From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 1 08:57:46 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shep Thorp via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 1 08:58:02 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for April 30th, 2025 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Thirty of us enjoyed a fine Spring day at the Refuge with cool temperatures in the 40's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit. There as a High 13'7" Tide at 7:00am, so when we started our walk at 8am, we decided to skip the Orchard, Access Roads and Twin Barns Overlook in the morning to chase the falling tide on the Nisqually Estuary Trail and Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Highlights included a pair of CINNAMON TEAL in the Visitor Center Pond Overlook to greet us in the morning, First of Year YELLOW WARBLER at the Twin Barns cut-off from the Twin Barns Loop Trail, continuing YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD x 3 in the freshwater marsh south of the Nisqually Estuary Trail, and great looks of LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, and continuing WHIMBREL from the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Other fun sightings included WOOD DUCK visiting the nest box at the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail, good looks of WILSON'S WARBLER and RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in the Twin Barns Picnic Area, a cool fly over of a MERLIN hunting the mudflats, a single SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER on the mudflats, continuing GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and single SNOW GOOSE in the freshwater marsh, a SORA swimming around in the freshwater marsh near the big Willow Tree along the dike, FOY pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL in the freshwater marsh, and two RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nests with chicks over the borrow slough between the Beaver Deceiver and the NE corner of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. For the day we observed 84 species. With FOY VAUX'S SWIFT, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and BLUE-WINGED TEAL, we now have observed 134 species so far this year. See our eBird List pasted below with additional details and photos. Next week I'll be away leading a trip for Clearwater Audubon to Magee Marsh, the week before the "Biggest Week in American Birding". Ken, Pete, Rob, Jim, Ed and a group of exceptional regulars will lead the way in my absence. Until next time, when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, be well, and happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Apr 30, 2025 6:09 AM - 5:02 PM Protocol: Traveling 7.641 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Sunny skies with temperatures in the 40?s-60?s. There was a High 13?7? Tide at 7:00am and a Low -3?6? Tide at 2:16pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed, Muskrat, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Townsend?s Vole, Harbor Seal, Townsend?s Chipmunk. Others seen American Bullfrog, and Puget Sound Garter Snake. 84 species (+8 other taxa) Snow Goose 1 Seen on central access road with Canada Goose. Greater White-fronted Goose (Western) 53 Cackling Goose (minima) 18 Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 75 Wood Duck 15 Blue-winged Teal 2 Cinnamon Teal (Northern) 7 Northern Shoveler 100 Gadwall 4 American Wigeon 100 Mallard 75 Northern Pintail 25 Green-winged Teal (American) 600 Ring-necked Duck 6 Bufflehead 30 Common Goldeneye 5 Hooded Merganser 8 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 12 Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 1 Mourning Dove 2 Vaux's Swift 3 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 8 Two nests with young on the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail in branches overhanging the borrow slough on the inside of the trail. One nest 8 railing planks north of beaver deceiver. The other nest 50 feet south of NE corner of loop trail. Virginia Rail 1 Heard in Visitor Center Pond. Sora 2 One heard in flooded field south of Twin Barns. The other seen swimming in fresh water marsh just south of Nisqually Estuary Trail closest to largest Willow Tree growing out of dike. American Coot (Red-shielded) 15 Killdeer 2 Flooded field along Entrance Road across from Orchard. Semipalmated Plover 1 Spotted by Craig on mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail west of Leschi Slough. Whimbrel (Hudsonian) 2 Continuing. McAllister Creek Viewing Platform. Wilson's Snipe 1 Flooded field south of Access Road. Spotted Sandpiper 1 West Bank of McAllister Creek. Lesser Yellowlegs 6 Vocalizing. Fly over and landing in freshwater marsh. Greater Yellowlegs 6 Least Sandpiper 200 Western Sandpiper 200 Short-billed Gull 50 Ring-billed Gull 6 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 4 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15 gull sp. 200 Caspian Tern 4 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Heard only. Double-crested Cormorant 5 Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 15 Bald Eagle 30 Nest in Cottonwood Tree West Bank of Nisqually River north dike. Another nest West Bank of McAllister Creek across from Puget Sound Viewing Platform. Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 1 Belted Kingfisher 3 Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Twin Barns Picnic Area and east side of Twin Barns Loop Trail. Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Heard only from Riparian Forest Overlook Northern Flicker 2 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2 Merlin 1 Hunting mudflats. Hutton's Vireo 1 Heard only between Nisqually Estuary Trail and Twin Barns Observation Platform. American Crow 8 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 3 Tree Swallow 100 Violet-green Swallow 2 Purple Martin 6 Barn Swallow (American) 40 Several nests in Visitor Center Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 8 Mud hut over window at Visitor Center. Bushtit (Pacific) 4 Brown Creeper 4 Pacific Wren (pacificus Group) 1 Marsh Wren 20 Freshwater Marsh. Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 4 European Starling 50 American Robin (migratorius Group) 45 Visitor Center. Purple Finch (Western) 5 Pine Siskin (Northern) 8 American Goldfinch 2 White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) 1 White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 2 Golden-crowned Sparrow 12 Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 8 Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 44 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 3 Yellow-headed Blackbird 3 Two males, one female. Red-winged Blackbird 50 Brown-headed Cowbird 10 Orange-crowned Warbler 3 Common Yellowthroat 18 Yellow Warbler 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 16 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 10 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 20 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle x Audubon's) 2 White and yellow throat, more prominent supercilium than Audubon?s variety. More prominent facial mark or smile line. One observed along the access road, the other seem along the Twin Barns Loop Trail. Wilson's Warbler 2 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S231416087 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 1 13:03:12 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jane Hadley via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 1 13:03:17 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Klickitat Spring bird count is Saturday, May 10. Message-ID: Hello Tweeters - The Klickitat County spring bird count is Saturday May 10. There are still territories available: * Panakanic * High Prairie * Maryhill * Klickitat wildlife area * Dallesport/Horsethief * Rock Creek Contact Marc Harvey: oakharvest at gmail dott com to sign up! Jane Hadley Seattle, WA hadleyj1725 - gmail -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 1 15:24:05 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 1 15:24:21 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2025-05-01 Message-ID: Tweets - Fabulous today at Marymoor, as expected. This week, Week 18, has by far the highest cumulative species count for any week of the year, and we expect to find ~70 species on our Week 18 survey. With today's perfect weather, we were not disappointed. The odd thing about Week 18 is that, while you're pretty sure it's going to be awesome, exactly what birds you'll find is always a surprise. Highlights: Blue-winged Teal - Four landed just out from the Lake Platform, First of Year (FOY). This is the 3rd-earliest we've ever had them Northern Shoveler - Large flyover flock that was at least mostly shovelers, then a pair at the lake for good looks (FOY) Green-winged Teal - Still 2-4 lingering. We seldom get them later Ring-necked Duck - Four seen from the Lake Platform, but large numbers were on the lake. Seldom do we get these in May Virginia Rail - One *seen* several times just below the weir SOLITARY SANDPIPER - Below the weir, only our 10th ever (FOY) Greater Yellowlegs - Below the weir (FOY) Least Sandpiper - Around 4 below the weir (FOY). Week 18 has, BY FAR, the most LESA records for any week at Marymoor Osprey - Seemed to have reclaimed two nests from the Canada Geese that were sitting on them the last several weeks Western Flycatcher - One near the Dog Area portapotties (FOY) Warbling Vireo - Two along the west edge of Dog Meadow (FOY) Purple Martin - Back at both pairs of gourds. Appear to have evicted the Tree Swallows that had been using the gourds Hermit Thrush - One along the west edge of Dog Meadow, first since January. ID confirmed by calls American Pipit - Flock(s), with one flock of ~25 seen fairly well in the grass/gravel parking lot (FOY) Yellow Warbler - Male singing from SE corner of the East Meadow (FOY). On the early side for this species Wilson's Warbler - One heard singing incessantly from near the East Footbridge (south of the East Meadow) (FOY) Black-headed Grosbeak - Matt heard a few singing loudly pre-dawn, but none were noted during the main walk (FOY) The WILSON'S WARBLER was truly annoying. For about 5 minutes, nine of us strained for