Thanks, Mark, for this bit of birding experience. I am a storyteller (all
writers are) and very much enjoy hearing reports of people like Ed. I fear
an aging population means a loss of these kinds of people. They have so
much knowledge they have accumulated by long-time observations.
Citizen-science at its best!
Great that you listened and thanks for sharing.
Dianna Moore
On Sat, Jan 9, 2021 at 9:50 PM <
tomboulian at comcast.net> wrote:
>
The Sora currently being seen at Green Lake city park in Seattle is tame
>
as a Sora can be-;I think. Stopped by with my partner today for a picture
>
since, well, when does one get a really good picture of any rail. Upon
>
arriving at the most likely spot gleaned from e-bird sightings (directly
>
east of Bongo's/65th St) a man saw us approaching with our big camera and
>
waved us over to see it. That simple; right next to the Green Lake Trail.
>
That man is Ed--the fellow who has been feeding peanut chips to wildlife
>
here and at several other sites around Green Lake for years. Interesting
>
fellow with recognition of many of the individual birds and people he
>
interacts with. Indeed, the Sora appeared to recognize him and his
>
whistle, if that's possible. It repeatedly came within 8 feet or so of us,
>
slowly and calmly with no fear; swimming etc. as others have reported,
>
poking at greens and cattails in addition to nabbing up peanut pieces.
>
Ed told as may stories of birds and plants he's encountered in the area,
>
and though he's no bird expert (he says he didn't know what the thing was
>
until a birder ID'd it), but "it's been here since summer" He was
>
interested to see pictures and hear on my phone of this bird and others he
>
did not know (Fox Sparrow and Golden-crowned kinglet)
>
Two local residents stopped by and thanked him for helping their interests
>
in both trees and birds of the park.
>
Although I'm sure its technically verboten to feed wild life in City parks
>
(squirrels and a rat were also in this menagerie), this certainly is a
>
great example of what a nature ambassador can look like. We gave him a few
>
bucks for bird seed.
>
>
FYI if you are not familiar with Green Lake Park at this time, be advised
>
that Covid rules require a counter-clockwise movement only around the
>
extremely busy foot path (though you can easily come around the outer
>
non-regulated trail and drop down at many points) Also, if you encounter
>
Ed, he does not wear a mask. And although we parked without incident near
>
the row of homeless person's RV's along Green Lake Drive, just know that
>
this is here.
>
>
Mark Tomboulian
>
Shoreline WA
>
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