Yesterday (3/4/08), Ann Marie Wood and I visited Skyline Trail at Steven's Pass in King County. As in the past few weeks, finches of all kinds flew overhead. Few landed yesterday for close observation. We had a good look at a single female RED CROSSBILL and many EVENING GROSBEAKS. These birds were seen while we were standing at the power line near the trailhead. Also near the trailhead was a pair of PINE GROSBEAKS. They seemed to be interested in the area around the small Verizon building beneath the power line. These 2 birds lingered for several minutes at very close range. Last week I hiked the trail nearly to the lake, just to see Pine Grosbeaks. Ya never know.....

>From Steven's Pass we headed for Skagit County. A brief time there produced little of note except for the previously reported YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. This bird was in a tree with a mixed flock of blackbirds near the corner of Green and Dahlstedt Roads.

A large number of vocal WESTERN MEADOWLARKS continues along 36th Ave NW, off of Norman Road, between Sylvana and Stanwood, in Snohomish County.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
mbreece at earthlink.net