hello tweeters.

i went to the arboretum today, looking for warblers and for
bullock's orioles. after i reached the arboretum, i walked
north and under the 520 bridge through foster and marsh
islands, my old bird study sites from a few years back. on my
walk, i managed to see 46 species in two hours, but i was
quite disappointed with my total species count because i expected
to see more birds.

i did find my northern (bullock's) orioles in their usual
location, in the cottonwood trees overlooking the water in the
grove just south of the 520 bridge. i had forgotten how intensely
coloful these gorgeous birds are, and so i just looked at them
for awhile to get used to the sight of them. two males were feeding
together in the tree tops and singing loudly in their stuttered,
but oddly melodic, songs. i am fairly certain that i also heard
the animated chatter from a female of the species, but never
managed to spot her for confirmation. i guess that these birds
just arrived within the past few days.

i also saw many anna's hummingbirds, and managed to find a
hummingbird nest. the chicks must have just hatched because
i watched mama looking like she was feeding something in that
tiny nest, flying away and returning about ten minutes later
and settling into it and remaining there until i left about
five minutes later.

a pair of adult bald eagles were perched in the beaver trees
at the montlake fill (visible from the north end of foster
island, looking across union bay) for quite awhile before they
took to the air. one eagle circled over union bay before
plunging into the water like a rock, grabbing a 5-6 inch
fish (salmon?), flying low over the water and then over my
head, clutching the struggling fish and looking very business-like.
the people in the rowboat bobbing in the water about ten feet from
where the eagle had splashed down sat open-mouthed in astonishment.

i didn't see many warblers at all, which was a great
disappointment, since that was the primary reason that i visited
the arboretum today. i only saw or heard four warbler species
(orange-crowned, yellow-rumped, wilson's and common yellowthroat)
and none of these species were especially common. the song sparrows
and american goldfinches, on the other hand, were plentiful, and
their joyful songs filled the air. i located several starling nests
full of screaming nestlings, and even found a few chickadee nests.
there was an amazing lack of duck species; i only saw mallard and
gadwall, and only the mallard seem to have nested successfully.
lost ducklings are everywhere, screaming loudly and frantically
swimming alone across large open waters.

the next time that i visit the arboretum, i need to go south from
my starting location, instead of going north towards union bay.
well, i will go south after i check on the orioles' nestbuilding
progress: i love watching them build their elaborate purse-like
nests!

Deborah Wisti-Peterson email:nyneve at u.washington.edu
Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash, USA
Visit me on the web: http://students.washington.edu/~nyneve/
<><><>Graduate School: it's not just a job, it's an indenture!<><><>