Hey tweets, amid the sleet, hail, snow, rain, and freezing winds, there
were good birds at the Fill today - for those who were either too dumb
to come out of the weather, or who were really brilliant and dressed
for arctic conditions.

I fell into the first category and am still trying to get warm after 4
solid hours in front of the heater when I got home. It makes me realize
just how hardy birds are, even the smallest guys. They can't get a hot
latte at Starbucks; heaters are right out for them, and yet they
survive. The only way I managed it was to retreat periodically to my
car, where I blasted hot air onto my frozen carcass until I began to
feel my various body parts again. As I thawed, I kept an eye out for
breaks in the clouds. As soon as one appeared, I was back out into
nature. Alas, the sun came out so fleetingly each time that I was
always caught far from shelter when the black clouds came thundering
back and dropped their fusillade onto my floppy hat. It may never
recover.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I saw great birds, and it was all
worth it. Here are some highlights:
Swainson's Thrush (!!!) in the glade east of the greenhouses - I've
*never* seen one at the Fill before.
Hammond's Flycatcher in the same glade.
Western Meadowlark - still in the field west of the main pond.
Cinnamon Teal pair on the main pond
American Pipit in the narrow strip of field between the main pond and
Shoveler Pond
Lincoln's Sparrow - several all over the place
Golden-crowned Sparrow - still singing down by the old wooden bridge
(which is no longer there)
Cooper's Hawk - soaring in various spots and diving on birds near the
main pond
Dunlin - same two that have been hanging around for the past several
days - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com