Good Morning,



We had a Hermit Thrush in our backyard in Sammamish this morning. Last
spring we had a HETH hang around for a few days at this time of year also,
but previously to that they have been very unusual to have in our
neighborhood in the 25 years we've lived here. Once, when we had first
moved here I thought I had heard one singing but they are not common on the
Plateau as far as I know.



On the note of birdy romance in the air, our little quarter acre is quite
the love nest. A pair of Anna's and a pair of Rufous hummers are fighting
for turns at our feeder while the male rufous makes his j dives. A pair of
juncos are spending a lot of time in the cedar hedge, and we even had a
bushtit pair attempt to make a nest but something changed their mind and it
hangs from the dogwood half built. Finally, last night at dinner I pointed
out to our guests that a female towhee had uncharacteristically hopped out
into our somewhat overgrown and damp lawn. As we watched her walk in the
wet grass, the local male swooped in and a quick romantic tryst took place.
I was really rather embarrassed, but that's why they call it the birds and
the bees I guess!



Happy Birding!

Paula Flores

Sammamish, WA

Floresnw AT hotmail.com (new email address btw)