Subject: [Tweeters] SWAMP SPARROWS, odd WREN today;
Date: Nov 6 19:11:43 2016
From: Scott - scottratkinson at hotmail.com


Tweeters:


Today three SWAMP SPARROWS were at Portage Creek WMA near Arlington. I suspect that they are regular, I've had them several times in CBC season here. Here is one of two photos:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/30788560606/in/photostream


Then today while working in the yard I had a group of juncos and towhees near the feeder while I was working the garden plot. But in the brambles at the edge perhaps 10 feet from me, I saw a small brown songbird moving stealthily my way in response to pishing down at near-ground level. I assumed PACIFIC WREN, which are common here, but was stunned by a white throat and, when the bird was at side profile, a buffy flank and a white belly with sandy-brown upperparts; and a little bobtail was cocked upward. If there was barring on the flanks, it must have been weak, but then this was a naked-eye observation at point-blank range. The bird was silent. I scrambled over to the car for my camera, returned in a flash, but was unable to get the bird back...


Then, I wish to share that some of my kingbird photos from Neah Bay gave me pause after the fact. Perhaps I'm preaching to the choir, but it would be a good idea to listen to the birds that were at 1st (and 2nd) and Lincoln. Rather than beat a dead horse, please take a look at these three TROPICAL KINGBIRD shots:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/30828430765/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/30710775052/in/photostream/


and compare with:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/14115261 at N05/30828430735/in/photostream/

Scott Atkinson

Lake Stevens

mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com