At 09:31 PM 4/21/98 -0700, Michael B. Brown wrote:
> The
>rocky area where the "nest" was is a large open area behind a new home in
>the large Sunrise development here on South Hill, Puyallup. Although I
>haven't seen the area, it sounds like an area that has been, or is in the
>process of being graded for further expansion of the development.

Duh-du-du-duh-du-du-duh-du-du-duh-du-du-KILL-DEER!

(to the melody and candence of the theme from Bonanza)

>
>I tend to think the egg is that of a Killdeer.

Yep. I didn't suggest it earlier because of your description of the
site, which at first seemed anti-killdeer, i.e. a rocky outcropping
with salt spray spewming the site.

> Two people have suggested it
>on Tweeters so far, and it closely matches the description in "The Birder's
>Handbook" (although I'm not sure what "occasionally wreathed or capped"
>means). The observer describes a nearly entirely dark bird, but I've had
>trouble translating such descriptions before. Perhaps she only saw the bird
>from behind, and she did describe a distraction display.

Or above. Killdeer are kinda dark above...



- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net