This morning (Saturday, 11 May) at 9:45 am, there was a Sage Thrasher
feeding in the grass to the east of the main pond at Montlake Fill, Seattle.
It flew up into the willows, where we had great looks at it, then flew away
and landed in the grass at the south end of the Wahkiakum Lane pond. The
only other migrant passerines seen were a fair number of Yellow-rumped
Warblers and a male Western Tanager.

Presumably because of its open nature and frequent visitation by birders,
the fill has served as a stop for many birds characteristic of eastern WA,
especially in spring. About the only thing good I can say about the Canada
Geese there is that they do help preserve some of that open nature. Even
watching where we stepped, it was a major job to clean the goose goop out of
our shoes with a hose after we came home.

This was my first outing after being sick in bed for a week. Odd that
several times in such a circumstance I've found an unexpected bird, but I
don't think I'll get sick on purpose just to try again.

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