Subject: [Tweeters] Rusty Blackbird, Fir Island/Skagit, Wylie Slough
Date: Oct 18 01:29:04 2012
From: Michael Willison - sendtomichael at hotmail.com


Tweeters,



I had a female Rusty Blackbird this afternoon at the Wylie Slough Game Range
in Skagit Co. It was in the swampy area to your left as you are driving
into the game range just before you get to the "T" where you turn left for
the boat launch or right for the parking area. It was foraging around the
base of several trees and stumps coming out of the water and in the
vegetation and branches on the water itself. It was only visible for short
periods of time during about the hour I watched for it and then it would
disappear into the wooded area/brush adjacent to the swamp. The rusty upper
back, rusty fringed tertials and pale yellow eye were diagnostic for me as
was its foraging and feeding location and style of which I have not seen
before in our other blackbirds.



Michael Willison

Stanwood