Jim and Tweets:

A male Northern Flicker has roosted over one of my home's windows for at
least 5 years. He comes in for the evening about 3:30 - 4p.m. He leaves
about 8:30 a.m. I assume he doesn't leave during the night, but I haven't
stayed up to listen for his activity. When he is at his roost I can hear his
feet rustle on the metal window box until he settles down. When he pounds on
the house, I tap back from the inside wall and he quits.

Thursday I lead a trip through the Snoqualmie Valley. On Neal Rd. near Fall
City we saw 13 flickers all on or near one tree. Quite a sight. From Fall
City to the Monroe Honor Farm we counted 19 Bald Eagles and 20 Red-tailed
Hawks along with 38 other bird species. Saw 2 deer on Neal Rd. and a river
otter at the Carnation golf course pond. The Snohomish Gyrfalcon was a lifer
for 4 of the birders. It was initially perched on the big tree across from
Westwind Farm. We watched it fly out to disturb a flock of ducks then return
across the field to harrass a male Northern Harrier before returning to the
tree. Later it flew east behind us and across the road. We couldn't have
had a better ending to a delightful day of birding. 41 species for a day
that started out in a light snowfall.

Joyce Meyer
Woodinville, WA
meyer2j at aol.com