Hey tweets, The tropical kingbird appeared in all his glory again today at
Donna's house in Stanwood. If you can, you really ought to make the trip
out there. Donna is absolutely delightful, just thrilled with all the
attention her yard (and *her* bird) are getting. She was not a birder,
although she has placed numerous feeders around her yard in exactly the
right places to attract birds. But after all this hulabaloo, last week she
went out and purchased a nice pair of binoculars and a Peterson's. So now
she is exhibiting all the field marks of a newly hatched bird nut.

Donna's yard really is wonderful. Along with the lemony kingbird, we saw a
flock of pine siskins accompanied by up to three common redpolls. They gave
us spectacular looks as they fed slowly among the alders lining Donna's
yard. The sun glinted on their red heads, and one of the males showed a
most gorgeous wash of pink across his chest. It was simply stunning. As for
the kingbird, he showed up mid-morning and hawked bugs from one highpoint
in the yard to another. Sometimes he was almost within touching distance -
as one carload of birders drove out of the yard, he flew down to a low bush
beside the road. They halted to figure out how to handle another car coming
down the lane, and we began to hold our breaths - didn't want anyone to
*run over* the kingbird. That's how close he was.

Also seen in the yard: spotted towhee, white-throated sparrow,
white-crowned sparrow, golden-crowned sparrow, song sparrow, American
robin, Oregon junco, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet,
red-tailed hawk, bald eagle flying right overhead ("Great yard bird,"
remarked one of the many birders there to see the show), mourning dove and
northern flicker. And that was just in the first hour. A great day. -
Connie, Seattle

csidles at mail.isomedia.com