Subject: A fine day at Spencer's Island (and the "ponds" at Everett, WA)
Date: Nov 9 16:23:53 1998
From: Ned McGarry - nmcgarry at gte.net


The day started out slowly, but the action picked up nicely during the 2
hour walk. The water was quite high. Here's the list of 44 with a few
tidbits.

AMERICAN BITTERN - flushed from the same spot as two weeks ago near the
boardwalk leading toward the crossdike.
AMERICAN COOT
AMERICAN CROW
AMERICAN ROBIN
AMERICAN WIDGEON
BALD EAGLE - a juvenile, later joined by an adult who broke three branches
in the dead snags trying to land.
The fourth branch was thick enough. I've never seen an eagle looked
embarrassed before.
BELTED KINGFISHER - two males in dogfight
BEWICK'S WREN
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
BONAPARTE'S GULL
BUFFLEHEAD
BUSHTIT
CANADA GOOSE - in a "V" overhead
CANVASBACK
DARK-EYED JUNCO
EUROPEAN STARLING
FOX SPARROW
GADWAL
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL
GREAT BLUE HERON - first time I've seen them roosting in the trees here
GREATER FLAMINGO
GREEN-WINGED TEAL
HAIRY WOODPECKER *
HERRING GULL
(LONG)-BILLED DOWITCHER (most likely)
MALLARD
MARSH WREN
MEW GULL
MOURNING DOVE - haven't seen this one too often around here
NORTHERN FLICKER * - a few red-shafted and one yellow-shafted male (my
first "yellow" out west)
NORTHERN HARRIER - female
NORTHERN PINTAIL
NORTHERN SHOVELER
NORTHERN SHRIKE - chasing a flock of PINE SISKINS north of the bridge
across to the island
PILEATED WOODPECKER * - 2
PINE SISKIN - more than I've seen here recently. Quite a few flocks about.
RED-TAILED HAWK
RING-NECKED DUCK
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
RUDDY DUCK
RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE
SONG SPARROW
STELLER'S JAY
WINTER WREN

* Got the HAIRY WP, one of the FLICKERS, and a PILEATED WP in the same view
in the bins.
Just a peculiar thing I like to make note of it occurs without too much
effort.

Oh, um . . . just kidding about the Flamingo. I wanted to see if anyone
was paying attention while all this creationist/evolutionist ping-pong was
going on . . . which, by the way I found rather engaging. My two cents . .
. I figure God "created" it all (along with the physical laws we
continually strive to more clearly understand). While we argue over time
frames, I just hope we keep our eyes and ears open to what God offers us
(and what we can offer others) while we're pursuing and defending our
scientific truths of interest. Religion and science are both
indispensable. While they should bring enlightenment to our lives, either
can be distorted or misrepresented, hindering us from their benefits.


Ned McGarry
Kirkland, WA
nmcgarry at gte.net