Subject: [Tweeters] [Newbie] Seattle Parks, The "I'd Like To Find" List
Date: Aug 6 09:55:44 2012
From: Douglas Snazel - douglas at snazel.com


I want to start by thanking everyone for their great advice on how to avoid
window collisions (as much as possible) with a patio feeder. My wife and I
now pull the blinds at the time the window is most reflective and we'll also
be implementing some of the other techniques sent to us. Again, thank you
for those who sent me private emails to offer their advice and experience.



My "life list" has grown to 23 over the weekend. The latest editions were
Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Canada Goose, Chestnut-backed Chick-a-Dee and a
Bewick's Wren. One small note, I cannot create an eBird account, it seems
like the site is down or having problems. I do have all my sight logs saved
though, so I will create it soon.



PARK WALKS

I spent about 8 hours this weekend walking around various parks. The two key
park walks were Marymoor and Schmitz Park (West Seattle).



Marymoor is an exciting trail that I will revisit again. We were late
leaving and then had some traffic problems which meant we wound up arriving
far too late, and on a Saturday no less. So it was crowded and full of dogs
(and didn't smell too good either as a result). Once we left the "off leash"
area, things quieted down. My wife and I spotted three birds, we could not
identify (one was being photographed by a photographer with a massive camera
quite eagerly). We'd only get the briefest of looks. One of the birds I got
a solid look, but then quickly dashed to the field guide to look it up, only
to be unsure and needed additional data, but by then the bird had flown. I
have learned to keep the binocs on a bird as long as possible! I find it
even helps to whisper to myself what I am seeing, to reinforce my memory of
it when I do look it up. Anyway we could not identify two and so we only
saw Canada Geese to add to the "life list" after a very long walk (we had
seen Canadian Geese before of course, but I set my "life list" to zero when
starting the hobby two weeks ago). We saw some Hawks too, but they were so
far away I could not get a positive identification. If I had to guess at
the three we could not identify, it would be Gray-throated Warbler, Bushtit
and Cooper's Hawk, but I don't add anything to my list unless I am 100%
sure. I am going back to Marymoor only earlier in the morning and during a
weekday. The highlight of the Marymoor trip was some majestic Bald Eagles
circling/fishing out in the water. I never grow tired of seeing those birds!



The other walk was more enjoyable, in that it provided more shade and was
much quieter (and the quiet is one of the things I adore about the hobby).
Schmitz Park has a lovely ravine, shady and cool and it was just a lovely
walk. There were birds all around me, but most seemed high up in the canopy
and it was a challenge to locate them. I saw the usual suspects, Jays,
Finches and Chick-a-dees, but I was worried the long walk would not produce
any "new" birds. It was at the end of the walk, off-trail in the bush, that
I finally saw my first Bewick's Wren. He presented himself well and for
quite a while too, so I got a solid identification. I was pretty thrilled. I
am sure that must make some of you chuckle a little that a birder could get
so thrilled over a Bewick's Wren, but I have not seen one before!



I spotted the Heron and the Mallard in a small piece of wetland just off
highway 99, it is part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt and the birds are
regulars there, so I went explicitly to see them add them to the list.



I'D LIKE TO FIND LIST

I thought I'd list a few "I'd like to find" birds. These birds I know aren't
that difficult to spot, but I have not seen them yet. If any of you can
offer advice on where to find these fellows, I'd be much obliged. For
example, we went to Marymoor specifically to find Ospreys, but no luck. I am
not listing anything outrageously rare, just want to augment my
"common/uncommon" list.



Brown Creeper

Cooper's Hawk

Osprey

Red Eyed Vireo

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Spotted Towhee



The list is my "to do" for the week and I'll report back on how I did.



I hope these posts are a little interesting to some of you. I imagine it
must be somewhat pleasant to read about a novice and the exciting trials and
tribulations a new birder encounters. If these annoy you more than they
entertain, I keep the [Newbie] tag on my posts so they can be easily
ignored/deleted.



For all the wonderful private emails this last week, thank you again! You
make the hobby all the more richer for your care and patience of this
newly-addicted birder!



- Douglas, West Seattle

- douglas at snazel.com