a view while it sang every 10 seconds from no more than 20 yards away. Nobody even got a flash of yellow, but the song was unmistakable. A late scan of the lake turned up one PIED-BILLED GREBE and one unexpected HORNED GREBE in breeding plumage. One seen 06-May-2021 is our only other May HOGR. As I left the park, I stopped at the model airplane field, and near the East Maintenance facility I picked up NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Misses today included Hooded Merganser, Band-tailed Pigeon, Vaux's Swift, American Coot, Cliff Swallow, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Western Tanager. Despite those misses, we had 72 species (counting 2 gull sp. that were almost certainly GWGU or Olympics, but so far away as to be hard to get to gull). Blue-winged Teal was new for Week 18, bringing the cumulative total for this week to 154 species. Next closest is Week 17 at 142 species. No other week has even 140 species. Adding ELEVEN new birds for the year, we're at 107 species for the survey for 2025. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 1 15:42:26 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Timothy Barksdale via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 1 15:42:44 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Twin Lakes Merlins Message-ID: Hi Hans, Normally, at this northern latitude, Merlins have just arrived back on territory at this time of year. They are very active just prior to laying. A Predator's hatching of young is timed to the vulnerable young of the prey species. I suspect that what you witnessed was either a pair-bonding flight or a more - "pure" courtship one. Tim Barksdale Mokane, MO Choteau, MT -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 1 16:00:12 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (MARVIN BREECE via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 1 16:00:15 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Chipping Sparrows Message-ID: Yesterday (4.30.25) there were 2 CHIPPING SPARROWS at the corner of Frager Road and 204th St in Kent. Today I saw one CHIPPING SPARROW at the same location. It was a third bird, very different from the birds I saw yesterday. There was also a wintering bird as well as an adult in alternate plumage earlier in April at this location. Possibly as many as 5 CHIPPING SPARROWS total. Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 2 15:46:59 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Odette James via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 2 15:47:06 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow-headed Blackbird References: <726749414.694173.1746226019059.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <726749414.694173.1746226019059@mail.yahoo.com> This morning and early afternoon, a surprise at the Lake Washington Beach Mobile Park - in the grassy field and on a log floating on Lake Washington - a gorgeous male Yellow-headed Blackbird, with the yellow on his head shading toward orange.? Seen from the Lakeshore Retirement Community next door.? Not his usual habitat, and a treat for those of us watching him.? The second time I've seen this species at this location in four and a half years. Odette James, The Lakeshore -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 2 16:08:41 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ronda Stark via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 2 16:09:10 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow-headed Blackbird In-Reply-To: <726749414.694173.1746226019059@mail.yahoo.com> References: <726749414.694173.1746226019059.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <726749414.694173.1746226019059@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: That's great! We had one yesterday near the lakeshore behind the Center for Urban Horticulture at UW. On Fri, May 2, 2025 at 3:47?PM Odette James via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > This morning and early afternoon, a surprise at the Lake Washington Beach > Mobile Park - in the grassy field and on a log floating on Lake Washington > - a gorgeous male Yellow-headed Blackbird, with the yellow on his head > shading toward orange. Seen from the Lakeshore Retirement Community next > door. Not his usual habitat, and a treat for those of us watching him. > The second time I've seen this species at this location in four and a half > years. > > Odette James, The Lakeshore > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 2 16:48:50 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Gary Bletsch via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 2 16:49:05 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Jamaica? References: <1064688181.438706.1746229730074.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1064688181.438706.1746229730074@mail.yahoo.com> Dear Tweeters, If any birders in Tweeterland can give me some advice about birding in Jamaica, I'd love to hear it. I am somewhat put off by the US State Department's warnings about travelling there. Meanwhile, Lonely Planet makes it sound like a walk in the park. