Hey Tweeters. This past week has been pretty exciting for me in new
arrivals to my backyard. I live out in the farm country of Monroe, flat, no
big trees. This past week I have had a Yellow-headed Blackbird, 2 Bullock's
Orioles, and tonight a male Evening Grosbeak showed up on my tube feeder.
None of these are new birds for me, but to have them in my yard has put me
on cloud nine. I'm sure the high snowpack in the mountains has forced a lot
of the birds to lower elevations. A friend in Redmond had a small flock of
Red Crossbills in her yard a couple weeks ago. The routine yard birds for
me are Goldfinches, Housefinches, Red-winged Blackbirds, etc. But as my
yard matures I'm finding many new visitors. I even had a Sharpie in my yard
this winter. I've been home on medical leave for weeks now, and my spirits
have really been raised with all these nice surprises. I never grow tired
of even the routine visitors.

Patti Brent, Monroe, WA. p.brent at worldnet.att.net