Subject: [Tweeters] Redwing
Date: Jan 1 16:28:45 2005
From: Guttman, Burt - GuttmanB at evergreen.edu


Let me tell you about locating the Redwing today and what else I learned about it. (I imagine the Sullivans will be sending a message about its location, too, as they were there most of the time.) First, in response to the message that Hal Opperman forwarded from Rick Andrew, I stopped around 12:30 at their house, which is on the northeast corner of 6th and Rogers. Mrs. Andrew came out to see what I was doing there, and maybe my "official" Audubon Society badge assured her that I was not just some bum casing the joint. She walked me back to their yard, which is fenced in, but you can easily see the red-berry tree (not identified) over the fence; since it's leafless, it would be quite easy to see birds feeding in it. She said that her husband regularly feeds the birds out there and that he noticed an unusual bird in the flock about six weeks ago (!), long before it was reported on Tweeters.

Since there were no birds around, I went on to the usual area where the bird has been seen, but there were no birds and no observers about. After cruising around a bit, I just happened to drive west on 4th, almost to where it enters Division (a very busy main street), and there I spied some folks observing intently. An alley there runs parallel to Division, and next to the house at that corner is a huge holly tree, with other trees nearby, and a big flock or Robins was working the area, sometimes feeding on the holly berries, sometimes resting in the other trees. The Redwing had been seen there not long before, so I joined the group and hung around. To make a long story short, the Redwing appeared again at the holly tree around 1:30-1:45, and we were just starting to get a good look at it when something spooked the whole flock and they flew across Division. Patrick Sullivan got his scope on it and then I got mine on it, and we got a good look from a distance. After that, the flock scattered hither and thither for quite a while, and I left before the Redwing was definitively relocated (if it was). As I said, I kind of expect the Sullivans to tell you more, but I think folks should keep in mind that a likely excellent place to find the Redwing is the holly tree and surrounding vegetation at that spot, which can be observed very well from the alley just off 4th. Parking is difficult right there on 4th, but you can enter the other end of the alley off Harrison (the other busy main street in the area, which crosses Division), and there's quite a large space there where I think you can park without difficulty and then walk down the alley.

Burt Guttman
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 guttmanb at evergreen.edu
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S. E., Olympia, 98503

________________________________

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu on behalf of Hal Opperman
Sent: Fri 12/31/2004 11:44 AM
To: Tweeters
Cc: Rick Andrew; tweeters-owner
Subject: [Tweeters] Redwing



The following message is posted on behalf of a person who is not subscribed
to the list.

_____________________________________________

On 12/31/04 8:02 AM, "Rick Andrew" <rickarealtor at comcast.net> wrote:

> I sent a message to the mailing list of Tweeters and it was rejected.
> FYI: This bird hangs out in our backyard on the corner of 6th Ave. & Rogers
> Street on Olympia's Westside. It lieks the big backyard tree with all the red
> berries.
>
> C. Andrew


_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters