Tweeters:

Swainson's Thrush migration is certainly winding down here over my
yard in Battle Ground, Clark County. After hearing hardly anything on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings (I couldn't stay awake during
the optimal migration hours), I finally had some movement today.
Between 5:30 and 6:30 this morning, I had the following:

Swainson's Thrush 64
Savannah Sparrow 1
Zonotrichia sp 2

At 6:15, there was an unidentified call that went over - a short
whistle which didn't sound at all like anything I'd ever heard before.
Hopefully the recording equipment on the back deck recorded it and
Cornell will be able to diagnose it.

During the morning, I had the following (between 6:30am and 9am) over the yard:

American Robin 52
Cedar Waxwing 91
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Purple Finch 8
Pine Siskin 3
Great Blue Heron 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 14
Evening Grosbeak 1 (3 yesterday were first of the season)
American Pipit 16
Violet-Green Swallow 85
Tree Swallow 6
Barn Swallow 8
Vaux's Swift 15
Varied Thrush 2 (first of the season)

I couldn't help but think of Patrick when I heard the thrushes flying
over. I first met Patrick and Ruth a number of years ago on one of my
first visits to the Northwest. I saw them again looking for the
Baikal Teal at Kent. I finally had a chance to bird with them last
September when they introduced me to Nisqually. Both Ruth and Patrick
were very helpful and we had a great time picking out the Semipalmated
Sandpipers that morning. After that, we traded many an e-mail after
each of Patrick's excellent trip reports. I was sorry not to have had
an opportunity to talk to him at the recent WOS convention.

I think that Patrick is alive in all the birds that we see every day.
He may no longer be with us here but his spirit lives on in every
Swainson's Thrush, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Yellow Warbler, and, of
course, every rarity. He'll be missed.

Ruth, my condolances and best wishes and prayers.

Jim

--
Jim Danzenbaker
Battle Ground, WA
360-723-0345
jdanzenbaker at gmail.com