Subject: [Tweeters] Couple nice birds at Montlake Fill this morning 1/20/07
Date: Jan 20 12:38:13 2007
From: Brett Wolfe - m_lincolnii at yahoo.com


I am working on a Senior Thesis project for the UW College of Forest Resources, so I am out at the Montlake Fill/Union Bay Natural Area at least 3-4 times a week, at all times of day. I concentrate on waterfowl and shorebirds for my thesis work, and today I was rewarded with a few good birds.

As I was walking south on a social trail between Shovelers Pond and Central Pond, I scared up the Western Meadowlark that has been hanging out all winter. Then up jumped a pair of American Pipits, which was nice. I saw a single bird a few evenings ago, but a pair is a good sighting. As I was looking through all of the ducks on the Central Pond, I noted two diving ducks, and quickly ID'ed them as Lesser Scaup females. As I walked west to the westernmost pond, I first saw a Red-tailed Hawk make a cruise over the area, and then I watched a pair of Black-capped Chickadees feasting upside down on crabapples! They were really going to town, and were part of a larger mixed flock that included a Downy Woodpecker and a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Finally, I got to the pond and spotted a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and then noted two Ring-necked Ducks. Very nice to see the divers on the smaller ponds!

Finally, as I was checking out some of the upland "mounded prairie" habitat, I spotted not one, not two, but three Wilson's Snipe! And the third was actually just standing there ever so still as I eyed it through my bins. I so seldom see one not in flight that I soaked it all in for about 2 minutes before moving on. The only movement it made was to blink (and I assume, to breathe). Lovely.

In addition to all of these birds, I also got treated to 6 sparrow species (Fox, Song, Lincoln's, House, White-crowned, and Golden-crowned), some beautiful mating displays by Anna's Hummingbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds (seems so early...), and got to watch as the male Hooded Merganser on the wetsern pond came up from a dive with a fish that had to be 5 inches long, flipped it around and swallowed it whole. Very cool sequence to watch!

I must say that all of the bird activity almost made it difficult to concentrate on what I was actually trying to get, but it was good distractions to have! Mostly common species doing common things, but still fun to watch. Good birding!

Brett A. Wolfe
Seattle, Wa
m_lincolnii at yahoo.com


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