Tweeters:

This morning, off the s.e. corner of our Lake Stevens property, I had a
great new yard bird: a male TENNESSEE WARBLER was present at about 7:30
a.m. While watching a group of 4 Wilson's Warblers darting about, I heard a
light "hisp" flight call of a warbler behind me, expecting Orange-crowned
according to habitat. This small warbler was visible about 30 ft. away in
dense alders about 10' high. While the gray head on first glance suggested
a celata Orange-crowned, there was no mistaking the white underparts (and
undertail coverts especially), which contrasted sharply with the olive
upperparts. The short stubby tail for a Vermivora and long primary
extension were also readily apparent.

The bird, though quiet, was very active and foraged through the top portion
of the damp alder thicket briefly before disappearing and presumably
continuing northward. This area is turning out to be rather a hotspot: I
had a Swamp Sparrow and a couple Lincoln's here in mid-April last year.
Funny thing about today's Tennessee, I just returned from a Houston business
trip and, although birding opportunties were scarce, I did have a fair day
at Buffalo Bayou/Cullen Barker May 8; of 16 warbler sp present, Tennessee
was the most common, I had 15 of 'em.

Also of note this morning were two first-of-the-year WILLOW FLYCATCHERS,
right on schedule, in the same area; there was also one of two
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, an uncommon species we tend to get fairly late
(mid-May to early June) here. Lots of migrants still passing, especially W.
Tanager, BH Grosbeak, and Wilson's Warbler.

The morning's list overall:

Bald Eagle 1
Band-tailed Pigeon 1
Rufous Hummingbird 2
Willow Flycatcher 2 (FOS)
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 4
Hutton's Vireo 1
Steller's Jay 2
crow, sp. 5
Violet-green Swallow 7
Barn Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 5
Bushtit 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 2
Winter Wren 6
Bewick's Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 8
Swainson's Thrush 7
Am. Robin 14
Eur. Starling 1
TENNESSEE WARBLER 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Townsend's Warbler 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler 11
W. Tanager 9
Spotted Towhee 4
Song Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed (Ore) Junco 2
Black-headed Grosbeak 12
Brewer's Blackbird 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
Purple Finch 2
Red Crossbill 4
Am. Goldfinch 1
Evening Grosbeak 5

Total, 39 species

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com