Hi Tweeters,


The BLACK PHOEBE was still present at the Frager Rd. and S. 204th St. Ponds in Kent this afternoon around 1:00. I could hear sparrows at the house where the A. Tree Sparrow had been spotted, but they wouldn't show themselves and I didn't want to lurk about the property with my binoculars, so no luck with that species. The phoebe was still in the pond closest to the parking area, but it has moved to the far end of it in the corner near the fence where it was still ice-free. A few hundred ducks of various species were all in the other pond, including 1 EURASIAN WIGEON. If you continue to the end of the second pond to where the levy takes a left turn and then scope the open water in the marsh, you should be rewarded with a good number of NORTHERN PINTAIL (I counted just under 50 and I'm sure that there were more). I also spotted 1 WILSON'S SNIPE along the closer bank of the 2nd pond. The horse pasture on the other side of 204th St. also had a good assortment of ducks and is worth checking out. Also seen were 1 each of the following raptor species: BALK EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, N. HARRIER, and 1 very bedraggled 1st year COOPER'S HAWK. The latter 2 were checking out the first pond with the phoebe.


I also made a quick stop at the Weyerhauser Pond (33663 Weyerhauser Way S.). There was a large assortment of duck species in the ice-free portion, including 4 REDHEADS. I parked by the gate on the side of the road by the entrance. There are no trespassing signs, so I stayed off of the grass.


Good birding,


Lonnie Somer

Seattle

lsomer at highline.edu