Tweets, The YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (sub-adult male) reported by Bob
Sundstrom in early winter was observed again on Monday near the marsh on
Mull St, on the eastern outskirts of Tenino. This time it was
semi-vocalizing, just enough to be distinguished from the chorus of about a
dozen red-wings. Interestingly, moments later a "yellow-headed" type House
Finch flew into the same tree and then disappeared into the brambles below
where the blackbird had just gone, as if shadowing the larger bird. I had
killer views of 2 CROSSBILLS that had come down to bathe in a creek along
Vantine Rd. I again encountered a flock on Old Military, just east of Mull
St. While standing literally in the midst of a bushtit flock, from behind me
a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK swooped in for the ambush, not more than 10 feet away.
It got hung up a bit in the blackberry vines (must have been hungry!) but it
appeared to nab its quarry. It all happened in a blur--so suddenly, in fact,
that the bushtits hardly had time to react--then all quickly returned to
normal. 2 GRAY JAYS were seen on Vantine Rd, an area where they are somewhat
reliable. The Steller's Jays were out in force seemingly everywhere, far
more obvious than usual. This is a great time to see VIRGINIA RAILS respond
to a tape up close at the Mull St marsh, before all the vegetation revives.
Good birding!
--Paul Hicks, Tenino, s. Thurston Co
phicks AT accessgrace.org