Tweets,
While birding the Montlake "Fill" Saturday and
enjoying the 70 degree weather, my wife and I noticed a large group of crows
decending upon a small mound. It at first looked like they were feeding on
something but closer observation changed my mind. It appeared that they were
"anting"; splaying their wings and then rubbing their breasts on the ground.
After a brief preening period following anting, they flew off to feed or into
a grove of cotonwoods. Competion for the anting 'spot' got intense at times
with scwabbles breaking out now and then. My first time observing this having
read about it in several publications on crows. Do other species of birds do
this? or has anyone else observed it?
We also saw a Yellow-shafted Flicker, my first for
that bird and also my first visit to the 'fill' but I will be back when
migration is in full swing.
Good birding,
Doug Watkins
Bainbridge Is dougnpip at aol.co