On nearly a daily basis, I'm continuing to visit the field just east
of Willows Road and just south of NE 124th St in Redmond. I typically
park in the turnout on NE 124th about 400 feet east of Willows Road,
scan to the south, and walk through the field. Each time, I've seen a
NORTHERN HARRIER. Today it was being mobbed by a half dozen crows,
but things stayed relatively civil. Again I saw the AMERICAN KESTREL
pair. The male was doing some kiting and later was perched awhile on
a utility pole on the north shoulder of NE 124th. The female was
hanging out on the first bramble hedge south of NE 124th. They
weren't keeping as tight company as other times I've watched them. I
have kept an eye out for the NORTHERN SHRIKE I was awhile back, but I
haven't seen it since. I did get my first sighting of a WESTERN
MEADOWLARK in this field. Plenty of SAVANNAH SPARROWS. A BALD EAGLE
flew overhead to the south. I saw nothing else notable, but I am
hardly a master at bird spotting.

See John Tubb's latest post about the Kestrel-size nest box we put up
today about a mile or so southwest of this field. I'm considering
putting a box in this field, too, but since I'll be leaving town
Monday for two weeks, I might not get ot it soon enough for the box
to be useful this season. Does anyone have information as to who owns
this property, so I could pursue permission to place the next box?

Marc Hoffman
Kirkland, WA
http://www.dartfrogmedia.com
mailto:tweeters at dartfrogmedia.com