Hello Tweets,

I got to the Montlake Fill at about 9:30 AM, among many other birders (didn't get anyone's names, unfortunately, except that I recognized Connie Sidles) and a group of young birders on a field trip. Although we searched all around the loop trail, in the places where it had been seen yesterday in the thickets near the SE and SW ponds, we could not find the Clay-colored Sparrow. In fact, my only sparrows for the outing were Song Sparrow and Spotted Towhee!

I did see some nice waterfowl variety, with many wigeons and coots in a raft far kit inter bay, Canada Geese and Wood Ducks, and a few Ring-necked Ducks near Yesler Cove. The highlight of my outing was a Wilson's Snipe that I saw in flight, traveling from the Main Pond into the reeds on the other side of the "channel" between the mainland and Canoe Island.

A mystery bird circling high above confused me at first: it seemed slight longer- tailed and necked than a cormorant, with a white belly. Upon showing my distant picture to a couple birders, they concluded that it was, indeed, just an immature Double-crested Cormorant. Oh well.

Good birding, Joshua Glant

Mercer Island, WA

Josh.n.glant at gmail.com