Subject: [Tweeters] SW WA
Date: Mar 14 08:30:12 2005
From: Connie Sidles - csidles at isomedia.com


Hey tweets, My husband and I headed out for the hills over the weekend,
doing a grand rondolade from Seattle to Vancouver and back up the coast. Our
main target birds were the black phoebe in Vancouver, and the white-tailed
kites and red-shouldered hawk at Ridgefield. Bupkus on all three. We also
wouldn't have minded seeing the Virginia Rails that apparently conduct a
parade right out in the open beneath the viewing platform of the ranger
station at Nisqually, nor the American Bitterns that seem to be Morris
dancing every morning in the pond there. We were in line when the gates
opened at dawn. Apparently, however, all these birds seem to enjoy a
leisurely continental breakfast before putting on their show for alas, these
treats must remain in our future - we missed all of them, too.

As the gospel (spiritual? country hymn?) song says, however, "Keep on the
sunny side, always on the sunny side, keep on the sunny side of life. It
will help us every day, it will brighten all the way, if we keep on the
sunny side of life." I must have sung that refrain a thousand times under my
breath, interspersed with a few more colorful refrains not suited for a
family e-bulletin board. It just goes to show how much our happiness is tied
to our expectations, for we did see some spectacular compensations, to wit:

? two GREAT EGRETS hunting for fish, one on the river side of Julia Butler
Hansen Reserve, and one in the water off Stringtown Road
? two GREAT HORNED OWLS mating in the woods, with such a clear view that I
could see the male's talons gripping the female's back
? flocks of SANDHILL CRANES doing their purry trumpeting at sunset as they
circled around against the trees, lowered their landing gear and settled in
for the night at Ridgefield
? two TURKEY VULTURES circling above the only restaurant open on Sunday
morning in Cathlamet, no reflection on the quality of the cooking, I'm sure
? an AMERICAN DIPPER imitating a river rock on the banks of the creek at
Nemah Salmon Hatchery, giving himself away solely by the flash of his white
nictitating membranes that he flashed at us like the colonial undercover
agent who gave Paul Revere his marching orders.

By the way, I read the posts re people missing the Tufted Duck at Wanapum
Dam recently. Just wanted to let you know that I did see it on 3/9 among the
flock of scaups. It was a windy day, and his little tuft was flapping in the
breeze, at times standing straight up like a candle flame. - Connie, Seattle

csidles at isomedia.com