Hi Tweets,

A second day of scoping the fields south of Snohomish, and starting
an hour and a half earlier, did not yield the Whooper Swan. I didn't
talk to anyone else who had seen it. The Elliot Road location
yielded only one young Trumpeter Swan. Our last try along Highway 9,
where the largest congregation was, resulted in a Washington State
Patrol vehicle pulling up with its lights flashing. The officer was
polite, but made it clear that WSP had reached the end of its rope
with birders pulling off Highway 9 to scan the flock. He said it was
causing traffic problems (it wasn't but one doesn't argue with
uniforms). He suggested scanning that flock from Lowell Road. I
replied that Lowell Road has no shoulders so stopping cars along that
road would impede traffic and be illegal. So, just be careful of any
further scoping from along Highway 9. WSP is displeased with our
activity.

Regarding first birds of 2007, mine also was a Varied Thrush. I've
had a female frequenting the feeder station in my yard for the last
week. She was huddled on the ground just before daybreak and I
watched from the window until she started moving around, scratching
in the bark and sunflower seeds.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds