect to find a quail here or to hear one calling from 10-20m up in a fir tree. I have never seen it well enough to have any idea of what it could be and disregarded the quail hypothesis despite the proper call until my neighbor Randall Willet took two photographs of the bird sitting on a roof. It's never been seen or heard on the ground. It moves around the neighborhood calling single note calls regularly, nearly always from tall Douglas-fir.
I would guess this is an escaped hatched bird. I posted the photo on ebird.
Date: 6/23/19 4:37 pm From: RW Hamlyn <xtenter...> Subject: [Tweeters] Display of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper
While in the Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska (320 miles north of the arctic circle), we witnessed the Buff-breasted Sandpiper doing its highly entertaining display. It is the only North American shorebird to do this type of display, and fortunately we had excellent conditions (unusual for the area!) allowing me to capture it on video and Dory to get some great stills:
Date: 6/23/19 10:57 am From: Russ Koppendrayer <russkope...> Subject: [Tweeters] Vesper Sparrow at Theler
Hi Tweeters,
I just had a Vesper Sparrow on the little gravel parking area across from the Salmon Center at Theler Wetlands in Mason County. This is by the little out building with the Farm at Water's Edge sign.
Date: 6/23/19 10:13 am From: Devorah the Ornithologist <birdologist...> Subject: [Tweeters] Hybrid Speciation: When Two Species Become Three
Hello everyone,
here's an important study by some of my colleagues who study seabirds (prions, in this case). They report that two species can hybridize naturally in the wild to give rise to a third species -- a finding that fundamentally alters our understanding of the evolution of species
Date: 6/23/19 9:36 am From: Thomas M Leschine <tml...> Subject: [Tweeters] Brown Pelicans off Pt Townsend
A Whidbey Island birder and I spotted a pair of Brown Pelicans at rest among hundreds, possibly even a thousand, alcids that were widely scattered across calm waters along the Pt. Townsend - Coupeville ferry run just after noon Saturday. Most of the alcids appeared to be Rhino Auklets. A few Heerrmann’s Gulls were also present.
Date: 6/22/19 4:35 pm From: Hubbell <ldhubbell...> Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } Signs of Change
Tweeters,
Observing the growing young eagles in Monty and Marsha’s nest is challenging. However, the most obvious sign of their growth may not even be in the nesting tree. Read my post to see if you agree.
Date: 6/22/19 2:13 pm From: Paul Bannick <paul.bannick...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Possible Spotted Owl
Very likely a Barred Owl
On Saturday, June 22, 2019, Bea Harrison <beaharrison...> wrote:
> My son lives near Bow, WA and my husband and I listened to an owl calling > there a few nights ago. We thought it was a spotted, but never got a look > at it. Is that likely? He lives in a heavily wooded area with old growth > trees. > > Sent from Bea's iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > <Tweeters...> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >
Date: 6/22/19 1:57 pm From: Bea Harrison <beaharrison...> Subject: [Tweeters] Possible Spotted Owl
My son lives near Bow, WA and my husband and I listened to an owl calling there a few nights ago. We thought it was a spotted, but never got a look at it. Is that likely? He lives in a heavily wooded area with old growth trees.
Date: 6/21/19 8:16 pm From: ray holden <rayleeholden...> Subject: [Tweeters] For Sale: Swarovski ATS 65 Scope
ATS 65mm with standard 20-60 power eyepiece. Comes with metal case and strap and the Swarovski box it came in. There are a few dings in the case but that's what cases are for. The scope is in excellent condition. This is the pre-ED scope. I can't remember ever missing an ID because of the lack of a small amount contrast though.
