Great cold day brought the usual mob of juncos the marauding mob of bush tits, the two Am.crows and some real color. Among them were chestnut backed chikadees, a young male Townsend's warbler that can not get enough suet and his buddy the ruby crowned flasher kinglet that can't put it away, a pair of male house finches in rose colors, mated pair of spotted towhee undoing the compost pile, a male flicker sporting scarlet accents and crisp dots and dashes, a trio of Steller's jays in midnight storm military attitude and my favorite of the day so far, the brightest orange brown and blue varied thrush.
Yesterday At Magnussen park I was thrilled to see fox, song, gold crown and savannah sparrows spotted towhee, robins, winter and Bewick's wrens, gold and house finches, AM.Crows, Female RT Hawk, ring bill and glaucous winged gulls,shovelers, scaups, goldeneyes, pied billed grebe, common mergansers, gadwal, bufflehead, Am. Widgeon,Greenwinged tealin large numbers and last but most special in that it is a life bird for me, 1 lone Ruddy duck!
Then I found out they can be seen at Greenlake sometimes year round.

Just goes to show that common as a bird may be they can be one of the rarest finds.
Happy snowbirding !.

BTW I have decided to upgrade from my Nikon coolpix L120 to something with a bit more oompf.

Things I want: digital, interchangeable lens capacity, waterproof, fast response and old timey view finder. CONSTRUCTIVE Suggestions or second hand offers welcome. I am looking to stay with Nikon but I think Cannon is going to be more likely cost wise- looking for well under 1000. 6-800 is really the best i can do for this level .
tHANKS.