Hey tweets, a great day at the Fill today, but that's bound to sound
repetitious. Still, the combination of silver light, pewter waters,
and bright waterfowl was irresistible.

Jeffrey Bryant and I were conducting a mammoth yakkathon down at East
Point - discussing birders' favorite topic: the presence and absence
of birds we have known and loved - when out of some local black hole
popped two TRUMPETER SWANS. They looked like floating icebergs in a
gray sea. We had no idea where they had come from; they were just
there all of a sudden. In between and back of them was a NORTHERN
PINTAIL, the first of the year for me at the Fill. Pintails have been
notably sparse in the Seattle area this winter.

On "Atlantis" (the mud island risen from the depths of the Cove) were
more than 30 DUNLINS. At one point, they all leapt up into the air and
performed their version of Black Swan/White Swan. I looked around for
a falcon, but no, they were just dancing without provocation.

The COMMON TEAL was floating peacefully on Main Pond again today. I
think he's there a lot, but can often be hidden among the willows that
line the west side of the pond. Green-winged Teals of both sorts are
known for their ability to simulate duck decoys, staying motionless
for vast periods of time. If this guy chooses to do his simulation
while hiding among the willow wands, you would have to have the
sitzfleisch of a grand master to wait until he woke up and did
something.

The Common Goldeneye who has been hanging out down at the Conibear
Shellhouse was fishing there again today. The advantage of seeing one
of these birds down there is the closeness with which you can
approach. There were times today when I thought I could have tapped
the bird on its shoulder to point out where a little fish was hiding
in the mud under the shallow water.

Evan's Eurasian Wigeon appeared very briefly among the American
Wigeons out in the giant flock on the lake. It took a Bald Eagle
flying by just as the sun peeked out from the clouds for me to be able
to see this bird without a spotting scope. Really one of the most
beautiful ducks on the planet but likes to keep himself to himself, as
it were.

The Lone Pine Tree has been split by the winds. Nearly half of it has
broken off and lies forlorn along the trail. It is nature's way to
recycle the dead, so we must be glad for that, but I wish the fire of
two years ago had spared this tree. There were other trees down, too,
in Leaky Pond but for the most part, the giant cottonwoods all seem to
have survived intact. Most of them still have their dead leaves on the
branches, so those leaves must have tremendous clinging power. I was
out there the other day during a gust that blew my hair straight back
until it was flapping parallel to the ground. I had to clap my hand
over my head to keep my hat on. - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com
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