Greetings from Everson. In line with what others have said already today;
it's been a great morning for migrant songbirds here in Whatcom County as
well. I went for a walk at dawn and came home puzzled - it was pretty quiet
for the first hour of sunrise. However, when I got home around 7, my
backyard was buzzing.

Since I've been home more often these days, I've had the chance to notice
the habits of individuals. A pair of Downy Woodpeckers visits the suet
several times a day. For a while it was both of them together, now only one
at a time. Perhaps one is on eggs? A pair of Rufous and Anna's Hummingbirds
are constantly arguing over Red-flowering Currant blossoms. A Ruby-crowned
Kinglet has been hanging out in a hawthorn for several weeks now, singing
its way-too-big-for-its-size song. Yesterday an Orange-crowned Warbler
joined it in the same tree, and both were still there this morning. In a
cottonwood nearby was a silent flycatcher with a teardrop of white behind
the eye. I guess *technically* it could be a Cordilleran, but I went with
Pacific-slope, my first of the year. I also have a pair of American Robins
with a nest high up in a hemlock. The male has a unique song - his third
note sounds like a Bewick's Wren's first note as it's about to start
singing. It's thrown me off several times already, since the Bewick's Wrens
are pretty active around here too. Seven Golden-crowned Sparrows and one
Fox Sparrow were scrounging around on the ground. These must have flown in
last night, as I haven't seen either species in the yard for a while now -
the wintering Golden-crowned and Fox Sparrows left two weeks ago.

That's when the yard really lit up. Several Yellow-rumped Warblers
representing both populations flew into the cherry tree. Then two stunning
Townsend's Warblers landed in a doug fir, followed by a Black-throated
Gray, another first of year for me. They were all singing while foraging,
and when they got too close to each other, would raise a fit and meet in
the air for a tussle, then head separate ways. A Hermit Thrush flew in onto
the ground - only my fourth record for my yard. It clucked a few times but
didn't sing. Six Vaux's Swifts - another FOY! - flew overhead. To top it
all off, two Columbia Black-tailed Deer came in through the trees and hung
out for a while. Not bad for a half acre city lot. Plus there were
flyovers: Pine Siskins, Violet-green Swallows, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and
others. A great half hour!

Trying to get work done now that it's raining...
Stephen Chase
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