Tweeters,

Yesterday brought a pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS checking out a nestbox and the
first VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS flitting around. The usual sparrows were around,
including the lone WHITE-THROATED and two WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS that
wintered over. The White-throated Sparrow is really brilliant right now,
whereas the Golden-crowned Sparrows are looking a bit scruffy, especially
around the head. The Fox and Lincoln Sparrows are looking good. A
Chestnut-backed Chickadee appears to be building a nest in one of the
nestboxes on the garden shed.



Looking good, too, are the two juvenile GREAT HORNED OWLS that hatched out
about a month ago. I'm looking for at least one of them to be "branchers"
any day now. Besides being able to watch the young owls grow up, a side
benefit of the nearby nest is the decided drop in the rabbit population in
the area.



Two NORTHERN HARRIERS circled by yesterday, as did a lone TURKEY VULTURE and
fully adult BALD EAGLE. The Pine Siskin population has stabilized at about
30, but the EVENING GROSBEAK numbers have grown to about a dozen. Waiting
for the snipe and rails to come in for the spring - lots of ducks in the
wetlands below the house for now, mainly Mallards.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com