Hello Tweets,

While checking our front yard this morning after 9am for migrants an immature female AM.REDSTART was briefly observed foraging actively near the canopy of our large Birch tree. The bird was extremely active amongst a mixed flock of other passerines,then eventually flew to an unknown location and could not be relocated. It could be very likely that this was the same Am.Redstart that was noted in our front yard on the 22nd of September,2006(just 8 days ago),but it won't be determined. The bird fanned it's tail out the entire time,as it searched for insects showing off the yellow "flashes" along the outer tail edges,which was also observed during the prior sighting. The bird this morning was in the same plumage and age,so it could be very possible it is the same bird and lingering around our immediate area. Whatever the case it was an exciting occasion to see it again this morning,despite such a brief sighting! It seems that much of activity while watching the Am.Redstart was concentrated near the top of our Birch tree so that much be where all the aphids and other insects are.

The morning actually began very slow upon checking at 8am when skies were clear and the air was crisp,but then at am our Birch tree and entire front yard came alive as some minor fog moved into our area then slowly disappeared. We also noted much activity in our row of Lombardy Popular trees too,but our backyard remained almost void of any birds. I is always a pleasure to see the seasonal changes in our yard,as well as keeping a close eye on migrants as they appear either in our yard or overhead!

A list of other notable species from our yard this morning included the following:

1 Band-tailed Pigeon
4 Anna's Hummingbirds
1 Downy Woodpecker
2-3 Northern Flickers
5 Red-breasted Nuthatches(along with our usual resident flock of both Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees)
1 Brown Creeper
2 Bewick's Wrens
3 Golden-crowned Kinglets
10 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Yellow Warblers
2 Song Sparrows
4-5 "Oregon"Juncos
2 Purple Finches(observed as flyovers)
4 Am.Goldfinches
1 Evening Grosbeak(observed as a flyover)


Good yard birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com