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Specifically, I'd like to hear about any recommended birding guides and general suggestions re safe travel. Thanks! Yours truly, Gary Bletsch PS I had been thinking about going to Jamaica for some time, but had been putting it off. Then I went to a book signing a couple of weeks ago. Kenn Kaufmann had only a couple of minutes to spare, but he mentioned a recent trip to Jamaica! That got me thinking again. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 3 16:15:23 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (MARVIN BREECE via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 3 16:15:25 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit shorebirds Message-ID: Today at Hayton Reserve on Fir Island in Skagit County: Greater White-fronted Geese - 12 Canvasback - 1 BB Plover - 20 Semipalmated Plover - 20 and more Long-billed Dowitcher - a few LONG-BILLED CURLEW - 1 https://flic.kr/p/2r2uoez Greater Yellowlegs - a few RED KNOT - 3 Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Dunlin - hundreds SHORT-EARED OWL - 1 very late -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 4 07:33:40 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ruby Newton via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 4 07:33:44 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Turkey Vultures Message-ID: I believe that we saw two soaring over the bay near the Hood Canal bridge yesterday. Very high, circling. We do have eagles here also though. Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon May 5 07:24:24 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Kathleen Snyder via Tweeters) Date: Mon May 5 07:24:37 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Northern_Spotted_Owl_Recovery_=E2=80=93_Thur?= =?utf-8?q?sday_May_8_7_p=2Em=2E_via_Zoom_or_in-person?= Message-ID: Emilie Kohler of the WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife will share her agency?s efforts to manage the competition between Northern Spotted Owls and Barred Owls. This is a complex issue that involves human-driven range expansion of one species that ultimately harms another species. You can view the program (starting at 7 pm) *via Zoom* by registering here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fkb_fkIHSxGjX8MYkyTanA or you can attend in person at Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Ave SE, Olympia. Social time starts at 6:30 pm. This free program is offered by South Sound Bird Alliance (formerly Black Hills Audubon Society). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon May 5 12:15:10 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (jimullrich via Tweeters) Date: Mon May 5 12:15:32 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Leavenworth Spring Birdfest 5/15-18 Message-ID: Howdy Tweets: Perfect timing to plan your fun trip to Leavenworth and the 5/15-18 Spring Bird Fest. Visit for trips/talks/rafting/mountain biking/artist groups etc: https://www.wenatcheeriverinstitute.org Yours for the Birds n? the Bees Jim Ullrich Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon May 5 21:18:18 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Sandi Doughton via Tweeters) Date: Mon May 5 21:18:33 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird noise deterrents Message-ID: Hi all. I?m looking for insight/experiences with using loud bird calls as a deterrent for nuisance birds. Here?s the situation: I?m in West Seattle. My neighbors? home has, in past years, been seriously damaged by a male Northern flicker that drilled through the eaves and yanked out huge wads of insulation. Their response- guided by some pest control company- has been to mount speakers on the front and back of their very tall home, and blast bird calls nonstop, dawn to dusk. I don?t think they hear it in their house, but it?s really obnoxious in my yard. Merlin recognizes a couple of calls - sharp-shinned hawk, bald eagle - but most of it is avian gibberish, including one screeching sequence that sounds like a gull being dismembered. Most of the backyard birds seem unaffected, but I haven?t seen a towhee since the racket started early this spring. What are folks? thoughts? Does this work? ( I haven?t seen a Northern flicker recently, so maybe it does?) Does it negatively impact other species? Thanks for any insights you can offer. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon May 5 22:13:54 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Scott Ramos via Tweeters) Date: Mon May 5 22:14:35 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Colombia journey Message-ID: In early March this year, Dave Swayne and I made a 2-week birding trip to Colombia. We visited two areas, the Colombian Amazon and the Caribbean coast, which included dry scrub and the lush mountain habitat above Santa Marta. Both of these areas appear in many Colombian birding itineraries but I had no idea what to expect before this trip. To share some of that experience for others with curiosity about the region, I have put together a blog that describes the adventure from our perspective. Part 1 is now published and details the Amazon itinerary; work is progressing