Hey tweets, another odd day at the Fill. You might say every day is odd, actually unique. And it is, in the sense that each day has its expected denizens but also its holy-mackeral surprises, and that's been going on for as long as the Earth turns, no doubt. But this day was *really* odd.

For one thing, the SNOW GOOSE was still present and didn't look like it was interested in moving north anytime soon. Other birds normally gone by now but here today were:
Pine Siskins (who may decide to breed down here, for a change)
25 Red Crossbills (looking very plump in the middle, like dinner guests who should have pushed themselves away from the table long ago)

Other birds still hanging on a bit longer than they probably should:
American Wigeon pair on Main Pond
4 Ring-necked Ducks on Main Pond
5 or 6 Greater Scaup on the lake
3 Double-crested Cormorants hanging onto the light standards around the baseball diamond, although their brethren left for the breeding grounds a week ago
Several Green-winged Teal still dabbling in Shoveler's Pond and Boy Scout Pond
Golden-crowned Kinglet foraging in the alder grove
a Golden-crowned Sparrow singing forlornly in the alder grove for a mate, but that train already left the station

Still missing, though recorded in other years:
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler

It was beautiful out there today, though, wasn't it?

Best birds of the day:
Snow Goose on lake, then flew toward helipad field
Blue-winged Teal on Main Pond
Wilson's Snipe on Main Pond
Greater Scaup on lake
Merlin fly by
Brown Creepers nesting (we don't have the right habitat, but they make do)
Savannah Sparrows vocalizing their fight song, which is different from their normal song
Red Crossbills flying on Douglas Road

- Connie, Seattle
constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com