I live in the farmlands near Sequim, and frequently just bird the area of Holland, Schmuck, and John Scott Rds. beyond our door. There?s been a bit of a dry spell lately birdwise, though it?s nice to see Trumpeter Swan numbers building to 28 this morning. It was cold, but sunny so I headed out of the yard again -birding the neighborhood is just soooo convenient! This day, among the usual hedge row species were three exceptional ones. A Dipper was along Holland Rd.! One imagines them on boulders near quickly-flowing streams, not nearly stagnant bogs as is Geiren Ck. It probably had come down from the nearby Olympics. A little later, as I turned to head home from near the hay barn on Schmuck Rd., there was a flash of movement as a couple of dozen birds dashed into the blackberry brambles. One flew in front of me and lit amid the thorns in the sun- it was a Palm Warbler; a new species for me in this locale after countless birding walks over 5 years. I pulled out the I-Phone to see if it could be enticed to come out again, and instead a House Wren, very rare and my first this time of year, immediately responded and gave many good looks as I check it out while it did likewise.

Not a bad morning!

Bruce Paige
Sequim, WA

spruceak at yahoo.com