Dear Tweeters,

Although it did seem to me that Buffleheads were "late" this autumn, I checked my records and found that they have arrived about at the normal time.

Over the past decade and a half or so, I have seen my first of fall Buffleheads in October about eighty percent of the autmuns, and in November during the remainder. This year, I saw my first ones on October 25.

The numbers of Buffleheads this season have seemed low to me. Six out of the last ten years, I have seen flocks of Buffleheads numbering ten or more before November 8. Thus far this autumn, I have not seen any double-figure flocks. So I might venture to say that Buffleheads have arrived "on time," but perhaps in slightly lower numbers than usual.

At any rate, it is one of the pleasant little compensations of this time of year, that we get to see these little fellows out in the bays and ponds. After spending yesterday evening preparing for a flood that, thankfully, did not happen here, I enjoyed getting out today and seeing a few Buffleheads out at March Point.

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch ? Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA ? garybletsch at yahoo.com ? ?


--- Gary Smith <g_smith1 at comcast.net> schrieb am So, 9.11.2008:

> Von: Gary Smith <g_smith1 at comcast.net>
> Betreff: RE: [Tweeters] Buffleheads
> An: "'Tweeters'" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Datum: Sonntag, 9. November 2008, 1:10
> We first saw Buffleheads this season on November 1, which is
> just on the
> early side for Alki Point.
>
>
>
> Gary T. Smith
>
> Alki Point
>
>
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu
> [mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu] On
> Behalf Of
> diane_weinstein at msn.com
> Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 12:21 PM
> To: Tweeters
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Buffleheads
>
>
>
> Tweeters,
>
>
>
> The Buffleheads showed up last week at the pond behind my
> house, which is at
> the south end of the Sammamish Plateau. I don't know
> if they are on
> schedule or not.
>
>
>
> Up until yesterday there was probably a hundred or so
> Mallards on the pond.
> This morning there was only a dozen. They must have
> dispersed to take
> advantage of all the flooded areas.
>
>
>
> Diane Weinstein
>
> Issaquah
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: JERRY D AND <mailto:jmdaddio at msn.com> MARCENE
> D'ADDIO
>
> Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 9:30 AM
>
> To: tweeters <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Buffleheads
>
>
>
> Being a longtime commuter over the 520 bridge, I usually
> see Buffleheads
> settle in on Montlake in October and leave in April. They
> are not there
> yet, though I see Michael Hobbs had a flyby at Marymoor on
> Thursday. Are
> they late this year?
>
> I recently returned from a 11 day car trip to and from the
> Southwest where I
> saw Buffleheads at Klamath Basin lakes. And Arizona
> birders are reporting
> them, too.
>
> Marcy D'Addio
>
> Redmond, WA
>
> _____
>
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