Subject: [Tweeters] Swano Lake, Aberdeen
Date: Apr 13 16:20:31 2005
From: claudia chakalich - westportsummer at hotmail.com


Hi, Fellow birders--

This is my first posting to Tweeters. I'm wondering if anybody besides me
has birded at Swano Lake, behind Grays Harbor college? There is a really
nice trail that goes all around the Lake (small).
Just turn in at the college entrance, and keep to your left- don't go up the
hill. Actually, it is the middle road that will take you to the trail around
the lake. There is also another trail that is on the road to the left, but
it isn't as extensive.

All during winter, the only thing I saw there was a pair of buffleheads, and
a pair of pied billed grebes, plus one extra female (?). Apparently these
guys aren't monogamous. Or maybe she was a sister. Whatever.

Anyway, there is also a pair of buffleheads. This spring, two pairs of
mallards arrived.
In the wooded trails, I saw at least three varied thrushes. a steller's jay,
a flicker, and another that I didn't get a good look at, but may have been
an American pipit. I'm sure more species will arrive as spring progresses.

On the road to Aberdeen, I spotted a bald eagle about halfway to Aberdeen
(near the Stafford Creek road) Two belted kingfishers go fishing every
morning from the phone wires near the Elk R. bridge, and one red-tailed hawk
lives and hunts in the area across from the cranberry plant.
The kingfishers have been missing, of late.

I live in Westport. At my main feeder I have seen a female house finch, an
Oregon junco, black-capped and chestnut backed chicadee, and one disgruntled
Steller's jay who couldn't get a hold on the small perches and finally opted
for picking up the spilled seed on the ground below.
Today there was a chipping sparrow and one starling, who also went for the
seed below.

Earlier this spring, there were no less than three sparrow couples that were
checking out my birdhouse for possible occupation, but opted out, after
seeing my three cats prowling below.
Also one tree swallow m. who evidently had the same idea.

Does anyone have a suggestion for the best place to put a birdhouse, when
there are cats about?
I do want to have a bird family in my yard this year. Also, do you have to
clean out the house from the previous year's birds( I had a sparrow family
in there last year) before other birds will nest?

Thank you.

Westport birder

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/