So I did see what I thought I saw on a fence as I drove up Kent-Des Moines
Road this past Saturday, Nov 22, about 1PM, but didn't have time to stop
and confirm (VERY familiar bird from the East)......it REALLY WAS A
MOCKINGBIRD.
YaHOO!
Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu Univ of WA and Des Moines, WA
************************************************
On Thu, 27 Nov 1997, Jim P. Flynn wrote:

> Hi Tweets,
>
> I spent Thanksgiving day morning feasting on some rare
> bird(ing) leftovers. A Northern Mockingbird was found by Roger
> Orness along the North end of Russell Rd in Kent on Monday. I
> first heard about it last night from Dave Swayne, who I thank
> profusely for. Roger, who found the bird Monday, is more of a
> raptor afficianado than a dickey-bird specialist and wasn't
> sure about the bird's ID at first, thus he was a little reluctant
> to report it.
> The bird can be seen often perching on the fence that
> surrounds the Kent Ponds, about 1/4 mile South of 212th St. You
> can only turn onto Russell Rd when proceeding Eastbound on 212th;
> if you're Westbound on 212th go past Russell Rd and turn left
> about 1/2 mile later. Follow this road to the stop sign and go
> left again. This will take you to Frager Rd. If you go left on
> Frager check a holly tree on your left - the Mocker was seen
> crossing the river and flying into the holly at one point. If
> the bird isn't in the holly tree keep going North on Frager to
> 212th and go right (over the river) and immediately right onto
> Russell Rd after crossing the bridge. You can park at a pullout
> called Anderson Park (about 300 sq ft and a dozen pine trees).
> The mocker has been seen sitting on the fence just South of the
> park.
> As we watched the Mockingbird, stood around chatting and
> looking at Roger Orness's (like Xantus's?) photos we saw quite
> a few other raptors. 1-2 Bald Eagles passed over the ponds,
> making seemingly unsuccesful attempts to catch ducks, an accipiter
> cruising West, both male & female Kestrels and
> several resident Redtails.
> Best of all though, as we were leaving two large brown
> birds streaked across the road towards the river. The leading
> bird dove into the vegetation along the river bank and the trailer
> circled back around towards the ponds. As it came around I saw the
> Falcon shape and black axillaries. A Prairie Falcon! In Kent!
> The pair had passed in front of Roger's truck and when we both
> pulled over he told me that the leading bird which escaped had
> been a h
> been a hen Pheasant. The Prairie perched on a snag in the pond
> complex for quite a while giving us ample opportunity to study it
> in the scope.
> What a day! I wish they were all Holidays.
>
> Jim Flynn
> bf519 at scn.org
>