Hello tweets,

Working at home, and I've been looking out at the back yard regularly all
day. Finally, just a few minutes ago, I saw a brown bird chase another
brown bird across the yard. Soon a Lincoln's Sparrow appeared at the
fountain and bathed for a while, then a Hermit Thrush. The sparrow chased
the thrush off the fountain, and I think that was the chase I had seen
earlier. The smaller sparrow dominated the larger thrush. The thrush hopped
around the edge of the pond picking tiny invertebrates off the damp rocks. A
Ruby-crowned Kinglet tried to get to the fountain just as the thrush and
sparrow were there, but the big brown birds intimidated it.

Again and again, I draw the same conclusions: (1) the sound of running water
is very attractive to small migrant passerines; and (2) they come into the
yard, or appear at the fountain, in clusters. The first makes sense, but
the second is harder to explain unless they really do use one another to see
that the coast is clear to expose themselves.

All of the action took place within less than 5 minutes, and the yard is
quiet again.

Looking at the records of Lincoln's Sparrows in my yard is especially
fascinating.

13-27 Apr 94
30 Apr-1 May 95
29 Apr 96
24 Apr 97
25-30 Apr 99
22 Apr 00
27 Apr 02

The species is a common fall migrant hereabouts, yet I've never seen one in
my yard in fall. And their spring occurrence is impressively synchronized.

Dennis Paulson
--
Netta Smith and Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115