Hello Tweeters;
Last Saturday evening I made my move north of Seattle and had two significant birding events occur, and both were a first. It must be spring.
The last day I was at the apartment on Capital Hill I tossed the last few peanuts out for the "Three Amigos" a moniker I gave to three troubled juvenile American Crows. I was on the balcony eating a piece of cold pizza and tossing a few out while I called to them in my scolding Scrub Jay tone. Out they flew from somewhere (probably a dumpster) and perched on the phone wire until the coast was clear of traffic below. With the exception of one of the amigos they waited then swooped down to collect their prizes as I tossed a few. One of the three amigos decided to befriend m. He took a place next to me on the railing! He tilted his head back and forth looking at me. I set three peanuts on the railing. He scooted closer to the peanuts gave them a sniff then looked up at me and blinked a couple of times. I asked him if he was interested in my pizza. I tore off a small piece of pizza and hand fed it to him. Alas! They do understand what we are saying.
As I arrived to my new apartment that borders Shoreline and Edmonds I heard the familiar calls of a Pileated Woodpecker. I was smiling as I unloaded and moved things aside in the trunk of my car to get out my binoculars. Sure enough there the bird was at the top of a tall pine tree peering around. I heard the woodpecker calling day into dusk. I awoke (last Saturday) to the woodpecker calling. I wondered if it was pair bonding, looking for a mate, or exactly what the calling behavior was about as I stood looking up in the tree canopy to get another glimpse. Now this has been going on since last weekend mind you, and I have heard the bird call each morning and late afternoon. Yesterday the calls finally made their way to attracting a mate. The second Pileated arrived and was returning calls from a large cedar tree behind my apartment. I thought - they can finally start excavating for an April nest and subsequent brood. Yeah!
"Watch the birdie."Jill Routh RuckerKing County - Shoreline, WA