Hi Tweeters,

Last week at the ponds on Frenchman's Hill Road in the Potholes, I watched with amazement as three Black-necked Stilts harrassed other birds in the area. First it was Moorhen who kept going under the water to avoid two and three screaching Stiltz zooming in on it; then four tiny ducklings (without an adult) trying to make their way across the water were beseiged until a fourth Stiltz (one of the good guys!) decided to land in the water and stay with the ducklings as they continued their journey across the water; after this the Stiltz were diving on several other birds until a Great Egret that had been fishing near to shore, flew to the further bank whereupon the Stiltz started their attacks on it. Sometimes they would come in from different angles at the same time and all the Egret did was scrunch down with beak open and hope for the best - I assume. I watched this go on for about 25 minutes.

I guess every neighborhood has it's teenager! I have assumed they were non-breeding birds, probably hatched last year, because when I was first at the same location earlier in the year, there were a pair of adults plus four or five others all in one group.

Another place that I went was Yakima Canyon and much to my delight I found a Bullock's Oriole nest to observe. Had not found one for a number of years. Both parents were very busy. Only once in two hours of observation did the female hesitate on a branch before going into the nest. In the case of the male, it was the reverse.

Back to my own garden for a few days and watching American Goldfinches beak fighting over food ports in feeders with House Finches joining in. They have been really sparring this year.






Anne Seager
Camano Island, WA
annesline2 at yahoo.com


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