Tweets,
On Wed., Jan 19, I observed the Redwing from 12:25 til I left around 1pm at 405/421 Decater St. in west Olympia. I had the misfortune of sighting no other birders (all on lunch break?), but the good fortune of stopping first at the correct site and immediately spotting the bird moving in an open deciduous (cherry?) tree between the two houses at the above address--in company with a dozen starlings and a half dozen robins. The bird perched calmly for about 10 minutes, a couple times apparently eying an item of interest in the compost on the ground, and finally appearing twice to regurgitate an apparent holly berry skin and/or seeds. After a few seconds it perked up, flexed and stretched out one wing(!!!), and returned (I assume) to feeding on/picking at the holly berries (in the nearest holly to the south) interspersed with long periods of "resting." After approximately 15 minutes it returned to the deciduous tree and "rested" in a dark but very visible tangle of branches in the deciduous tree immediately to the north--providing more excellent views with dark background(!!) Mr. Jordan ____ from Portland had the misfortune of arriving moments after the bird had disappeared into the holly, but the good fortune of catching me before I left so we could relocate the bird, and then it eventually reappeared in the open. We also ranged from the north-south alleyway west of Milroy down the hill to Sherman St. in search of the redpoll, but as fortune would have it, we could not locate it among the siskins flitting about the neighborhood. Fortunately, not a drop of rain fell the entire hour-and-a-half I was out basking in the 60-degree January balm.
Good birding!
Paul Hicks
Tenino, WA
phicks AT accessgrace.org