Hello Lynn,
First, welcome to tweeters.
You nice photo of the Red-brested Sapsucker with the old apple on the tree
reminded me of the encounter i had in November. This Sapsucker was feeding
on the old Apple and din;t care i took photos. After all the Apples was
going i was hanging out Apples ,but the Sapsucker never touched the good
red Apples. It realy makes the photo. Since you mention you are a new
beginner and manly watching you birds in you yard, you also looking at this
birds verry close and learn there behavier. I am a chaser,that is what
birders label you when you driving long ways to find rare birds. The only
think i can say on this matter, i drive many times again this to see that
same bird over and over, and also i love my yard birds, ecpecial if it is a
Red-breasted Sapsucker,Towsend's Wabler or a Junco. I never forgot when i
had my first Hermit Thrush,i supposed to go on a fieldtrip that day,(it was
Saturday) i stayed home this watching this bird,taken photos after
photos,never got tired seeing this special bird in my yard.The same happen
with the Swainson's Thrush, i could not put away from the window .Every
morning first looking if i find this bird again,and keeping records when
there come and when there departure.
After feeding birds here for 14 years in fircrest we had 78 species ,some
this flying over , i keep a yard list but dont have any idea how many birds
all together i have.Most all the birds i ducomented with photos and this is
enough for me.Keep on watching you yard maybe when you ready to go out to
different places,even if it is only to Tittlow Beach here in Tacoma,where
we have quite few birds ,including the first year Glaucous Gull and verry
striking Mandarine Duck,what is associating with Hooded Merganser and lot's
of Wigeons.Keep posting and let us know of interesting birds in you yard.

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
godwit at worldnet att.net




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> From: Lynn T. <LynnT-WA at att.net>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Introduction
> Date: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 1:51 PM
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> My name is Lynn and I live in Puyallup, WA. I am a amateur bird
watcher
> (backyard birding mostly <g>) But thought it might be interesting to
join
> this list and see what is going on elsewhere in the region.
> In the little over two years that I have had feeders out for birds I
> have enjoyed seeing: House finches, Pine Siskens, Chickadees and Juncos
on a
> regular basis. Last weekend, however I was treated to a bird I had never
> seen before (and it was back again today.). A Red Breasted Sapsucker! I
had
> heard a strange noise out in the yard and thought - "my, that's a strange
> sounding cat" and low and behold here was this very beautiful bird out in
my
> apple tree. If you would care to see some pictures of him you are
welcome
> to see him here (the pictures are at the bottom of the album)
> http://home.att.net/~LynnT-WA/photoalbum.html I was so excited about
seeing
> him I wanted to share with others who would understand.
> It's is amazing the different birds I have seen up here - just from
my
> yard and the area around. More in likely nothing very unusual for the
area
> but it never ceases to make me smile when I see an eagle souring in the
sky,
> a heron landing in a tree or a flock of geese honking on their way to an
> open field. And I love the little Pine Siskens and have had some
wonderful
> encounters with them.
> Mostly I think I will be lurking here - Not sure if I will have much
to
> contribute other than to tell you when I see something strange or
exciting.
> So, anyway, Hi and I'll be reading!
>
> BTW - Does anyone know about bird diseases here? I have seen quite a few
of
> the House finches with bumps/growths on their legs (tarsus). They don't
> seem to be ailing but ???? Also had one Junco that had a big growth on
it's
> forehead - haven't seen the bird lately so not sure what happened.
Looked
> pretty ugly.
>
> Look forward to learning a lot here. Thank you
> --
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Lynn Tjerne
> Puyallup, WA
> mailto:LynnT-WA at att.net
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>