My birding friend and I decided to check out the Montlake Fill late
yesterday afternoon. Monday the forecast was for sunny skies on Tuesday
afternoon. When we arrived at the Urban Horticulture Center, it was
already raining. We decided to check the trees on the west end of the
center grounds because of reports of yellow-rumps. We were not disappointed!
They were interspersed with swallows at the upper areas of the trees. I
commented that yellow-rumps must like it high in the canopy.

Then we went into the Fill to check out the trees from the other side.
There, they appeared a little lower in the canopy. Along the shore we
admired a western grebe and a pie-billed, which called for us. As we
neared the little pond in the southeast corner, a bright reddish brown
caught our eyes--a cinnamon teal. It was our first of the year. It was
hanging around a group of green-winged teals. We decided to check out
the pond over by the loosestrife piles where a Canada goose was sitting
directly on top of one of the huge piles and claiming it as her nest!
All of a sudden, it seemed like we were surrounded by yellow-rumps. We
stood and admired them from as close as ten feet away. They were all
down low in the Scotch broom and on the ground. So goes our theory of
them liking the high canopy! They really blend in well with the Scotch
broom blooms. Occasionally, a golden crown would join them--its golden
crown another perfect blend with the Scotch broom. What surprised us was
watching the golden crown actually eat the blooms of the Scotch broom--
something I've never seen before.

By this time, it was really getting windy and nasty, so we headed back
towards the Urban Horticultur Center. Going by Shoveler pond we saw a
pair of cinnamon teal--this time we got within ten feet. The red eye of
the male was quite distinct. As we watched it, an otter swam by dragging
a small branch or a reed. Then on the path back to the center, a
pheasant put on a good display for us. Altogether a great way to spend a
rainy afternoon!

wjansen