Subject: seward park, many tanagers, birders
Date: May 15 00:58:15 2000
From: Ed Newbold - newboldwildlife at netscape.net


Hi All, What a great Rob Conway post!!! Birding is just plain better back
east. Delia and I birded Seward Park however out west here today, that is
yesterday Sunday and were amazed by the number of Western Tanagers there and
south at Pritchard Park and at our homestead on Beacon Hill for that matter.
In places, branches groaned under the weight. Also had Black throated Gray
Warblers plus Townsend Warblers, Wilsons, Orange Crowned and Yellow Rumped and
a Black Headed Grosbeak, both hummers two active Eagle nests, pretty many Pac.
Slope Flycatchers and we ran into a number of other birders there who were all
really nice and one of whom had seen a Warbling vireo and another a Yellow
Warbler. No Kingfishers or Olive Sided Flycatchers though.
Here on Beacon Hill a Yellowthroat became a life yardbird a couple days ago
and the usual Nashville has shown up. The frogs keep croaking louder.
I know I'm Tweeters' resident chicken little but I think we're seeing
declining Barn Swallow populations--we didn't see any at Seward today-- and I
suspect people cleaning nests off their front porch could be the biggest
reason for this. I have unfortunately collected many sad anecdotes regarding
this evil practice. These folks may as well get a pellet gun and shoot the
bird as far as the population effect is concerned. People who think these
birds can go nest somewhere else don't realize the Barn Swallow is playing a
defensive game against the crow and we are his ace. When the nest is moved
further from the doorway, it's subjectively closer to the crow and this is
probably why Barn Swallows are so notoriously obstinate about moving the site.



Well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Ed Newbold, tweeter by digest on Beacon Hill Seattle
newboldwildlife at netscape.net



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