Hi Ho Tweets

I ventured thru the fog this morning out toward the Snoqualmie Valley and broke into sunshine just before I got there. I first checked out the area where Gene Hunn had seen the SANDHILL CRANE yesterday, and at 12:15 there was nobody home. I circulated around looking various areas over, and returned to the "Crane spot" at 1:15. The crane was now out foraging along the south edge of the corn stubble field visible south of the intersection of W. Snoqualmie Valley Rd and SE 24th St. It was not visible earlier in any of the fields and was most likely buried in to row of deciduous trees along the eastern edge of the corn stubble. If you go looking, the field drops off somewhat just south of the stubble and the bird can be easily overlooked, particularly if it has its head down.

Working my way north, if you take 284 Ave NE off of Carnation Farms Rd, and drop down til you just cross Sikes Lake, scan the fields just outside the major white fencing of the horse farm. The small white object is not a bucket or bag, but a SNOWY OWL in the field. Thru the scope you can get a distant, but decent, view although you may have to wait for it to move to be sure of what you are seeing.

Good Birding,

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com