Dear Tweets,

I'll be spending the next two weeks on South Whidbey, and am hoping to go birding while there. I"ve never birded on Whidbey--so if anyone knows of good spots on South Whidbey, I'd be grateful for suggestions. Thanks!

Amy Davis, Seattle

aldavis at q.com

> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:01:42 -0700
> From: tweeters-request at mailman2.u.washington.edu
> Subject: Tweeters Digest, Vol 60, Issue 12
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Pelagic pics (jeff at jeffboucher.com)
> 2. RACING NEWS: will any records fall? (Ed Newbold)
> 3. The Osprey and the Bandit (Hans-Joachim Feddern)
> 4. Skamania County Birding (Wilson Cady)
> 5. Fill update (Connie Sidles)
> 6. Midway Beach, Grayland, WA, August 11 (Marvin S. Hoekstra)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:04:52 -0700
> From: jeff at jeffboucher.com
> Subject: [Tweeters] Pelagic pics
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Message-ID:
> <20090811130452.e3a689ef99e9bfdb83ea621e1cb72379.847469f3a7.wbe at email.secureserver.net>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:50:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Ed Newbold <ednewbold1 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Tweeters] RACING NEWS: will any records fall?
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Message-ID: <944086.58479.qm at web35204.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> Usually the Racing reports this time of year are filled with tales of more smashed records than Chihuly glass at a Belltown Party. But it still could happen:
>
> CAROLYN EAGAN is giving Race officials hope of a new record this year. In early June Eagan was already at 89 with a WESTERN KINGBIRD, and the record she's attacking is "only" 98-- for Port Ludlow.
>
> Slightly closer by percentage to a record are SANDY DANIELS/KEVIN STEINER of Auburn with 83 (record 93), also from early June, who have a tough job cut out for them despite an eye-popping highlights list including YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, LAZULI BUNTING, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER & BARN OWL.
>
> Since we love YARDBIRDREPRODUCTION we must note Daniels had a Vaux's Swift nesting in her chimney.
>
> Reporting at the same time was DENIS DESILVIS who oddsmakers might be giving a fighting chance. But it won't be a walk in the park as DeSilvis was at 81 in Roy with EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE, NORTHERN SHRIKE, GREAT HORNED OWL, CHIPPING SPARROW & AMERICAN KESTREL, chasing his 08 record also of 98.
>
> Oh wait, now here's a record that should drop this year: Capitol Hill, Seattle. BRETT WOLFE was at 37 in early June with RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, BROWN CREEPER and VAUX'S SWIFT and needs only three to tie for Capitol Hill and only 9 to tie the all-time overall yard/type Urban record, that could be tough.
>
> And another that might topple: Gray's Harbor and Ocean Shores. DIANNA MOORE has 57 and needed six to tie as of late July. Could be a nail-biter. Moore has BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, WHIMBREL, EURASIAN COLLARD DOVE, & GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
>
> New records are guaranteed, however. One will be a long overdue record from Friday Harbor where MONICA WIELAND had 23 in the spring with RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD & PIED-BILLED GREBE. Catch Wieland's amazing blog with shots of Rhinocerous Auklets flying over Orcas, etc. at http://orcawatcher.blogspot.com
>
> LINDA PHILLIPS, a veteran racer with a new yard to race in, is pretty well guaranteed to be the holder of the town of Kenmore's guaranteed new record. And that will be not less than 57 including BLACK-THROATED GRAY, TOWNSEND'S & MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS as well as WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, CALIFORNIA QUAIL & WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.
>
> Meanwhile, reporting in early June, SCOTT HOSKIN & PENNY ROSE needed 20 to tie the Ballard record despite highlights including MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, SNOW GOOSE, WESTERN SCRUB JAY, GADWALL, TREE SWALLOW, BARRED OWL, B-H & EVE. GROSBEAKS, CHIPPING SPARROW & RED CROSSBILL.
