Hey tweets, the Fill the really popping this morning, although at first I
thought I would have to stay there all day (I never go home until I've seen
at least 20 different species). Then I took a look at the dead beaver tree
and lo and behold, there was a peregrine falcon making life pretty iffy for
the birds below. The only birds dumb enough to be out and about (aside from
jumbo-sized great blue herons) were flickers and downy woodpeckers (whose
brain capacity is much reduced on account of all the room their tongues
take up in their crania, poor things) and surprisingly a greater yellowlegs
(who was calling and calling as if to say, "Put a sign on my forehead and
call me dinner.")

Eventually the peregrine departed and all the other birds came out,
although the wood duck pair I've been seeing on Union Bay stayed hidden. I
especially enjoyed a green heron, several common yellowthroats, a lone
savannah sparrow, and a large flock of bushtits. I also heard the
kingfisher who lives along the slough near the greenhouses. This was
unexpected, as this bird almost never calls. I think of it as the Calvin
Coolidge of kingfishers.

Also on the main pond were three short-billed dowitchers, two spotted
sandpipers, two least sandpipers and a western. Yesterday there were six
dowitchers (don't know what kind) and 12 leasts, all very antsy. - Connie,
Seattle

csidles at isomedia.com