On Mon, 17 Mar 1997, Kathleen Hunt wrote:

>
> Obligatory birding note:
> Yesterday evening at Montlake fill there were dozens of coots and
> shovelers, two bufflehead pairs, several ruddy duck pairs (the males are
> half-ruddy now. Almost "ruddy to go". sorry about that), several scaup
> pairs, and a beautiful ring-necked duck pair who were both preening up a
> storm. Didn't see any shorebirds by the pond. No raptors in sight. And
> also, Canada geese, lotsa robins, crows flying in to roost by the athletic
> fields, a Bewick's wren who jumped up when I pished, and a handsome black
> domestic rabbit sitting quietly by the pond. Extremely obvious bunny, all
> black like that -- I suppose it's only a matter of time before a dog or
> some large hawk (redtail? harrier?) picks him off.
>

I've noticed a pair of black rabbits at the MF for the last couple of
years - they seem to be surviving OK so far.

Jim Lady
Columbia Basin Research
University of Washington
jlady at u.washington.edu