Hey tweets, today was one of those perfect fall days that you don't
really want to tell the world about in case everyone decides this is
too much like paradise to resist. The birds must have thought so, too,
because there were all kinds out today. Highlights:
? more than 50 Purple Martins foraging over Waterlily Cove
? Olive-sided Flycatcher in the Alder Grove
? numerous Willow Flycatchers in suitable habitat
? a big flock (numbering in the scores) of Orange-crowned and Yellow
Warblers fed in the Alder Grove
? American Wigeons are back
? Green Heron on Main Pond
? Vaux's Swifts coming through - one nearly collided with me at Main
Pond; it must have lost focus for a brief moment, like a teenager
driving a car while talking on a cell phone
? Virginia Rails still vocalizing near Turtle Logs
? Double-crested Cormorants are back in numbers; ditto Green-winged
Teals
? Wood Ducks are thinking about getting back into breeding plumage
? Lincoln's Sparrows are back
? Cooper's Hawk flew into the burnt Lone Pine Tree just a few feet
from me and my friend Nick, posed briefly, then departed.

We heard alarm calls from the martin flock on the lake, which made me
think the Merlin who has adopted the Fill as its territory was around,
but we couldn't find it for sure.

The cottonwood leaves are changing to gold. They do it from the top
down, as if someone had dumped a pot of gold paint over them. The mud
around Main Pond is in great shape, but no shorebirds were to be
found. I am puzzled about this.

Did I mention yet to all of you that the Dime Lot is being transferred
to the management of the CUH; plans call for it to be turned into
wetlands. Hurrah. - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com
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