Hey tweets, The Fill was so quiet this morning that a group of us
birders stood around the main pond (which was completely empty of
birds) and morosely discussed fake birds we have seen over the years.
Then the cross country men and women's teams showed up and began
thundering around the trails. I mean this in the most literal way: the
ground shook when they ran by in a pack.

I decided to head for home, but on the way, I stopped off at the glade
east of the greenhouses. This was a very good spot during spring
migration, and I've been anticipating a good fall showing as well.
Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to get back in there anymore -
blackberries and other plants have grown over the bark paths, and you
have to hack your way in.

Rather than do that, I parked on the easternmost edge of the glade, on
Surber, and there I hit the Mother Lode of birds: within a matter of a
few minutes, I saw;
Vaux's Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER!!
Steller's Jay
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Orange-crowned Warbler
WESTERN TANAGER
Song Sparrow
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch

All these birds were in an area smaller than my house.

There were a few birds in the more common areas of the Fill, to wit
(the most notable): Black Swift (two flying by), Willow Flycatcher, and
Common Yellowthroat. Yesterday, I saw Yellow Warbler, Ring-billed Gull,
Warbling Vireo, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (very rare at the Fill). I
wish I could just live there all the time. - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com