I just now had an adult male Western Tanager land in one of the trees hanging
over (well, almost over ...) my balcony at the edge of the ravine. What a
cheerful sight!

The pair of Black-headed Grossbeaks continues to visit the feeder daily.

Earlier this afternoon the female Spotted Towhee gave me quite a fright. I
have watched her pull and gather up dry grasses for the past few days. After
collecting a beak full she always flew off into the depths of the ravine
where, presumable, she is building a nest. But today when I looked out the
window I saw her listing way over to one side with her head turned sideways
also...motionless on the ground! One wing was stretched out a bit. She was
practically laying on her side in the full sun. I was about to go out to see
if she was hurt when a Song Sparrow scurried by and she straightened up.
Then she reassumed the tilted position, but this time preened the upper wing
(She remained tilted.). After a minute or so she righted herself and hopped
off into the shade of the blackberry patch. I was relieved! A couple of
minutes later she came back and tilted to the other side. This time the
stretched wing was more obvious. It occurred to me that she was deliberately
tilting one side towards the afternoon sun...irradiating body parasites, I
assume. I then remembered seeing Inca Doves in Arizona use a similar
technique ...to rid themselves of lice, I believe; they never tilted to the
side though, just stretched the wing completely out and stood motionless in
the full sun!

There are three Spotted Towhees...a female and two males. I have been seeing
them (most likely the same three) daily since January. I am wondering if one
male is last year's offspring. Has there been much study done on the family
habits of the Spotted Towhee?

Regards, Judy

Judy Rowe Taylor
Mukilteo, WA
caratfeathers at aol.com

"I am life which wills to live in the midst of life which wills to live." -
Albert Schweitzer