Hey tweets, A great morning at the Fill, with mist smoking over the tall grass, pink alpenglow from Rainier gilding the still waters of the lake, and everywhere birds in a rush to get things done.

Among them, a mother WOOD DUCK with eight newly hatched ducklings on the Lagoon - a rare chance to see these elusive birds actually producing young here. I've seen a few juvenile Wood Ducks over the years and always "knew" they bred here, but it was nice to see real confirmation today.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS are everywhere, more numerous than in any previous year in my memory. They are busy eating nectar and insects and chasing all comers at the Wedding Rock, Main Pond, SW Pond, and Kern's Restoration Pond. The Anna's, which look nearly twice as big, are totally intimidated.

Ten CASPIAN TERNS were fishing Union Bay very successfully, diving repeatedly and then shaking themselves off in mid-air like flying St. Bernards. After awhile an OSPREY showed up to join the feast. Even the crows were having a fish feed, hovering over the water to stick their heads down and grab anything that came too near the surface.

Swallows are abundant this year, which is very good to see - we haven't had this many for three years now, probably due to our excessively cold springs in the recent past. I'm especially fond of the VIOLET-GREENS. Yesterday, I met a German birder for whom every bird but the Osprey was a lifer. I pointed out the Violet-green Swallows especially, as they are a western specialty. He wasn't too impressed at first, until one flew low and caught the light, flashing a green so stunning even Green Lantern would have given pause. "Mein Gott," was my new-found friend's remark. Indeed.

Here is a poem for you today:

Cool dawn comes early and lingers
long at the Fill.
In the smoky mist
a Violet-green Swallow shared the morning with me,
awaiting the sun.

- Connie, Seattle

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