>
> Also down by 20 from massive records set by themselves in glorious past years are KRISTI HEIN and CASEY BAZEWICK in Anacortes. But in spite of adverse conditions, they had 4 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW YARDBIRDFLEDGLINGS which warms the heart of everyone with one.
>
> In Yelm, MICHELLE ZENNER-BERTELS is steadily advancing the new Yelm mark, now at 25 with a PILEATED WOODPECKER, among others.
>
> Meanwhile in Snoqualmie, JOHN TUBBS is only 15 away as of August 11 with 53 including a WILLOW FLYCATCHER which is not a YardLifeBird but is the first of its species to be seen actually in the yard--and everyone agrees, those are the best yardbirds.
>
> Ending this roundup is the Battler from Battleground, amazing R-record holder JIM DANZENBAKER who at the end of June was at 92 and and still needed 24 to tie. Danzenbaker has NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL & BITTERN, birds I don't often get to type in this capacity, and we're wishing him luck smashing the paltry ClarkCo-Battleground-residential record of 116.
>
> Join the YardBirdRace!
>
> Reason: for fun.
>
> Do it by emailing your 2008 Yardbirdlist to yardbirdrace at yahoo.com add in your address (won't be publicized) and whether your yard-type is acreage (over 1.2 acres) , waterfront,
> residential, urban, or greenbelt.
>
> Check the Leaderboard:
>
>
> http://ednewbold.com/ybr_leaderboard.html
>
> Thanks all,
>
> Ed Newbold where our Violet-greens fledged the kid or kids yesterday, we never knew if there was more than one, making this our latest V-g fledging ever. Normally they stick around for a week after fledging and shepherd the kids back into the box at night. Not this time: we're outa here!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:46:54 -0700
> From: Hans-Joachim Feddern <thefedderns at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Tweeters] The Osprey and the Bandit
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>, thefedderns at gmail.com, bryan
> Feddern <bryanfeddern at hotmail.com>, Donna Feddern <feddern at gmail.com>
> Message-ID:
> <8c3d3c130908111446n5205ef17s2db4cb5258321144 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> On my walk through the Twin Lakes - Federal Way neighborhood yesterday
> morning, I watched an OSPREY carrying a good sized fish passing over Lake
> Jeane - Treasure Island Park. Suddenly it was ambushed by a scruffy looking
> adult BALD EAGLE, which seemed to appear out of nowhere and the chase was
> on. The OSPREY, even handicapped with its load, was definitely the better
> flyer. It was able to out maneuver the eagle with many twists and turns at
> barely treetop level. This aerial dog fight went on for a few minutes and
> had the big bully's golden beak white open, gasping for air. The eagle's
> persistence finally paid off when the OSPREY dropped the fish and the BALD
> EAGLE caught it in mid-air and flying off with it.
>
> Hans Feddern
> Twin Lakes - Federal Way
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:39:48 GMT
> From: "Wilson Cady" <gorgebirds at juno.com>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Skamania County Birding
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Message-ID: <20090811.213948.24817.0 at webmail05.vgs.untd.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
> Today, August 11, Eric Bjorkman, Barry Woodruff and I headed for the Skamania County high elevation lakes on the northwest side of Mt. Adams in search of Spruce Grouse and any other birds. We dipped on the grouse but did have a few good finds including RED CROSSBILLS and EVENING GROSBEAKS at nearly every stop. At Takhlakh Lake we had a pair of PINE GROSBEAKS near the boat ramp and the first of the probably 50 NASHVILLE WARBLERS that we saw during the day.
> At Horseshoe Lake we found 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS but no sign of any grouse. On the way back to check Ollalie Lake we stopped after hearing a few calls and located a scruffy HERMIT WARBLER and more NASHVILLE WARBLERS. Olallie Lake was swarming with birds, we stood in the middle of a mixed flock that had to number over a hundred individuals consisting of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, NASHVILLE WARBLERS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, HERMIT WARBLERS, WILSON'S WARBLERS and a few GRAY JAYS attracted by the commotion.
