At about 9:30 am today April 22nd, I saw a flock of 10-12 RED CROSSBILLS
resting atop a tall fir tree across from my home in Twin Lakes in light
rain. Something finally alarmed them and they took flight. At 2:00 pm this
afternoon I relocated presumable the same flock at the corner of 40th Place
and 324th Street SW, close to Treasure Island Park. They were feeding on
long pine cones, now in bright sunshine. What marvelous views of these
beautiful birds! This is only my third record in this neighborhood in nearly
twenty years.

Things have been quite "birdy" around here, even though waterfowl numbers
are really way down. I have had several migrants though to make up for it.
Monday 4/20 brought YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, GOLDEN-CROWNED and SAVANNAH
SPARROWS to Treasure Island Park. Yesterday I gad a close up look at a
HAMMONDS FLYCATCHER teardrop and all. I also had my first of the year pair
of BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS yesterday evening.

Also late Monday morning I had a PEREGRINE FALCON soaring over the golf
course at the club house. The local SHARP-SHINNED HAWK decided to join the
falcon and let it know who had the hunting rights around here! The Sharpie
dove on the falcon several times. I am not sure if this was brave or more
likely very foolish to meet a falcon in its element! Fortunately the falcon
ignored the little bugger.

The Dash Point Park BALD EAGLES have been flying and soaring over the lakes
daily. One of them has been flying around with a large wing feather about to
come off. It almost looks like a transmitter antenna.

I also made a short visit at Dumas Bay this late this afternoon. Most
noteworthy was a pair of HAIRY WOODPECKERS feeding their young and a
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER excavating a nest hole. This gave me a four
woodpecker day. In addition, it appears that the once thriving Dumas Bay
GREAT BLUE HERON colony, abandoned several years ago due to eagle predation,
is reviving with at least 2 or nests.

Good Birding!

Hans Feddern

Twin Lakes - Federal Way, WA.
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