Hello all,

Just a note that on Saturday morning, 2/21/98, there was a male BELTED
KINGFISHER on the wires above the bridge over Sikes Lake. I've seen him
four times in the past week, most of the times on overhanging tree branches
east of the bridge closer to Carnation Farms.

Also, the most fun part of the drive through the valley was seeing 17 GREAT
BLUE HERONS in the trees by their rookery area east of Carnation Farms along
the Snoqualmie River --- easy to see 1/4 away to the north from the hilltop
pullout overlook. Although they are a long ways away, it is still amazing
to see this large group of birds. Some would occasionally take off, swoop
around the trees awhile, making a racket of noise, then land again somewhere
else in the trees.

On a separate note, I also late afternoon Saturday saw a mature BALD EAGLE
along Mill Pond Rd. east of Snoqualmie, looking out over Mill Pond.
Beautiful bird, only 30-40' above my head from my vantage point from the car
below him. Wow. Two COMMON MERGANSERS below it in the pond seemed to care
less it was up there.

Happy birding - here's to wishing I was out with the camera and birding gear
on a day like today for a change!

Alan L. Bauer
Fall City, WA
alan_bauer at msn.com
v-alanba at microsoft.com