Belatedly, a dark-phase SWAINSON'S HAWK was near the Everett STP June 29,
just off I-5, perched in a low dead alder, about 10 a.m. At first the bird
for a Harlan's type Red-tail, so completely dark it was in frontal and
from-above view, but the white undertail coverts and undertail stood out,
along with the bird's overall build being slimmer and coloration being a
warmer brown than for Harlan's. It seems a somewhat unusual record since
most of our few westside Swainson's records seem to be of spring and (less
often) fall migrants...

Less noteworthy but nonetheless a first for us in n. Lake Stevens: a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER sang from the edge of our yard today, noteworthy for us
as the first summer visitor I've recorded in 5 1/2 years. True, we're close
to the foothills, but all other birds have been passage migrants in
April-May, Sept. We've also had a Red-eyed Vireo off and on for the last
couple weeks.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
email: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
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