Well, I saw my first YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT this evening - out
at the Kent Ponds. Beautiful bird. This was the first time
I'd stopped there since they opened it again, and I circumnavigated
the area, stopping a a parking lot that was open along the west
side, opposite a picnic area. The area was closed so I stood
at the gate for a while.

I heard a warbly sound "out there" somewhere, but couldn't
quite see where. My binocs did land on a yellow spot, but
I'm embarrassed to say that I dismissed it as looking like
perhaps a very large bumble bee atop an extremely yellow
flower of some sort in the tall grass. But finally even an
idiot could see that the song was coming from the bright
yellow flower, which turned out to be the chat.

Seeing a niftily decorated bird unexpectedly for the first time
like that is an experience I hope I have many more times. :)

bob mauritsen
green lake
seattle