Subject: [Tweeters] Townsend's Warbler welcomes in New Year
Date: Jan 1 15:25:26 2007
From: Suzanne Krom - szkrom at drizzle.com


At first I didn't believe it when I saw her a few minutes ago. But she remained at my backyard suet feeder just long enough to allow a good look as I stood nearby holding a wet drab-green plastic tarp (my inadvertent blind). Sure enough, she was a female Townsend's Warbler, perhaps the mate to the male I saw early December in my Douglas fir in the front yard, his yellow markings flashing brilliantly in the sun on that day almost a month ago.



Right after she left and only 20 feet away, three Anna's Hummingbirds flew at one another, then separated, hovered, and took aim at each another again. Two were females. After a few near collisions, the sole male sought refuge in the lowest branches of a nearby tree and watched as the females continued what looked like a territorial spat. One of the females is now staked out in the old lilac next to a nectar feeder, the central launching point for their initial altercation.



This morning the first Steller's Jay I've seen in a couple months was standing on top of my arbor, and several Song Sparrows foraged on the ground nearby. This is the one part of my yard I can't protect from my neighbor's free roaming three cats, darn it.



The only rare visitor I haven't seen today is a female Downy Woodpecker. Two weeks ago, she was feeding at one of my suet feeders, and tolerated my presence for 20 minutes as I stood frozen in position about 10 feet away. She hopped a few inches from the feeder as soon as she noticed me, her feet locking around the central metal post that held the feeder. For the first minute, in exceedingly sloooow motion, she slid down until her feet met the seam in the post at the halfway point, allowing her to stop her descent. She remained there until I left, watching me warily the entire time, and then hopped back to the feeder when I finally headed a safe distance away.



I can't help but wonder if these birds recognize me as the one who fills their feeders and keeps their suet holders stocked. I'll keep a lookout for her today. She would complete this fantastic start to this New Year!

Suzanne Krom

West Seattle

szkrom at drizzle dot com