Dear Tweeters,

Along the rails-to-trails between Lyman and Hamilton (Skagit county) were some fun birds this weekend. At the Crown-Pacific yards were 11 Wilson's Snipe and 4 Killdeer. These shorebirds were hanging out around some puddles on the big, gravelly yards, where they used to have giant piles of logs.

Along the trail were 2 Fox, 1 Lincon's, and 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow, and at least 15 Spotted Towhees. A flock of 4 Evening Grosbeaks flew over, the first I have seen this season. There were 21 Trumpeter Swans flying across Cockreham Island. This trail also has lots of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Song Sparrows, Winter Wrens, Starlings, Brewer's and Redwinged Blackbirds, American Crows, Ravens, and so forth. Both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers were feeding in the trees.

WARNING: NON-BIRD PARAGRAPH FOLLOWS: The strangest find of all was in an old outbuilding that I couldn't resist investigating. When I peek inside such buildings, I expect to find old beverage cans (there was one), leaf litter (ditto), and rusty old hand tools (check). What I don't expect to find is a moldy coffee-table book entitled The Life and Times of Goethe.

Good birding,

Gary Bletsch



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