I purchased this scope from a Tweeter and would like to pass it on to a birder who will love it as much as I have. I did a stupid and lost the tripod. If you have one bring it so you can try the scope out. I firmly believe the only place to really try a birding scope is in the field. I live on a boat on the Percival Landing Boardwalk in Olympia and there are usually birds around to scope out. These little scopes cost $1250 new. Given the inflated price of expensive glass today I think $1000 is more than fair. 360-970-0246
Ray Holden
Olympia, WA
The quail family came up next to the house to feed just now. They are tiny little fluff balls on stilts. Something must have alarmed the adult male with them as he lowered himself and spread his wings out and managed to get all 8 hidden under his wings and body. I've seen this behavior in killdeer before but not in mountain quail. But then I'm not with them 24/7. The male kept this posture for about five minute before releasing the kids. Eight went in and eight came out again. Fortunately my cameral was handy so I got some decent photos. now I have to figure out how to get them on the computer as it's a newer camera I've not used much lately. But who can resist taking baby quail photos. Now they are off exploring other realms.
Date: 6/21/19 7:26 pm From: RW Hamlyn <xtenter...> Subject: [Tweeters] Lynx at Potter Marsh
While on a June birding trip to Alaska, we stoped by Potter Marsh south of Anchorage several times, hoping to see the Falcated Duck that was hanging out there. Although we never saw the duck, we did have a much rarer sighting - a lynx! One of our bird guides for Alaska said he had not seen a lynx in the wild since 1987! I was fortunate enough not only to see it, but shoot video of most of its appearance. I posted a 3 minute video of that sighting on YouTube. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/ksY_0-rHm2E <https://youtu.be/ksY_0-rHm2E>
Date: 6/21/19 6:59 pm From: ray holden <rayleeholden...> Subject: [Tweeters] For Sale: Swarovski ATS 65mm scope
I bought this scope from a Tweeter years ago and would now like to hand it over to a birder who will love it as much as I have. This is a pre ED scope with the standard 20-60 zoom eyepiece. I've IDed thousands of birds with it and can't say I missed and ID because of the slight loss in contrast. Comes with metal case and strap and the cardboard box it came from the factory in. The case has some dings but that's what cases are for. The scope is in excellent condition. I did a stupid and lost the tripod. Bring a tripod if you have one to try it out with. I believe in trying expensive glass in the field and would meet you somewhere we could do that. It sold new for $1,250 and given inflation I believe $1,000 is a very fair price. 360-250-0249.
Ray Holden
Olympia, WA
Date: 6/21/19 6:49 pm From: Emily Birchman <stollea...> Subject: [Tweeters] possible clay-colored sparrow in Kenmore?
Hey all,
My mom was watching my son today at our house in Kenmore while I was at work. When they were outside they heard a strange buzzy noise and realized it was a bird across the street, so they went to look at it. My mom said it was doing a series of buzzy notes, in series of 3- 5 bursts, very loud, and the notes sort of rose at the end. She got a good look at it and says that when she googled "bird song that sounds like buzzing" and saw the clay colored sparrow, it looked a lot like what she saw, and when she listened to recordings of it she is confident that is what she heard.
However, she's a birder too and recognizes it would be extremely rare to see one (based on range maps) around here. What do you all think? I'm sure we haven't ruled out other species it could be - what other ones do you suggest we look at?
I asked but she couldn't confirm red eyes from the sightings or photos. She
is not a birder however. Hence I am looking for help on confirm on species.
Anyone else like to help confirm. GISS looks right to me.
The lady says "I’ve seen it at the same backyard for over a year on and
off. More recently 3-5 a week."
Around 3pm I was finally to get a beak count of the new mountain quail chicks in my yard. The adult female was feeding in the driveway but the male was standing watch along the edge of the yard with his little guys learning about their new world. From what I could count there are 7 chicks in the flock (flocklet?). They are twice the size they were on Sunday when I first discovered them. Hopefully they will set a regular feeding schedule soon.
At least the black bear that was in the yard at 7:20 this morning was easier to count. We've had a black bear frequenting the immediate area of my residence since last Friday. I'm awaiting a call from Fish and Wildlife about getting a trap. This is a full grown male and stand close to 3 ft at the shoulders. At least the quail can move faster than the bear can.
