Hi Tweets,

I have a question. I have read that lots of you keep track of birds in your area, yard, county etc....

If I wanted to keep track of birds coming into our 2 1/2 acre of woods, do I start anytime, or at the beginning of the year? do I track birds in the yard, flying over the yard? and then if I monitor birds here do I break it down to feeder yard, front yard or the woods? Do you keep track of temperatures, rain, sun also?

what is the best way to set something like this up and keep it simple?

thanks in advance


Dawn Bailey
Eatonville, WA
mailto:dawnsdog at rainierconnect.com

Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.

~~Carl Sandburg



----- Original Message -----
From: Jim McCoy
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 10:33 PM
Subject: Northern Wheatear at Nisqually


I saw a juvenile Northern Wheatear at Nisqually this afternoon around 4:30 pm, on the Brown Dike trail, perhaps three hundred yards west of the visitor's center. It was about 100 yards off the trail to the right, where there is still brush on the side of the trail (it opens up almost immediately after that).

This bird was drab above and warm buff below, with slightly darker wings. It had a visible but rather indistinct eyeline, and had the bright white rump patch and bright white undertail. It was actively feeding, pumping its tail when perched, and hanging around on a bare deciduous bush for about three or four minutes that I saw before it flew to the left and disappeared.

I'm on digest mode, so forgive me if this is a duplicate report. We were late getting out, and I neglected to log it in the visitor's center. If anybody is there tomorrow, I'd appreciate it if you'd pass along the sighting.

Thanks,

Jim McCoy
jfmccoy at hotmail.com
Bellevue, WA