The Common Redpolls were present again this morning during the 0830-0930
time frame. First spotted in an all new location and for the first time
SOUTH of Lake Hills Blvd, all perched atop one of the large two willows,
twigs greening and leaves beginning to emerge, just south of the small Little
League baseball field and behind (west) of the large blackberry thicket,
all gleaming bright in the full sun while there still was some, then flew
across the path where landing in a cluster of birches about 100 yards to the
east. In flight it looked like 35-40, maybe a few more, but once they all
landed in the birches and were nicely distributed through the upper third
silhouetted against the bright sky, I counted at best minimum, a for certain
36. Continuing north and for the equivalent distance of a block to the most
reliable and usual 11-tree birch grove, not surprising, there were none.
By the time I got to the lone birch NE of Larsen Lake, there were at least
15 Common Redpolls scattered throughout that tree which could very well
have been a different flock all together. Until yesterday and the fact that
it had been nearly 3 weeks since any Redpolls had been seen at all, I
suppose it is quite possible that this outbreak could involve a whole new batch
passing through. And if the birches are in fact the draw as seems to be the
case, then they certainly came to the right place.


Also, and new for the month and year at LHG this morning, one Rufous
Hummingbird (adult male).


P.S. Make that at least 20 Redpolls in the lone tall birch NE of Larsen
Lake at 0945 just now reported by another birder I met briefly as I was
leaving and whom I sent rushing up that way.


Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA
Pterodroma AT aol.com