on Part 2. https://naturenw.wordpress.com/2025/02/25/colombia-2025/ Given that we would be in the rainforest for a week, I expected heat, humidity and frequent rain. We got plenty of the first two but, except for several hours of one outing, the rain was not really an issue. The novelty of birding the rainforest is that the majority of the time we were birding from a small motored and/or paddled boat with barely enough room for 4 or 5 of us. But we saw plenty of birds. Many were challenging but we had skilled guides throughout. It was an intense and fun trip. Scott Ramos Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue May 6 13:41:40 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carol Riddell via Tweeters) Date: Tue May 6 13:41:54 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Nonstop Bird Noise Message-ID: <39961666-67E7-41E6-A04B-DFF91880FC83@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue May 6 14:40:08 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ellen Blackstone via Tweeters) Date: Tue May 6 14:40:25 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] bird noise deterrents Message-ID: Sandi et al. -- Edmonds, on the shore of Puget Sound, has many MANY flat roofs, several of which are year-round roosts -- and seasonal nesting places -- to Glaucous-winged Gulls. Late last summer, after the young gulls had fledged, one company hired a "pest control" company to scare the gulls away from their roof. [Name? Rentokil. Scary, eh? https://www.rentokil.com/] It irritated the neighbors no end and deterred the gulls not at all, and they stopped it, probably after several complaints. I talked to the owner of the company and explained to him that many of the species nest in colonies and that a ruckus might feel like home, rather than being frightening. (And yes, one set of sounds is like a gull being dismembered. Ugh.) The pair of gulls is happily getting ready to nest again this spring. One thing that worked in my old Wedgwood neighborhood was a gadget that was either motion- or sound-triggered. It was a giant spider that was tucked up under the eave, but when the flicker came around and did whatever flickers do, the spider would drop down with a bounce. That DID seem to scare the birds away. ALAS, I just found that the product is no longer available, and they offer this instead: https://bugspray.com/deterrents/visual/bird-intimidator-flasher But maybe your neighbors could visit Archie McPhee and have them help rig something up. Good luck! Ellen Blackstone Edmonds WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue May 6 15:06:46 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Benjamin Menzies via Tweeters) Date: Tue May 6 15:06:52 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Bird Noise Deterrants In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Not exactly what you're looking for, but here is what worked for the problem described: 1.) I had a flicker bore through the siding and nest in the wall cavity of the house one Spring. After the babies fledged and left, on the advice of the USFWS, I made and hung a flicker-spec'd birdhouse nearby. Flickers moved into it and seemed to defend the area, keeping others away. 2.) I moved to a different place, and put up a flicker box on a pole near the house. I had to discourage starlings from using it at first, but once some flickers moved in they repeated the pattern of using the box, and not trying to bore holes in the house. I really don't recall any drilling problems after either of these efforts, though I admit it's possible I was so captivated by Flicker Family doings that I forgot to care about the siding. ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of via Tweeters Sent: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 12:00 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Tweeters Digest, Vol 249, Issue 6 Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to tweeters@u.washington.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman11.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftweeters&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0a23c7ed2b0845814f5708dd8cd05036%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638821548535429761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6fJOREaOmepyFMhLe9xf0SExhd6btEZN577jFV4XIe4%3D&reserved=0 or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu You can reach the person managing the list at tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Leavenworth Spring Birdfest 5/15-18 (jimullrich via Tweeters) 2. Bird noise deterrents (Sandi Doughton via Tweeters) 3. Colombia journey (Scott Ramos via Tweeters) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 5 May 2025 12:15:10 -0700 From: jimullrich via Tweeters To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Leavenworth Spring Birdfest 5/15-18 Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Howdy Tweets: Perfect timing to plan your fun trip to Leavenworth and the 5/15-18 Spring Bird Fest. Visit for trips/talks/rafting/mountain biking/artist groups etc: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wenatcheeriverinstitute.