Hey tweets, much as I love the regulars at the Fill, I am and probably
always will be a rarity chaser. The only difference for me now is that
instead of chasing all over the state in search of the latest
fantastico, I wait for one to come to me at the Fill.

Today, one did: an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was scraping exuberantly
through the leaf litter in the cottonwood grove where the swing-set
still stands, right next to the paved area. I saw it in perfect light,
with the sun warming its rufous crown to a glow.

Other notables today: a little pod of Northern Pintails was on the
Main Pond, a Cinnamon Teal was asleep on the southwest pond, the
Trumpeter Swans are still a-swimming on the lake, and the Western
Meadowlark was singing again (thank goodness - I didn't see him
yesterday, but I did see a rather satisfied-looking Cooper's Hawk, and
I was afraid the maestro had sung his last aria).

Yesterday, a kettle of 14 Great Blue Herons circled overhead, then
nine settled on Husky Stadium while the other five joined another
eleven (!!) on the lagoon, making a total of 25 Great Blue Herons. I
wonder if they're thinking of starting up a heronry again?

Altogether, I saw 47 species today. I've seen 81 total this year at
the Fill.

It gives me tremendous satisfaction to see that nature still harbors
such diversity of species. Despite the precipitous drop in numbers of
individual birds of many different species, despite all the bad news
about habitat loss, this is still a reason to celebrate.

As I see it, every species has been slowly adapting itself over
thousands, if not millions of years, honing its genome to take
advantage of its own special niche in finding food, shelter, and
mates. Each species, therefore, is the product of huge, sustained
effort. It's almost as though a painter had taken millions of years to
paint one portrait, perhaps laying down only one brush stroke every
century.

How rare and precious and wonderful would be that portrait. And how
pricelessly should we value it, and work to preserve it. - Connie,
Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com