> We thought that we would check Horseshoe Lake one more time for the Spruce Grouse and were treated to a NORTHERN GOSHAWK flying down the road in front of the vehicle, the bird would fly ahead of us and
> perch in the roadside trees allowing us to flush it two more times before heading into the forest. At the lake we had amazing views of a bright male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL at eye level. While enjoying this view a COMMON LOON surfaced just yards offshore of us.
> At the south end of Takh Takh Meadows a PINE MARTEN ran across the road and up into a fir tree where we had close views of it for several minutes and the opportunity for Eric to get some photos of this gorgeous mammal.
> The only grouse we saw all day was a single SOOTY GROUSE that was calling near Council Lake.
> Wilson Cady
> Washougal, WA
>
> ____________________________________________________________
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:17:44 -0700
> From: Connie Sidles <constancesidles at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Fill update
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Message-ID: <6B027B8D-459D-4F99-BB0F-EC64C5CCBC8D at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Hey tweets, yesterday we experienced the biggest fallout I've seen at
> the Fill in years. I got down there just after the rain stopped,
> around 9:30 a.m., and found the alder grove just south of the signage
> on Wahkiakum Lane almost dripping with passerines. From the top of the
> highest branches to the grass below there were birds in every leaf
> cluster. Among my favorites:
> Warbling Vireos (among which, one baby rattling its wings and crying
> for food, indicating breeding at the Fill)
> Orange-crowned Warblers
> Yellow Warblers (too many to count)
> Black-throated Gray Warblers (note the plural)
> Vaux's Swifts coming through
> Tree, Violet-green, and Barn Swallows
> empid flycatchers - not vocalizing, so I can't be sure; I think one
> was a Willow Flycatcher, another a Western Wood-pewee, and maybe a
> Gray - it was flicking its tail downward but I couldn't see a very
> prominent eye-ring.
>
> On the Main Pond were 21 Least Sandpipers (!), one very vocal Long-
> billed Dowitcher, and the resident Spotted Sandpipers.
>
> Today may see a similar phenomenon. It rained in the night, and it's
> still showery now. If you can catch a break in the weather, I urge you
> to get out into the field and see what turns up. -
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:10:17 -0700
> From: "Marvin S. Hoekstra" <marvin.hoekstra at verizon.net>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Midway Beach, Grayland, WA, August 11
> To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Message-ID: <001501ca1b78$31238f80$936aae80$ at hoekstra at verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Arriving at noon, I observed in the freshwater pond near the two track to
> the beach:
>
>
>
> Long-billed Dowitcher (20), identified by vocalization as well as plumage
>
> Lesser Yellowlegs (1)
>
> Least Sandpiper
>
> Western Sandpiper
>
> Snowy Plover (1), gray band on left leg
>
> Unidentified dark-winged raptor flying low over dune grass
>
>
>
> Near the water were:
>
>
>
> Brown Pelican (maybe a hundred)
>
> California Gull (hundreds)
>
> Heerman's Gull (hundreds)
>
> Herring Gull (hundreds)
>
> Caspian Tern (twenty)
>
> Sanderling (one hundred, perhaps more, immobile well above waterline)
>
>
>
> Out on the water were what looked to me to be:
>
>
>
> Sooty Shearwaters (hundreds)
>
>
>
> They were at the limit of scope range and disappearing and reappearing
> behind waves, so the identification is not certain.
>
>
>
> Also seen on the beach were several dead birds. The weather was mostly
> sunny and comfortable. We were surrounded by birds. I counted only small
> pockets of birds, which were multiplied many times over up and down the
> beach. The addition of a life bird (Snowy Plover) which I had, two days
> before, searched for unsuccessfully in several places at the Great Salt
> Lake, made for a really enjoyable day.
>
>
>
> Marvin S. Hoekstra
>
> Sammamish, WA
>
> marvin dot hoekstra at verizon dot net
>
>
>
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> End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 60, Issue 12
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