Subject: [Tweeters] Redwing update at Olympia 1-17-05
Date: Jan 17 15:15:58 2005
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets and other birders,

The Redwing at Olympia(Washington State)was again seen today by up to 12 birders,despite the very wet and rainy conditions. We were privately being contacted from birders from Arizona and Montana,which we helped try and see the bird with great success to them at 1pm,when the bird was observed at the intersection of 6th Ave. and Milroy before the bird flew off to an unknown location. The Redwing was initially briefly located this morning feeding amongst a tight flock of Am.Robins at the intersection of 7th Ave. and Decatur Street. The bird then was relocated with 2 other birders in an alleyway between 7th and 8th Ave.(just west of Decatur Street)at 10am until it and a flock of Am.Robins were flushed by an adult Cooper's Hawk. The flocks scattered in several direction and several more birders arrived to aid in the search for the Redwing. The bird was relocated foraging on the ground,etc along Cushing Street by a group of birders,then the bird was observed in alleyway between Cushing and Milroy Streets after 10:30am. The Redwing remained in the general vicinity off and on until about 11am and only briefly seen by a few birders to that point. The most activities of Am.Robins was confined to this general location with no other activity in areas east of Decatur Street and north of 4th of Ave. At exactly 1pm the Redwing reappeared at the intersection of 6th Ave. and Milroy Street after nearly a 2 hour absence,where it remained briefly and long enough for a few lucky birders to see at close range.

We left shortly after 1pm,as the flocks scattered moving in many directions from Milroy Street. Perhaps other birds will have continued the search through the afternoon and will report their sightings of the Redwing. A side note to those still searching for the Redwing to possibly stay close to a birder that has a FRS radio,if you don't have one since that does help in keeping tack of the Redwing best. Several birders today didn't have any FRS radios,so as a result communication was very limited.


Good Redwing searching,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net