Dear Tweeters,

Not having had much time to chase specialties in Skagit County of late, I decided on December first to try for the Orange Bishop and Red-shouldered Hawk at the Game Range, the Prairie Falcon on the Samish Flats, and the Rusty Blackbird at SR20 and Farm-to-Market Road. I found none of these birds. Counting this year's Rusty Blackbird, plus the one at the same location five or six years ago, I am now roughly oh-for-15 for this particular species in Washington.

However, I did see something interesting at the railway siding across SR20 from the Farmhouse Inn. There was quite a bit of spilled grain along the tracks, and a goodly flock of Brewer's Blackbirds, along with a few Redwinged Blackbirds and Starlings, would fly in and eat for a while, and then fly away. The big flock of House Sparrows would join them. The sparrows did not seem comfortable dining without the blackbird flock, though. They usually hung around some bushes, and after the blackbirds flew down to eat, then the sparrows flew over and joined in. I saw this happen about five or six times. I wonder if the sparrows were taking advantage of the blackbirds' warning systems.

Later in the day, I found a nice flock of blackbirds at a puddle, at the junction of Josh Wilson and Avon-Allen Roads. Among them was a very cinnamon-colored blackbird, similar to a Brewer's in shape, but much lighter in color. I must say, though, that this bird appeared to have a dark eye, so I figured it was probably a strange-looking Brewer's. Unfortunately, a car with a noisy muffler came by and scared the flock off, after I had had only a minute or so to study the bird, and no time to look at tertials. This stretch of road is very good for winter blackbirds (just to the north used to be a reliable place to find cowbirds in winter). It is also a very dangerous intersection, and one must take care not to park anywhere near the pavement.

One last thing. I think that working over flocks of winter blackbirds in search of rarities has got to be one of the most challenging types of birding I have experienced. It doesn't hurt my neck as much as following swallow flocks in flight, but at least the swallows keep flying right by my nose. Eventually I'll get a look. It's more maddening than trying to get a shy little marsh species to emerge from the wet vegetation--at least that rail or sparrow stays in his little marshy patch. He won't be going anywhere. I can wait him out. The blackbird flock, though, flies down to eat, right in front of my nose, and then flies off for no apparent reason. Sometimes they stay for half an hour, other times they come in, eat two seeds, and then go away for an hour or more. They also love to perch on exactly that telephone pole which offers the worst possible viewing angle from the car (which I use as a blind). Oh well, maybe one of these days I'll get lucky...

Good birding,

Gary Bletsch



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