They seem to be around "The Hill".

For urban Cap Hill (one block off really urban Broadway) I heard
something odd calling outside my third floor apartment window (at
canopy height and trees on two sides). I looked out and found myself
under three feet from a female Western Tanager in the tree outside
the window.

Yikes, I didn't even need bins.

And to think Ed and I went to Spencer Island to see one last Saturday
(and dipped out on that!). But a least we did see some Red Crossbills
there.

We seem to have a two pair of Wilson's Warblers who appear to be
nesting around here. I saw one male whilst listening to another sing.
Regularly feeding in a Big Leaf Maple outside another window and
engaging a bit of territory defining air combat too.

Earlier in the in Cal Anderson Park at lunchtime (not a great birding
location!) I noticed a Yellow Warbler bouncing around the trees which
makes a nice addition to the singing White Crowned Sparrow and the
Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting through.

Common is the field guide phrase for all of these but to see some
color just a block off Broadway makes me smile.

On May 12, 2009, at 1:02 PM, eileen maloney wrote:

> Yesterday a small flock of brilliant Western Tanagers visited my
> yard on the eastern slope of Capitol Hill. They were in the
> conifers, jumping around and one flew down to my bird bath for a
> drink. The males whose heads are bright red are stunning. I also
> have a pair of nesting crested Jays busily foraging for
> construction material.
>
> I'm new, so is this good birding for us, or just ho-hum stuff?


crested Jays -> Stellar's Jays
--
Kevin Purcell
kevinpurcell at pobox.com