Fellow tweetsters,

I love living in Seattle. Today was another of those beautiful days where I
whiled the morning away marveling at wildlife going about its business
mindless of human existence nearby.

I started the morning at Green Lake, hoping to catch some Pied-billed Grebe
vocalizations on tape.

>From my Wednesday morning counts I know there are about four pairs spread out
around the lake. The ones at the south end of the stretch parallel to Aurora
(I refer to it as the Red-winged Blackbird reeds as many other people do,
guess why?) appear to be the most active as far as courtship goes, so I
concentrated my efforts there.

At first I couldn't find them but eventually the male appeared out of nowhere
(that is the dense stands of cattails near the willows). I followed him as he
worked his way south not too far offshore. Short, 15 second, foraging dives,
but no breakfast.

At the south end another male, coming north from the Aqua Theater area farther
offshore, got "my" male's hackles up. Actually "down" is more accurate. He
sleeked his crown feathers, lowered his puffed-up black chin area until it
almost touched the water, pointing his bill at the other male, his neck in a
distinct z-shape. The other male dove as if no warning was given. When he
surfaced again "my" male charged, pattering and flapping his wings across the
water. I got that on tape, but no vocalizations (I've never heard a
vocalization during a charge, but I keep my tape running just in case...).

The Red-winged Blackbird male, having chased the other male south, slowly
returned in the direction of the reeds. I walked back and discovered the
female just outside the reeds, preening away, rolling on her side, flashing
her white belly while running the hair-like feathers through her bill.

The male approached and they did a very brief and soft Greeting Ceremony, both
birds vocalizing a soft hen-flicker, staccato, call as they approached and
then swam alongside one another for a short while.

They entered the reeds and started working on a small platform, firmly
anchored to some cattails. After each adding a few pieces of plant debris from
the lake bottom the female (the smaller bird with the smaller bill) climbed on
top of the structure. The male added one more piece and then sat there,
looking at the female from behind as she slowly lowered her neck and stretched
it out in front of her. Soliciting.

I aimed my parabolic reflector and started the tape rolling. I got the soft
patter of his wet, lobed, feet as he jumped on her back. I saw how she slowly
raised her outstretched neck and swayed her head from side to side, almost
rubbing his breast with her crown as they copulated. I also recorded the
splattering sound of his feet as he dismounted over the female's shoulder. He
turned and very briefly stood upright, turning to face her, treading water,
then sank down and swam off.

Well, add another variation to the Pied-bill's behavior. Normally the mounting
bird vocalizes before and during mounting. Whether it is a "normal" copulation
or reverse mounting (which grebes are known to do in the early stages of
courtship).

I was starting to attract attention along the path as more and more Sunday
morning strollers come by. There wasn't much use in trying to record anymore.
The risk of getting "what are you doing" running right through a perfect
once-in-a-lifetime recording gets too big.

Time to run the lake and then off to the eagles. Took a break from running
when I spotted a friend on a bench. I tried to distract her from her bird
watching, but the birds kept interrupting. Goldfinches on the grass.
Violet-green swallows overhead (saw the first Barn & Cliff Swallows on the
lake yesterday), a Tree Swallow exploring a natural cavity in a tree. If they
nest there successfully, that will be a new species for the list of breeding
birds at the lake.

Onward. West Seattle Bald Eagle nest.

Things are definitely different from yesterday. When I arrived both adults
were on the nest, intently staring down in the nest. The male took off and
took up position on the far side of the tree with Elliott Bay as his hunting
grounds spread out in front of him.

The female settled down, only to get up again almost immediately. She didn't
really sink down in the bowl of the nest, she was definitely standing higher
than yesterday. Another good indication. She never sat down for more than
three or four minutes. Up & down like a yo-yo. Raking grass, poking down in
the nest and just standing looking down. Something was going on in the nest.

Unfortunately the nest is more built-up than last year and the rim is higher.
Last year I got to see the eyass (there was only one last year) while it was
still wet. It lay flat in the nest, like a piece of wet cotton, raised it's
wobbly little head, opening its bill, after which the adult settled over it
again. I wasn't sure I would be that lucky this year.

It wasn't until 11:55 when my patience was rewarded. The female got up and
poked around in the nest, moving her bill back towards her, consistent with
rolling an egg. She lifted her head, looking down and for a split second a
white rounded shape moved a fraction of an inch above the rim of the nest in
front of her, offset against her dark brown breast feathers. Not as good as
last year, but proof positive. Seattle is another Bald Eagle richer and it
looks like another one is in the offering in this nest.

Next stop Mercer Island. But here I found no change at either nest. Birds
tucked down low in the nest.

I hope the south end nest will hatch its first egg tomorrow. But it could
still be a few days more. The Discovery Park egg hatched after 37 days of
incubation, West Seattle after 36 days. Tomorrow will be 36 for south Mercer
Island.

In my book it's hard to beat a morning like this. But I'll keep trying...

Happy birding!

Martin Muller, Seattle
martinmuller at msn.com