Greetings Tweets,

Needing a bit of a relaxing break from life yesterday, I took the slow
scenic way home to Fall City from Redmond. Heading out Novelty Hill Rd to
West Snoqualmie Valley Rd, I began a meandering trip up the valley that took
me past Sikes Lake, Carnation Farms, Carnation, Neal Rd., and then finally
home. Never leaving the truck, but with binoculars in hand, the stress
release drive home turned into a nice birding time just as it was getting
dark.

Arriving home 16 species later, I had seen:
* AMERICAN CROWS (3) enjoying the remains of a critter vs. car
incident on Novelty Hill Rd.
* NORTHER FLICKER (1) on the tree by the "Yield" sign as I turned
off Novelty Hill Rd. onto West Snoqualmie Valley Rd.
* RING NECKED PHEASENT (1 male) along back road on way to Sikes
lake, right by the dairy (the name of the dairy/rd. eludes me at the
moment...)
* MALLARDS (~20), AMERICAN WIDGEON (~300) all enjoying a freshly
fertilized-by-the-Sikes-dairy field, near Sikes Lake.
* some gulls way the heck off in the distance beyond the widgeons,
too far and too dark out to ID.
* beautiful RING-NECKED DUCKS (3, 2 male, 1 female) peacefully
coasting around on Sikes Lake.
* DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS (8) all around Sikes Lake.
* AMERICAN COOTS (~20) on Sikes Lake.
* CANADA GOOSE (16) all looking ready for a nap along the shore of
Sikes Lake.
* MOURNING DOVES (32) east of Carnation Farms, in the Big Leaf Maple
tree right at the overlook pull out off the road at the top of the hill
there.
* BUSHTITS (~20) in Carnation, flying from the area of the church to
the tree in front of the public library there on main street through town.
* another good group of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS (11) all in a tree
together overhanging the slough along Neal Rd.
* a beautiful pair of HOODED MERGANSERS (1 male, 1 female) in the
slough along Neil Rd.
* COOPER'S HAWK on a tree branch near the dog kennel on Neil Rd.
* STELLER'S JAY in one of the trees in Fall City along the river.
* and finally, as I was walking around the side of the house at
home, a mature BALD EAGLE flew over the lower portion of our property
heading SE toward the Raging RIver area. We see one, and sometimes two,
flying this same path about four times a week - must be heading to or from a
favorite spot on a regular basis. We usually see them around 8:00am from
our breakfast table flying by - this is my first time seeing one at the end
of the day go by.

I was feeling really good all evening after this 45 minute drive home from
work!
Happy Birding,

Alan Bauer
Fall City
v-alanba at microsoft.com