Tweeters,

Most e-lists ask for a brief intro from new subscribers. I haven't
seen anything saying this policy applies to tweeters but here's one
anyway. BTW, I mention hail in the subject line cuz it hailed
massively here yesterday and drove all my birds into the bushes so I
couldn't see em messing around. It also rained, snowed, the sun
shone, there was thunder and lightning. I was expecting Rapture at
any moment.

I live just west of the Cascade Mts. between Rainier and St. Helens
(the mountains not the towns). I have a 3-year-old son named Caske,
which means First Boy in English--it's a traditional name, give me a
break, I am a creative parent, honest. Caske is the governor on the
engine of my bird watching as his spontaneous outbursts of
enthusiasm often scare the birds away (Look Daddy! A Bird! He
shrieks in a stage whisper audible in Oregon). I also have a wife,
without which having a child would've been tough, named Rowan. She
is also an avid birder--altho she dislikes Robins and thinks Turdus
is a good name for em.

Enough about me. The birds that live in my yard this winter are
about 10 Varied Thrushes of both genders (their women are fat), one
Stellar's Jay, two Spotted Towhees, about 5 Song Sparrows (I think
they are Song Sparrows), a mixed-species flock (Golden-crowned
Kinglets, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Chestnut Backed Chickadees,
Hutton's Vireos (maybe), and possibly others), at least one Nuthatch
(probably red-breasted based on its size altho it runs when it sees
me so *shrug*) and some kind of grouse that I've never really seen
but that I hear a lot.

We also have lots of hawks, falcons, eagles, osprey, ducks, etc.,
etc. that live in the neighorhood. I also saw an imaginary Northern
Shrike (imaginary according to other birders in the area) a couple
days ago. And, of course, there is a little brown bird (3-5"
standing) inside every clump of brush in the county (I think it's a
Winter Wren but what do I know--a brown bird in a brown bush that
flies to another brown bush when you get close enough to see it).
BTW, the shrike I saw was after one of the little brown birds.

Well, that's my family and our birds (or the birds and their
humans). Feel free to drop me a private email and ask about birding
stuff in Lewis County if you are planning a visit to this area.

Question: My father saw a bunch (5-10,000) shore birds in the mud
flats in southern part of the Sound the other day. He is an old
birder (his bird book is from 1966 or earlier) and a skeptic so I
believe him. He says that those birds should be WAY WAY WAY south
of here right now. I would agree but I live in the mountains and not
on the ocean or sound so I was wondering what other birders thought
about it. NOTE: I think the shore birds were Turnstones.

Brushes the Sky
Cinebar, Lewis County, WA
mailto:matson at myhome.net
PS: You might have noticed that I am loquacious. Feel free to send me
private email and tell me to shut up if I get carried away. I am a
hard person to offend and have almost no ability to retain a grudge or
even remember that I should be holding one so feel free to say what
you want to me or about me.