Subject: [Tweeters] Fill rails
Date: Aug 28 10:02:50 2010
From: Connie Sidles - constancesidles at gmail.com


Hey tweets, John Tubbs (may his name ever resound) found a juvenile
SORA at the Fill this morning. Oh frabjous day. I was uselessly
scanning the Cove looking for American Wigeons with Evan Houston's
master birder students, when John yelled that he had a Sora. I did
something then I haven't been able to do in years: I *ran* as fast as
I could to John's side. He was standing at the northernmost overlook
by the Turtle Logs opposite Boy Scout Pond (the first overlook you
come to as you walk south on the Loop Trail under the cottonwood grove
at East Point) when the Sora walked out into plain view. Of course
before any of us could get there, it walked back into hiding, but in a
few minutes it came back out again and paraded up and down for all to
see. I'm sure if any of us had whistled an English tune the bird would
have commenced to Morris dance for us. What a thrill. I haven't seen a
Sora at the Fill in some eight years or so.

Even more exciting, a Virginia Rail juvie came out of its hiding place
along the cattails lining the road to Conibear and foraged almost at
my feet for a few seconds. Out among the lily pads on the lake were
numerous American Coots. So it was a three-rail day. I don't think I
ever had one of those before.

Also on view today:
Merlin
two juvenile Cooper's Hawks
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Green Heron (Main Pond)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Kern's Restoration Pond)
Yellow Warbler (Kern's)
Western Wood-Pewee (Kern's)
Band-tailed Pigeon flyover

A magical day scenery-wise too. This morning at dawn a cloud-ribbon
lay across the foothills, lit up like living fire when the sun rose,
while in the west the moon hung like a pearl in the blue sky. Who
could ask for more? - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com
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