Reporting banded birds, living or deceased, is important to birders and
banders alike. Not only does it track the migration patterns, etc of the
birds but by locating where the birds are, resources can be identified and
preserved for future bird use. In January I was able to obtain the neck
band number of a trumpeter swan in the flocks out on Shouweiler Loop route.
I sent in the information and have just received information on the age of
the swan (tagged before fledging in 9/93) and where it was tagged (.5 east
of Mansfield AK (north of Wrangel-Elias NP)). Sometimes reporting bands is
time consuming (just trying to read a band on a live bird is a challenge)
but the results are well worth it.

On another tack - I presently keep out two hummingbird feeders. They are
both clear bottle feeders with the too cute little red flowers as nectar
ports. One is on the east side of the house about 3 ft out from the living
room window and adjacent to a pruned arbo vitae bush. The other is on a
hanger on the edge of the deck on the west side of the house. Both are
active all day long with the numerous male and female rufous around here.
In evening, just before dark, the one on the east side is a joy to watch as
the birds defend and cede ownership of the feeder and adjacent shrub. The
birds do not mind me and my strictly indoor cats sitting in the window and
watching their show and making the occassional editorial comment about their
activities.

Yesterday on a wander through N. Mason County I saw and heard white-crowned
sparrows singing and feeding along Holly-Dewatto Rd. The marsh area there
was alive with dozens of violet-green swallows darting about. Dewatto
esturary sported numerous red-breasted merganser, the 9 males busy
displaying for the 5 females in their immediate group. The mud flats and
grass beds at the Tahuya River bridge had a single lesser yellow-legs
feeding. Ruby-crowned kinglets made theirselves known at several locations
along North Shore Rd (in the area known as 'The Burma Road').

Spring is definitely here.

Mary Hrudkaj
hrudkajm at hotmail.com
N. Mason/Tahuya

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