Tweets:

Yesterday my husband and I were driving home to the Sammamish Plateau from
Redmond just after lunchtime. As we drove east on E. Lake Sammamish, just past
the Marymoor Park entrance, we spotted several Bald Eagles in the skies
above. From the park to Inglewood Hill Road, we saw 18 Eagles in all. Only two
were out over the lake, the rest were either hovering above the hills, or
riding a thermal down the sides. Man, they looked like they were really having
fun! This crazy weather must make for fantastic soaring.

Also, a couple of weeks ago, I was awakened by very loud "quacking" and
"raabing" from a group of Mallards on our lawn. I sat up in bed and witnessed
something that just astonished me. This is the time of year when all the males
who didn't form a pair bond suddenly turn from mild manners drakes into evil
rapists. They relentlessly chase every female Mallard that comes within
sight. I just hate it when they turn so mean. They even seem to have an evil look
in their eyes. (I've thrown my share of coffee cups into the lake trying to
break up a forced copulation episode, but because ducks mate on the water, my
throw isn't good enough to make much of an impact. :)

So imagine my surprise when I looked out my window and right there on our
lawn a drake pounced on a female, grabbing the back of her neck and forcing her
down. They were a good fifty feet from any water, and I couldn't believe it.
This was definitely a first for me, because I have never seen ducks mate,
forced or otherwise, anywhere but on the water.

So then, along comes a second drake, and suddenly he hops right up onto the
back on the first drake and gets to it. I mean, he's seriously going at it,
hanging onto the neck of the poor guy sandwiched in the middle of this Mallard
menage a trios. I hollered at my husband to grab the cameras saying we've
got something really unique happening outside. Oh yeah, what? A triple decker
copulation on land! I said. And he says, "Oh yeah, by the way, they
rediscovered the Ivory-billed woodpecker."

I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head, and said, "Gee, a simple
'No.' would have sufficed. :)

Question: Anyone seeing ducklings and goslings anywhere? We have only two
broods of ducklings so far. Keeping our fingers crossed for goslings.

Linda Davey
on Pine Lake
Sammamish, WA