Yes, it was a glorious afternoon at the Fill yesterday. Crisp air,
blue sky and rays of sun providing the icing on the cake. That was,
until I simultaneously saw and heard the Western Meadowlark on a small
tree somewhere between gravel paths. Now THAT was icing! Haven't
heard that "bubbling flutelike" song (to quote Sibley) since Montana
and Central WA many years ago. Nor have I seen the striking golden
color of it's breast shine out so brilliantly before (that I recall),
set off so nicely by the black V and the other sharp markings on it's
entire body. I felt very fortunate to be in it's presence for that 10
minutes. Thanks, Tweets, for your recent posted sightings of this
certain harbinger of spring!

No Loggerhead Shrike seen, but a rather bulky beaver with one huge
paddle of a tail was fun to watch nibbling on the edge of Lk.
Washington, the dark juvenile Red-tailed Hawk sat for seemingly hours
in a large cottonwood to the north, occasionally revealing it's
colorful tailfeathers, and an adult Bald Eagle flew out over the water
and back to various perches on and near a dock, with the lovely yellow
of a huge willow setting it off from behind.

Good to have these vivid images in my head to balance out today's
decidedly darker demeanor.

Barb Deihl
North Matthews Beach - Seattle
barbdeihl at comcast.net