Last evening I was out in Silverdale off Myhre Rd near the bowling alley
when I saw a Red-tailed Hawk perched atop a snag. Another, much smaller,
bird was perched near it, tail cocked, vocalizing, appearing to give the
hawk what for. Had never seen that before. Mobbing, sure, but not a
smaller bird perched w/in six or so feet of the raptor. Turns out the small
bird was an American Robin. Wanting to get a closer looked I ventured onto
the Cleark Creek trail.

Yowza! The place was full of singing Swainson's Thrush and Yellow-rumped
Warblers, Wilson's Warblers, and a warbler whose song I just can't place
(rats!). Those were the first SWTH of the year for me and it was wonderful
to hear that ethereal, spiraling song.

One thing I've noticed re Common Yellowthroats this year (heard those in the
trail area too): many of 'em are singing a song that is four syllables,
rather than the three-syllable witchety-witchety-witchey. The song I'm
hearing is hotpoTayto, hotpoTayto, hotpoTayto, w/the accent on the third
syllable. Come to think of it, I haven't heard witchety at all, just the
potato song. What're other people's COYO's sounding like?

Good birding,
Mary