Subject: VATH
Date: Feb 11 13:50:28 2004
From: variedthrush at comcast.net - variedthrush at comcast.net


Ruth and Patrick,

Just got to your Tweeters post from 2/4. It makes me so happy to think of 20 Varied Thrush in a yard! We had our high count this year too, 5 in one day, 3 females at a time and 2 males. I'm still seeing 3 regularly and 4 most days. It amazes me that we see any interesting birds in our narrow 25' strip of land between the house and the 4-story apartment building next door. The females seem to dig harder for food than the males, who rely more on chasing other birds away. Opposite genders seem to tolerate each other a little better than same gender. I see them getting 5' away, although 10' is about as close as they will usually tolerate another VATH. They do seem to be more agitated in the slightly warmer and longer days now. I feel they are trying hard to fatten up for migration and breeding. We are putting out more food, but all our jays and squirrels make it hard for us to deliver peanuts to VATH. The jays and squirrels are like dinner bells for our favorite thrus!
h that comes racing into the yard to try to pick up on crumbs and what they drop. They are visibly agitated when they miss food due to some other species, especially large and stupid Rock Pigeons. At least the pigeons don't eat their grubs from under the leaf mulch. However, yesterday a Robin came on the scene.

I must go. this may be the last time I can get into email before the weekend.

Patricia

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Seattle, WA
VariedThrush at comcast.net