Hello Birders,

This morning (Wed. April 27) about 6 AM I heard our first
Western Tanager of the year in our Madrona/Seattle backyard. Although I did
not see the bird, its unique call note described by Walton in his "Birding
by Ear/Western" as "pri-di-dic", or in "Birds of the Puget Sound Region"
(Morse, Aversa and Opperman) as "pid er ic" was definitive.. The bird also
sang its "hoarse or burry" robin-like song. Spring is here! Perhaps
tomorrow I'll see him.

In addition, on April 16 we visited friends at Ocean Park on the
Long Beach Peninsula. That afternoon we went to the Leadbetter Point State
Park parking area and walked the Willapa Bay beach north of the nearby
viewing platform. As luck would have it, the tide was coming in and the
shorebirds, consequently, were coming closer for scope examination. Of the
larger plovers (a couple of dozen), nearly half were not Black-bellied.
Trying to sort out the Pacific Golden-Plover from the American
Golden-Plover, even with Dennis Paulson's two books (plus Sibley and
National Geographic) was very tough. The birds in view were not completely
molted and, since both are possible at this place and season, I will not
make a definitive guess. I would, however, recommend this beach at this
season on the incoming tide as a great shorebirding site. Also had some
good looks at huge acrobatic Dunlin flocks, and organized groups of
Short-billed Dowitchers.

Good birding,

Fran
Wood (male)


Seattle/Madrona (412 - 36th Ave.)


fbwood at u.washiongton.edu