Feeling trapped by the rain today, I figured I?d make the best of it by birding from the deck. Having only been in this house in Upper Rainier Beach since late May, the yard list needs some work, and what better time of year to do it?
Though the list is yet short (41 as of today,) there have been some quality birds about. Today, the best yet: baritone twittering alerted me to 10-12 BLACK SWIFTS flying low over the powerline cut behind the house. Other migrants included Western Tanagers (up to three every day for the past week,) a brilliant Black-headed Grosbeak hogging the seed feeder, and a Swainson?s Thrush. For the week, add Black-throated Gray and Orange-crowned Warblers, and my apparently resident Red-breasted Sapsucker. Inexplicably, number 41 was the first Glaucous-winged Gull in over three months, and House Sparrow has yet to appear on the list.
Twenty species today and counting: I should stay home more often!
Jeff Bryant
Seattle
Jbryant_68 AT yahoo