Yesterday morning was by far the most "birdy" I've ever had in my
neighborhood. I awoke at 5:00 to a symphony of bird song. It was almost
overwhelming trying to pull individual songs from the chorus. Robins, VG &
Tree Swallows, Song and Fox Sparrow, Wilsons Warbler, Starlings (including
some imitating California Quail and Chorus Frogs), BH Grosbeak, Juncos,
Stellar's Jays, Crows and Ravens were all part of the cacaphony. A walk a
little later in the morning revealed Western Tanager, Bullock's Oriole, OS
Flycatcher, and OC Warbler as players.

At around 9 as I was cleaning up the yard debris I looked up into a grove of
alder, big-leaf maple, and fir trees across the street and was stunned by
the movement of yellow birds. In the same grove of maybe 8-10 trees that
run up a tiny creek in the greenbelt there were at least 12 Western
Tanagers, 4 Bullock's Orioles, a dozen or more American Goldfinch, 6-8
Wilson's Warblers, 3 Orange Crowned Warblers, a Yellow Warbler, and most
surprising a flock of 11 Evening Grosbeak. There were also Robins,
Starlings, Flickers, a Downy Woodpecker, and a raucus group of Stellars Jays
- but the yellow birds just burst out in the bright sunlight. Truly a
birding moment.

Just before the rain started at around 3 o'clock I watched as both a
Nashville and a McGillivray's Warbler worked the branches of a small dogwood
in the backyard and then one following the other bathed in the birdbath.
The new bushtit family (they nested in my arbor) took their place in the
dogwood I'm guessing they were all eating aphids. It was just my bird day -
truly spectacular.

I'm going to miss this most delightful of suburban birding spaces. Over the
next month I'm moving to a home on acreage that I purchased in Preston (just
east of Issaquah). I plan on making the property a haven for both birds and
people seeking to escape the hustle and stress of urban life. Who knows
what bird delights I will find there!

Rob Conway
Newcastle, WA

robin_birder at hotmail.com