Hey tweets, Just got back from our putative loosestrife-pulling party,
which we didn't need to hold after all. The weevils have really done a
number on the roots of those darn plants, and the beetles are chewing away
at the leaves. There is enough mud along the main pond to provide good food
for the shorebirds. If the bugs keep doing what they're doing, we won't
have to pull loosestrife anymore. Oh happy day.

Instead of pulling, my husband and I did a Big Sit. Well, we only had the
sitzfleisch for an hour and a half, so I suppose you'd have to call it a
Little Sit. At any rate, we saw 28 species, keeping our behinds firmly
planted in our chairs at the south end of the main pond at all times. Our
most notable spots were:

1 western meadowlark
7 long-billed dowitchers
2 least sandpipers
3 blue-winged teals
1 downy woodpecker (not common around the main pond)
12 cedar waxwings

After we grew tired of sitting, we walked over to Union Bay, where we saw a
wood duck, the first I've seen this year. Never did see the green herons
people are reporting. Mythical birds, no doubt. Just kidding (please don't
flame me).

We saw no Canada geese whatsoever (did hear a couple). Amazing. - Connie,
Seattle

csidles at mail.isomedia.com