Subject: [Tweeters] a good day in CLALLAM: three rarities
Date: Jan 28 21:09:09 2012
From: Scott Atkinson - scottratkinson at hotmail.com






Tweeters: Had a good day in the Sequim-Port Angeles area. First, the N. MOCKINGBIRD reportedrecently put in a showing about 10:30 a.m. at the holly along the west side of Peabodybetween 10th and 11th. I only had a fleeting glimpse when I first arrived; the bird flew into the center of the bush and then disappeared. So I walked around the neighborhood(EUR. COLLARED-DOVES, ANNA'S H, etc) before coming back. When I did, the bird wasperched in the top of the holly. I was a bit later able to show it to Carol convenientlyhaving a coffee in the little coffee place a couple blocks down. Then I went to Ediz Hook and right at the main parking spot near the seed-spreadingsite with the gulls, I had the great good fortune to run into Joe and Anne (who postedearlier today). They informed me that a ROCK WREN was down near the base of thehook, just past the Daiwaisha plant. Even more astounding, Joe said it was a singing bird (!). Sure enough, I went down to and scoured the boulders from whereit says "Sail and Paddle Center" on the bay side to about 100 yards beyond. Aftera few minutes I could hear the bird singing, and then spotted it atop a boulder right along the road. I managed a few low-quality shots and a video, which I'veposted at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/?saved=1 ,and I've posted other photos for the day there at the end as well. Once or twiceyou can hear the bird in the background. How am I doing, Dennis P and Carol R? Right at the end of the video, you'll see the pale ROCK WREN atground level, it hops up onto the curb and then down onto the roadway, beforeflying off into the boulders. The bird sings sporadically, and I noted that it does visit the driftwood side aswell. Then I went in search of the RUSTY BLACKBIRD reported to Tweeters on Thursday, from Graysmarsh Lane X Port Williams Rd. I could not find muchfor blackbirds there, but at the south end of Schmuck Rd, at the MapleView Farm, there were hordes. Among the many, I found a RUSTY, though it looked more like a winter male than a female. It had a clearpale eyebrow, and pale throat, but the breast was a dingy brown withindistinct darker streaking. I could not see the back/scapular well(the bird was perched in the trees overlooking the farm along the road)but there were warm brown tones at the edges when it turned. The bare parts seemed correct as well. The bird was studied through thescope. No sign of the Harris' or Slate-colored Fox Sparrow along Olson Rdthat had been there for the record-breaking CBC back on Dec 19, no sparrows at all there in fact. Scott AtkinsonLake Stevensmail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com