The Smith Bros. former pumpkin field, currently a pond, was hosting
hungry swans yesterday afternoon - 10 Trumpeters A-Trumpeting,
including 2 juveniles. Nice views, with Mt. Rainier as a backdrop.
Exit 277 off SR 167 - head west to W. Valley Highway, take a right
and head north - there are several pull-offs.

Green River Natural Resources Area, South Tower: between 4 and 5
p.m., we watched and listened to 3 Northern Harriers. An adult male,
adult female and a cinnamon-colored juvenile - they coursed back and
forth over the nearby fields, the Green River and the trees on the
east side of the river (from the tower). Occasionally they would
alight in a low tree and the juvenile perched on the ground looking
around, for a good 10 minutes - we got good views of it through
binocs and scope. What a treat! The adult male made some kind of
aggressive display near the perched juvenile. It landed next to the
juvenile (or possibly on top of - we just caught the end of this
action), spread its wings and flapped them - the juvenile flew off,
followed shortly by the male, who flew off in a different direction.

No Short-eared Owls joined the Harriers for the evening forays.
Anyone know why Short-eareds have been absent recently in several of
the areas in which many were being seen in early December? Do they
move on at this time of year or is this a weather-related happening?

The widened river yielded 5 Ring-necked Ducks and 4 Mallards. A
Great Blue Heron stood in the field the entire time we were there.

Pretty quiet and wet and there was a beastly-cold wind, appreciated
by only one of us. No other H. sapiens around and no dogs, which
added to the peacefulness of the place. One bullfrog announced his
presence, but neither heron nor harriers seemed at all interested.
The harriers would occasionally whistle softly to each other across
the expanses.

A full moon semi-showing itself through an evening mist, topped off
the hour. Many a photo was taken of it attempting to shine through a
small deciduous tree.

A delightful birding afternoon.

Barb Deihl
Seattle
barbdeihl at comcast.net