Hi,

Four life birds for me in the sunny canyon today at midday. I must say I was stunned by the awesomeness of today's outing, it was just gorgeous!
1. Willow Flycatcher
2. Nashville Warbler
3. Northern rough-winged Swallow
4. House Wren

at 305 life birds clearly I'm still checking of some of the more common birds.

Notable happenings were a belted kingfisher was apparently sharing his nest hole with NRW swallows family. I watched them both enter and depart the same hole (only one hole in this hillside). About 15 minutes up the Umtanum Creek trail there is a stand of aspen that is hiding a Cooper's Hawk (I think, making my call on size alone as this was a large bird) nest, not hiding it very well though because it sticks out like a sore thumb. One adult bird was standing on the nest.

The only other "Special" bird (to me) was a single Say's Phoebe. I saw no Yellow-breasted Chat, Lazuli Bunting or Lewis's Woodpecker.

Nearly everyone I talked to on the trail had seen a western rattler in the grass or crossing the trail, I did as well. I also spotted a gopher snake.

Have Fun this Weekend,

Quinn Selitsch
captquinn at yahoo.com
Burien, Cordova, Dillingham, Prudhoe Bay