I got to Montlake Fill for the first time today, and already I'm spoiled rotten: two life birds and seven state birds at one small pond in less than an hour.

First I had three new state birds in the same field of vision: spotted sandpiper, least sandpiper and American pipit (there were probably a dozen of these around). Shortly afterward, I had another state bird and two lifers in the same field of vision: pectoral sandpiper, western sandpiper, and two Baird's sandpipers. Very cooperative of the western and the Baird's to present themselves so conveniently for comparison. All told, there were five sandpiper species represented by only six birds. I also got my state northern rough-winged swallow flying by.

Later I saw a swan on Portage Bay from 520, but I couldn't stop. Has anybody seen this bird? I've never seen a trumpeter swan -- are they easy to get here in the winter?