The first little hummer appeared for breakfast at 6:58 this morning. I
usually do the 'hummer feeders shuffle' well before daylight but I was a bit
behind this morning. Just as I was hanging the second feeder I heard the
familiar zaaaaaaaaa-ring! Behind me and so glanced at the kitchen clock, I
was surprised the Anna's had showed up already since it was just barely
light out. Within 10 minutes three more vaROOMED in for breakfast.

Yesterday was a NO-bird day since the pair of sharp shinned hawks were back.
By 7:30 this morning few sparrows and a BC chickadee had been the only birds
to appear.

A pleasant morning, it's a bit after nine-ish; hummers, sunrise, coffee,
NPR, perused the TNT, and watched the feeders fill with the locals. Siskin
and goldfinches have filled the perches on the thistle feeder and more
waiting their turn in SRO on the bare alder tree and willows branches, lots
of sparrows, 3 bc chickadees and 2 chestnuts and a couple of house finches
are on the seed feeders. The bird bath is also popular this morning. The
sharpies must have moved onto a fresh territory. I can see three Anna's
perched about in the alder and one in the willows catching the morning rays
and another is working the blossoms of the newly acquired witch hazel.
Walter, the pigeon, has had his toast and left and his spot on the railing
corner is now occupied by a flicker watching the action. There are still no
takers on the suet feeders. I'm about to give up. I've tried different
recipes and just plain beef fat, store bought squares and some hunks from
friends whose birds gobble it up. I can't figure it out. I've even changed
suet feeder styles and given them a week or so to get used to each new
addition. I can't figure it out.

I think I may have a new bird. I have been putting out hunks of apple and
some grapes. Quite a few of the birds seem to enjoy the treat. There's a
small bird that I saw last week and identified as a "weird little
goldfinch/siskin, but not really and the beak is shaped kinda different
thing", except it never hung on the perches and ate from the thistle feeder.
It will come in and have a little something from the feeder with sunflower
chips but is much more interested in the fruit. It never seems to stay very
long and 'hang out' as many of the other birds do after eating and drinking.
I think it may be a Hutton's Vireo, the description in my Birds of Seattle
book gave a written description that matched pretty close but their color
drawing was a bit off from what I had. I looked at several sites on the net
and this one gave some good identifying pointers
http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/HUVI-v-RCKI.html and the picture and
description there really seemed to be the mystery bird. It sure doesn't stay
around very long and I've only seen it a half dozen times since last
Tuesday. Could this possibly be a Hutton's Vireo?

Patricia Hansen
2 Balconies,3rd Floor
Tacoma, Wa. USA
pmhansen at drizzle.com


"Use what talent you possess:
the woods would be
very silent if no birds sang
except those that sang best."
- Henry Van Dyke