Dear Tweeters,

Today I finally got to see the Slaty-backed Gull. I
pulled up to the parking lot at 12:30, walked out to
the kayak place, and there it was. The bird bathed
vigorously, and fairly close in, for 20 minutes, then
limped onto the sandbar. Unfortunately, a Bald Eagle
flew in shortly after one o'clock, and all the gulls
scattered.

I also saw an unidentified warbler, but before I could
get on it, a Cooper's Hawk came in and perched,
scaring off the passerines. I figure the warbler might
have been the Palm, but there might also be some
Yellow-rumped Warblers around there....

Earlier in the day, I made my long-delayed first visit
to the Kent Ponds, hoping in vain for the
Red-shouldered Hawk. It was nowhere in sight, but I
got to see the Rough-legged Hawk, two Northern Shrikes
chattering at each other, and a Savannah Sparrow.

For 4-letter-code enthusiasts, I have to mention a
silly coincidence. First, three Northern Shovellers
flew by, and while I was writing "3 NOSH" in my
notebook, along come two more NOSH--the shrikes! I can
never remember what the code-collision convention is
for these two species, but I am sure that I have never
had both noshes turn up in succession, much less both
as year birds!


Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com




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