Subject: [Tweeters] Swifts and Solitaires in Selleck
Date: Apr 25 00:33:07 2010
From: Tim Brennan - tsbrennan at hotmail.com



Hey Tweets,

The Vaux's Swift migration has arrived in Selleck (SE King County) as well. While I was there around 7-7:30 this evening, they arrived in groups of 10-20, circled the chimney a few times, and dropped. Usually they'll swirl around in a giant ball, and wait until sunset for all of their buddies to join in before diving - must've been worried about the look of some of the clouds.

While I was waiting for swifts, I heard some odd calls mixed in with the handful of robins in town - then up flew a Townsend's Solitaire! It called over and over, with that rusty swingset sound, and was eventually joined by a second (there's an oxymoron for ya), and they eventually chased each other out of sight, but could still be heard for several minutes. This was a life bird for me this year, but now my third run-in with them this year in the county.

A couple of White-Crowned Sparrows were plinking in the bushes, a Rufous Hummingbird was rattling behind me, and there were nuthatches in the trees surrounding the little town. No ravens tonight, but I did have them here when I came out in the fall. Just a beautiful scene.

Still enough light when I got home to catch the annual GB Heron flyover in the yard. Always wonder where it's coming from..

-Tim Brennan
Renton

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