Greetings Tweetsters,

Yesterday (6/6/96) while visiting Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, around 16:30
spotted a Turkey Vulture circling over the Raptor Center, disappearing towards
the east. Looked like it was molting at least tail feathers. Couldn't tell if
it was adult or immature, but one of the people at the raptor center thought
she saw a light head. This is only the second time I've seen a Turkey Vulture
in the "Green Lake" area (I consider all the airspace visible from the lake
the Green Lake area...), the other time was several years ago in August.

This morning (6/7/96) drove down to Silver Lake, Kelso WA, to do the monthly
bird survey there. Two to two-and-a-half hour of using a motor boat to sail
along the perimeter of the lake (as much as possible), counting all birds seen
and heard (the hardship, I know...).

At the southeastern channel (narrow channel kept open by fisherpeople going
through, otherwise overgrown with water lillies) stopped the engine and spent
ten minutes listening. The area is cattail marsh with a few emergent willows.
Only accessible by boat and I have never seen anyone but members of the local
Bass club out there. Last month I saw one American Bittern in this section.
This time there were at least five different birds calling (calls came
simultaneously or near-simultaneously from different directions), as best as I
can estimate all within a quarter Mile of my location. Didn't hear Bitterns
anywhere else on the lake.

I have only a few references at my fingertips. Terres, The Audubon Society
Encyclopedia etc. in one paragraph mentions the species is usually solitary,
in another paragraph that they don't nest in colonies. Ehrlich, Dobkin and
Wheye in The Birder's Handbook, mention solitary, territorial male advertising
with call and polygyny. Harrison in Nest, eggs and nestlings, mentions they
nest singly but males are polygamous.

I don't recall ever reading about Bitterns using a lek.

Anybody out there have any additional information? Much obliged.

Martin Muller, Seattle
martinmuller at msn.com