Subject: [Tweeters] Rainy day puzzles and Port Angeles bird blessings
Date: Thu Nov 26 12:36:38 PST 2020
From: judyem at olypen.com - judyem at olypen.com

I had an alternate solution for Napoleon- Bonaparte's Gull (girl).

I also wanted to share the sense of blessing I've had recently. While
bemoaning my inability to get my yearly "fix" of winter visitors to
Skagit/Sammish like swans, snow geese, rough-legged hawks and short
eared owls, I was walking Ediz Hook with my dog and had 3 snow geese fly
in and land within feet of us. They hung around long enough I saw them
on the return leg, as well. They seemed quite unflustered by all the
people and dogs in the area. Then on this Tuesday I heard what at first
sounded like a Bewick's wren, but then morphed a bit then shifted
completely. My brain said, "Must be a starling". Since I didn't yet have
one on my weekly list I started scanning - only to be amazed at a tree
top view of plain gray chest and apparently plain gray face. Wasn't able
to get my binoculars up before a smaller bird chase it off, but I
watched the trajectory and went hunting. Sure enough I found it on a
tree mid field and got a good enough look to confirm my initial
impression of Northern Mockingbird! This is one of my favorite birds
from years growing up in AR., it's one I always look forward to seeing
and hearing when I go back for visits, which sadly I haven't been able
to do for several years, so this sighting was an extra special bird
blessing.