Hi everyone,



Evan Houston and I arrived at the Indigo Bunting (INBU)?location at Three Forks Natural Area this morning around 7:00 and had both birds vocally within a couple of minutes and visually within five minutes.? We stayed for at least an hour watching the INBU and Least Flycatcher (LEFL), and in the process also saw at least two Lazuli Buntings (LABU?- probably three, as we saw one a significant distance away later).? While we were there we were joined by Gregg Thompson, Charlie Wright and Jordan (didn't get a last name, sorry) who also had good looks.? Other birders showed up later as well.



The INBU was very active and ranged over a surprisingly large area - mostly it appeared to be doing a clockwise loop that included the corner of the large field where initially reported and the blackberry thicket/row along the east edge of that field.? It often perched very visibly on the blackberries, but also seemed to prefer a relatively young cottonwood tree near the trail and behind the blackberries.? If you chase this bird, don't give up too early, because it was also flying almost to the far side of the large field to an 'island' of trees some distance away, only to return to the area where first reported.? It (and the LABU's) was quite vocal and should be able to be isolated to a certain area by sound alone.? Charlie Wright judged the bird to be a full adult, rather than a younger bird.? Its behavior certainly seemed territorial - reminiscent of the Baltimore Oriole at Marymoor several years ago - raising the possibility of a breeding attempt (there apparently is documented hybridization with LABU).? Very interestingly, Evan and I ran into a local birder who birds that area daily (walking a good five miles in the process) who said she had seen an INBU last year in the same area as this year's bird.? Interesting report.? (That person is not on Tweeters, so did not report her sighting last year).?



Evan got good digiscope images of the INBU (as I'm sure Gregg did as well after we left).?



The LEFL was vocalizing loudly and virtually constantly and was working a limited area only twenty yards past the small, almost-dry creeklet at the corner of the field.? We had very good looks periodically but many times the bird was clearly heard but tough to find in the foliage.?



A benefit of going out this morning was that the mosquito population was lower by at least an order of magnitude than it was last night.?



Hopefully both birds will stick around to allow more folks to see them.



John Tubbs

Snoqualmie, WA

johntubbs at comcast.net

www.tubbsphoto.com