Dear Tweeters,

Here for your amusement are some bird word puzzles I
made up while driving to Fir Island the other day.

Each item is a clue to the name of a bird found in the
ABA Area, the sort of clue one sees in a crossword. To
view the answer key and the obligatory scoring guide,
just scroll down.

1. rotate rock (one word; 2 species worldwide, both
found in WA)

2. mutt potty (one word; several species worldwide, 2
reasonably common in WA)

3. guy cord (one word; 3 world species all found in
WA; this one's a stretch)

4. extra column (one word; lots of species of these in
various families, found all over the world)

5. hurrah, tiger noise (one word; three species, all
found in WA-- at least, offshore they are)

6. viewed an Egyptian deity (one word; one particular
species, found in WA)

7. didn't peruse (two words, Shakespearean word order;
stops in WA during migration, a declining species)

8. deity brain (this one should be easy)

9. stock-market index scratcher (one word; 3 species
worldwide, 2 of which in WA)

10. near conversation (one word; 2 species in ABA
area, one of which breeds in WA)

11. glob lass (one word; old-fashioned name for a
species we have in WA or for one in Europe)

12. emperor angler (this one should be easy)

13. pigeon Rosetta Stone (one word; not found in our
state, but occurs in North Atlantic waters)

14. cat alert (one word; 2 species worldwide, only one
of which regular in our state)

15. uncooked container (one word; name for a variety
of species, one of which abundant in WA)

16. wiseguy zero (one word; several species, none in
WA, but common in SE US; it helps to contract this 3-
syllable word into two, which many birders
and sports fans do)






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1. rotate rock = turnstone

2. mutt potty = curlew

3. guy cord = phalarope

4. extra column = sparrow

5. hurrah, tiger noise = jaeger

6. viewed an Egyptian deity = Sora

7. didn't peruse = Red Knot

8. deity brain = godwit

9. stock-market index scratcher = dowitcher

10. near conversation = nighthawk

11. glob lass = dabchick

12. emperor angler = kingfisher

13. pigeon Rosetta Stone = dovekie

14. cat alert = kittiwake

15. uncooked container = robin

16. wiseguy zero = cardinal


Scoring Guide:
1-4 right answers: you spent a reasonable amount of
time on this silly puzzle--congratulations for having
a life!

5-8 right answers: you have mind like a steel trap,
but know when to quit. It's too nice outside to sit
inside doing puzzles!

9-12 right answers: congratulations! You have the
perspicacity and determination of a Scotland Yard
detective, and a lifestyle that offers ample leisure
time.

13-15 right answers: Wow!

16 right answers: either you peeked at the answers,
or
wait, let me check the Tweeters guidelines before I
get busted!


Here is the even more obligatory bird-sighting tidbit
component: yesterday I found 24 Bushtits and 25
Mourning Doves on Cockreham Island (Skagit County),
but no neotropic migrants there at all.























Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com




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