Hi everyone,



On Sunday while walking the Snoqualmie Valley Trail through the Three Forks Natural Area, I listened to a quite vocal RED-EYED VIREO.? The cottonwoods along the trail are pretty reliable for this species, but April 22nd is definitely on the early side.? It could be clearly heard from the two small trail bridges between the dog area and the river bridge.?



This morning, Sharon Aagaard and I did a monthly bird survey on the Snoqualmie Ridge TPC golf course.? It was quite birdy, with numerous newly-arrived warblers, including Orange-crowned, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's and Yellow-rumped.? We also had multiple large flocks (25-35) of Evening Grosbeaks fly overhead in several locations.? Sharon heard a pair of Red Crossbills as well (only the second time on the Ridge for my records).? However the highlight of the morning was a most unusual combination of tree-fellows.? The first bird that caught my eye was a WESTERN KINGBIRD, a lifer for Snoqualmie Ridge for me (#135 on the Ridge), which was hawking insects, mostly lower to the ground (probably Craneflies).? It flew back to its perch in a tree below the slope between the?tee boxes on ?hole #18 and the #14 green and as I was watching it, a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE flew into the same tree (!).? They were then shortly joined by 3 robins.? Now that is not exactly your expected group of usual suspects sharing a perching tree.



John Tubbs

Snoqualmie, WA

johntubbs AT comcastDOTnet



xxx