I wish I had not stood around for over an hour in Duvall to see the White-throated Sparrow. Eventually I ended up at the Tualco Loop Road access to the Crescent Lake Wildlife Area just south of Monroe. I had no more than crossed the earthen bridge and entered the first field when a large sparrow flock flew in. It contained three White-throated Sparrows. I walked for a while and noted abundant numbers of Golden-crowned Sparrows with lesser numbers of White-crowned Sparrows. When I ended up back where I began, I finally saw a Harris's Sparrow. So I saw all four sparrows in the genus Zonotrichia within an hour at the same location. Vince Lucas did this last month in Clallam County, at Dungeness. This is the year for it with the irruption of Harris's Sparrows in Western Washington.

Other birds seen at this site included a Lincoln's Sparrow, large numbers of Dark-eyed Juncos, a few Spotted Towhees, a Peregrine, and two adult Bald Eagles. I did not see a Golden Eagle while I was there.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, Wa