Hi Tweeters,



Thanks for all the great discussion and information on the list this week (and also sent to me privately) about the gravel/salt foraging behavior of the EVENING GROSBEAK and other finches that I observed last weekend in the Teanaway area.



On Friday I day-tripped back to Red Top Mountain with my father so that we could do the short hike to the Lookout and so he could see the Teanaway. We wound up back at the same spot on the road up Red Top Mountain where I had photographed the Grosbeaks for over an hour last weekend. However, on this day we saw nary a Grosbeak, reinforcing for me that I got lucky to have chanced upon them at just the right time on my previous trip. I love those sorts of birding moments! We did easily find EVGR in the 29 Pines Campground, as well as again in the parking lot of the Mineral Springs General Store. There was also an unfortunate dead EVGR at the start of the trail to Red Top Lookout. WESTERN TANAGER were also common on the drive over the mountain.



It took me all week to get through all of the images I shot on my trip last weekend, but I finally have them sorted and posted. You can see the best of them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18600129 at N05/sets/72157624451409375/

(If you don't get enough there ;), the same images plus more are in this set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18600129 at N05/sets/72157624417879673/)



In addition to the EVENING GROSBEAK males and females, I also got some decent images of an active OSPREY nest (with, I believe, two nestlings), WESTERN TANAGER, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN, and a few other species.



Last but not least, I must point you to my favorite image of the weekend, the look on the face of an OSPREY parent who was unhappy with me for disturbing the family's dinner hour (I quickly removed myself to a more distant spot). Something about the look in those yellow eyes makes me laugh. :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/18600129 at N05/4811857888/in/set-72157624451409375/



Cheers and good birding,



Christy Jobe

Kenmore, WA

christyrj at hotmail dot com

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