Subject: [Tweeters] Spencer Island Eastern Kingbirds, Blue-winged Teals
Date: May 27 15:36:54 2012
From: Carol Riddell - cariddellwa at gmail.com


This morning (5-27-12) I decided to take a walk on Spencer Island to
enjoy the cool weather and relative peace and quiet. I went looking
for warblers, which I found, but the best birds were three and
possibly four EASTERN KINGBIRDS. Two males and a female were along the
black-topped path, about a third of a mile south of the gravel road
and footbridge at about 10:30. I called Ann Marie Wood to come since
she was looking for this species for her year list. Naturally, by the
time she arrived, they disappeared. We walked about a mile to the
kiosk on the north end of the island and back. We located one male on
the return trip, fairly close to the foot bridge. So it's not clear
whether this was one of this morning's three or represented a fourth
bird.

There were four BLUE-WINGED TEALS (3 drakes; 1 hen) in the wetland
ponds on the north side of the gravel road that runs between the large
ponds and the smaller aeration ponds. Along with them were two male
WOOD DUCKS, a RUDDY DUCK with its bright blue bill, four species of
swallows, and two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, among others. Of interest was a
male intergrade NORTHERN FLICKER on the fence at the aeration ponds.
It had a red crescent on the nape of its neck and a red patch under
its bill. On the walk to the north end of Spencer Island there were
lots of CEDAR WAXWINGS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and YELLOW WARBLERS.

As we started down the gravel road, heading back to the parking lot,
we noticed a small black something dart from water into the cattails.
We stopped a quietly waited. A moment later a little black fluff ball
poked its bill and upper body out were we could see it. One of the
parent VIRGINIA RAILS started calling nearby. The junior rail then
retreated back, presumably to the safekeeping of a miffed parent. It's
only the second time I've seen a young rail. It's quite a treat.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds