Subject: Red-breasted Sapsuckers in Seward Park and notes from New York City
Date: Apr 3 20:26:32 2003
From: Squeakyfiddle at aol.com - Squeakyfiddle at aol.com


This afternoon found a pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers in Seward Park. I'm in
the park almost every day and this was only the third time in three years
I've seen these guys. Admittedly, I don't go too far afield locally for my
birdwatching, but just how common are they around here?

Just back from one of my regular trips to New York, where I always take a
morning to do some birding in Central Park. Highlights were a Louisiana
Waterthrush and a Great Egret. Also hundreds (!) of White-throated Sparrows,
a good number of Dark-eyed Juncos (very drab compared to ours) and one
fabulous eastern style Fox Sparrow - very contrasty with dark spots on a very
pale breast and almost carrot red rufous markings on the flanks and tail. Fox
sparrows regularly winter in my yard, but I had to call one of the local
birders over to help me ID this one. I checked out the resident Red-tailed
Hawks in their nest on the eaves of a fancy apartment on the eastern edge of
the park. The male is very pale in with an almost imperceptible belly band-
the regular birders have named him Pale Male. He's had a number of mates over
the years that he's been nesting in that spot, and has sired a good number of
youngsters. There's been a documentary made about him called, of course,
"Pale Male". I saw it on my last trip to the city, but don't know if it's
been picked up for distribution yet. It's well worth seeing.

The sad news from New York is that the last Black-capped Chickadee sighting
in Central Park for a was a single individual during the 2001 CBC. I also
saw only three crows.

Lots of Violet-green Swallows over Lake Washington today!

Catherine Alexander
Lakewood/Seward Park Neighborhood
Seattle