Tuesday morning I was watching a Downy woodpecker in the top of an alder tree. he fluttered-flew-dropped from his original perch to a limb about 3 feet down the tree. Then he dropped another few feet before stopping to preen. It was then that I realized that he was talking a shower. By falling through the leaves heavy with dew drops he soaked himself down then commenced cleaning and rearranging his disheveled feathers. At the same time BC Chickadees were also bathing but they preferred to wash up by finding a cup shaped leaves full of water to roll in.
I followed a "chit-chit" call until I found the first Winter wren to return to Wallace Swamp Creek Park from its breeding grounds.
It was a three warbler day. Townsend's, Black-throated Gray and Wilson's Warblers. the mixed flock high in the alder trees most likely contained another species or two but warbler neck got the best of me and I decided to move on.
Besides the Downy I also saw a RB Sapsucker, and Flickers, for a three woodpecker day. Hairy and Pileated are around too. They didn't show themselves today but I saw all five on Saturday.
My 2 hour walk produced a total of 27 species.

Linda Phillips
linda_phillips1252 at msn.com<mailto:linda_phillips1252 at msn.com>
Kenmore 98028-2616