The sunshine and call of the sparrows caused me to head north about 10:30 this am hoping to find two sparrows reported by Blair B. 2 days ago. Saw a Sharpshinned Hawk soon after turning off I-5 toward a soggy Silvana. On Norman Road, at the second concrete silage crib (place of last year's Harris's Sp.), I leaned on the car and watched a plethora of WCSP (many 1st yr), GCSP, SOSP, and a few Foxes for half an hour trying to make one into the White-throated Blair had. Finally, in frustration, I called him to see if his was a juv. or adult - he no sooner answered when a nice adult WTSP hopped up into the crowd. All you have to do is talk to that guy and the birds show! On to Boe Road and the Nature Conservancy site - uncharacteristically quiet except for 1 nice Lincoln's Sp. that I pished up out of some blackberries behind the steel gated dike. At Eide Rd. the now-usual crowd of photogs was there, wandering to and fro since the Long-eared was deep in the shrubbery. Shortears and Harriers were still putting on quite a show for all, though. I spent about an hour around the first blind SW of the parking lot, where Blair had finally gotten his Swamp Sparrow, but saw only wrens (2 spp.) Songs, and White-crowned Sparrows. Then drove up to Wylie Sl. on Fir Is. for my 4th search for the Northern Waterthrush. Found lots of northerns (Harrier, Flicker, Shrike) but no waterthrush. Beautiful sunset though, and another Sharpie to make it all OK

Jon Houghton (jon at hartcrowser.com)
Edmonds