Tweeters,

Today, I meant to do gardening chores and put two more coats of varnish on my future kitchen table, which sits unassembled on the front porch. But the morning was damp, dark and overcast with fog at times and the yard was very birdy. So the table got one coat of varnish and the gardening chores were put off in favor of spending most of the day birding my yard. (42 species)

The EVENING GROSBEAKS that have been visiting lately were here for a short time. A few BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS remain, including two fledglings still begging and being fed. About 20 American Goldfinches and the same number of House Finches made good use of the feeders all day. Two Song Sparrows and several Dark-eyed Juncos and Spotted Towhees foraged in the yard. Small flocks of Black-capped Chickadees, Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Bushtits, as well as two Red-breasted Nuthatches and two Bewick's Wrens were busily gleaning.

Several American Robins, including one fledgling being fed, and about 45 CEDAR WAXWINGS feasted on bitter cherries. Two SWAINSON'S THRUSHES foraged on the ground and in the low brush. I have been hearing their calls for a couple of weeks and saw my first-ever Yard Bird ST last week in the cherry tree.

About 150 Starlings visited the pasture where the Killdeer live. About ten Mourning Doves and one BAND-TAILED PIGEON were in the yard. The resident Crows were feeding two fledglings from their third nesting, accompanied by the juvenile from their second nesting. (The first set of nestlings perished) A COMMON RAVEN flew low over the yard. Several Steller's Jays ate cherries and a noisy WESTERN SCRUB JAY sampled suet.

A number of Barn Swallows remain, including two young that fledged this morning and their two siblings, still in the nest. A few Violet-Green Swallows flew about. Two WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, a WILLOW FLYCATCHER and a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER hawked insects.

At least three feisty RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS chased all sorts of other birds around the yard. A flock of CANADA GEESE (38) and 14 Mallards flew over. An immature COOPER'S HAWK flew in and frightened all the yard birds. Two DOWNY WOODPECKERS, two NORTHERN FLICKERS, a PILEATED WOODPECKER and a HAIRY WOODPECKER visited. I missed the near-daily visit of two juvenile Red-breasted Sapsuckers and a 5-woodpecker day. (btw, the Pileated & Sapsuckers eat the cherries) At least five WESTERN TANAGERS spent the day here, feeding two fledglings.

At least one each of these foraged in the oak and birch trees: TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER.

A MYSTERY WARBLER was in the honeysuckle bush. Its back, wings, and most of its head were one dull shade (I've forgotten exactly what color). Below a line of demarcation under the eye, its throat and breast were yellow and it had white eye rings and a yellow rump. Sort of like the female Common Yellowthroat seen here earlier this month, but more extensive yellow on its underside. Perhaps a Nashville Warbler???

Sandy Daniels

Footsore and eye-strained on the Enumclaw Plateau

Ladyhawk707 AT msn DOT com