Subject: [Tweeters] Snoqualmie Valley - SAY'S PHOEBE and Others
Date: Mar 29 14:13:25 2008
From: johntubbs at comcast.net - johntubbs at comcast.net


Hi Everyone,

A run through the Snoqualmie Valley after an errand netted some nice birds today.

CINNAMON TEAL - A pair of these ducks were on the old Monroe prison farm lak in the shallow flooded area nearest the main farm buildings.

MOURNING DOVE - My first of year for the Valley was seen in Carnation Marsh. The old Osprey nest on the pole in the marsh is once again being used by a Canada Goose. I would love to be there to see the goslings take their first leap out of that nest when they fledge!

SAY'S PHOEBES - There were two Say's Phoebes flycatching in the pasture at the intersection of 321st and SE 28th in Fall City. This is one of the numerous sharp turns on the road from Fall City that eventually turns into West Snoqualmie River Road (starts as 284th turning north off Fall City/Redmond Road - Highway 202 - just west of Fall City. The pasture is about at the third turn from 202. [Until it becomes West Snoqualmie River Road, this road is a challenge to describe as every time it rounds a corner, the E-W leg becomes a new road name, and then that happens again with each N-S leg after the turns.] These birds were flycatching in an interesting way. They were perching up either on a fencepost by the road, or more typically on a 'high' piece of grass - which in that pasture means about a foot off the ground. They would then sally forth and hover hunt like a Kestrel, but only about a foot off the ground. Th ey would then drop onto the ground to grab whatever it w!
as they
were after.

Love-crazed RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER - From the "where is your camera when you really need it" files, on Fish Hatchery Road I stopped the car to look at a Zono sparrow flock and heard the telltale irregular drumming cadence of a Red-Breasted Sapsucker on something metal ('tis the season). I looked in that direction and there, 20 feet away, was the bird banging away on a NO DUMPING UNDER PENALTY OF ARREST sign. Right at eye level. Since my main purpose for the trip was an errand, my camera was sitting at home. Sigh...

Along the lines of humorous bird photography, the following link might be of interest to people - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=2608798&cat=38987 - I titled this "Avian Multi-Cultural Education" and many of you will recognize the location as the boardwalk overlook at Juanita Bay park.

John Tubbs
Snoqualmie, WA
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com