Hey tweets, Dennis Paulson always says, "Look at every bird," and
today I looked at a little duck on Shoveler's Pond, only to discover
it was a Common Teal! What a beauty. It was in company with Green-
winged Teals, all of whom were pretty skittish. I have a feeling this
is a recently arrived flock, not just one individual. At one point,
the Common Teal floated right behind a Green-winged; it was like
comparing two pictures in a book.

Also on view today: The Redheads were very close to shore, making it
easy to see every little coppery feather on the males' heads. These
ducks are rapidly becoming my favorites.

The Western Meadowlark was burbling on the pear tree in Hunn Meadow
West. (For a birder's map of the Fill, go to www.constancypress.com,
hit In My Nature, then hit More about the Fill.) This bird, and others
of its ilk (we found 6 during the CBC), is tuning up for the symphony
performance to come soon.

Male and female Common Mergansers are out and about. I've been seeing
just the males all winter, but now there are some females in the area
too. One male was fishing very close to shore in the Cove. His white
feathers were glowing like Egyptian alabaster: not pure white, but
white with a hint of candlelit peach. We have no name for such a color.

A pair of Cinnamon Teals are around as well. I saw them on the
Southwest Pond two days ago. The male is in breeding plumage.- Connie,
Seattle

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