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0a23c7ed2b0845814f5708dd8cd05036%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638821548535455008%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=M20rmLKuwwxCC4ZJ21rP29jeImCeZbcHcl8GeK9S08A%3D&reserved=0 Yours for the Birds n? the Bees Jim Ullrich Sent from my iPhone ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Mon, 5 May 2025 21:18:18 -0700 From: Sandi Doughton via Tweeters To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Bird noise deterrents Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi all. I?m looking for insight/experiences with using loud bird calls as a deterrent for nuisance birds. Here?s the situation: I?m in West Seattle. My neighbors? home has, in past years, been seriously damaged by a male Northern flicker that drilled through the eaves and yanked out huge wads of insulation. Their response- guided by some pest control company- has been to mount speakers on the front and back of their very tall home, and blast bird calls nonstop, dawn to dusk. I don?t think they hear it in their house, but it?s really obnoxious in my yard. Merlin recognizes a couple of calls - sharp-shinned hawk, bald eagle - but most of it is avian gibberish, including one screeching sequence that sounds like a gull being dismembered. Most of the backyard birds seem unaffected, but I haven?t seen a towhee since the racket started early this spring. What are folks? thoughts? Does this work? ( I haven?t seen a Northern flicker recently, so maybe it does?) Does it negatively impact other species? Thanks for any insights you can offer. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: > ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Mon, 5 May 2025 22:13:54 -0700 From: Scott Ramos via Tweeters To: Tweeters Tweeters Bird Chat Subject: [Tweeters] Colombia journey Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" In early March this year, Dave Swayne and I made a 2-week birding trip to Colombia. We visited two areas, the Colombian Amazon and the Caribbean coast, which included dry scrub and the lush mountain habitat above Santa Marta. Both of these areas appear in many Colombian birding itineraries but I had no idea what to expect before this trip. To share some of that experience for others with curiosity about the region, I have put together a blog that describes the adventure from our perspective. Part 1 is now published and details the Amazon itinerary; work is progressing on Part 2. https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnaturenw.wordpress.com%2F2025%2F02%2F25%2Fcolombia-2025%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0a23c7ed2b0845814f5708dd8cd05036%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638821548535497469%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4YvrRUy3A4m9z2dARjU%2F3SCl9ODr7hdDXG8oRpysV0M%3D&reserved=0 Given that we would be in the rainforest for a week, I expected heat, humidity and frequent rain. We got plenty of the first two but, except for several hours of one outing, the rain was not really an issue. The novelty of birding the rainforest is that the majority of the time we were birding from a small motored and/or paddled boat with barely enough room for 4 or 5 of us. But we saw plenty of birds. Many were challenging but we had skilled guides throughout. It was an intense and fun trip. Scott Ramos Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: > ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman11.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftweeters&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0a23c7ed2b0845814f5708dd8cd05036%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638821548535532549%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Pxdz4ZbVDFFWECIgB7euzDxsYENMW62cmpy2lj3Iskc%3D&reserved=0 ------------------------------ End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 249, Issue 6 **************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 16:04:55 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Brian Zinke via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 16:05:13 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Online program: Edmonds Marsh avian survey & restoration update (5/8) Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Tomorrow evening (5/8) at 7pm, we'll be hosting our monthly program focused on the Edmonds Marsh. If you have an interest in the marsh and/or its birds, please consider yourself invited! Details below: *Edmonds Marsh: an update on our avian survey and the restoration process* Guest speakers: Hannah Toutonghi and Bill Derry Join us for a presentation on bird communities and microhabitats within the Edmonds Marsh. Hannah will discuss how the surveys are conducted and what we?re finding. Then, Pilchuck Audubon President Bill Derry will provide an update on the process to get the Edmonds Marsh restored. Find the Zoom registration link on our Monthly Programs page: https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/monthly-programs Thanks! Brian Zinke -- [image: Logo] Brian Zinke Executive Director phone: (425) 232-6811 email: director@pilchuckaudubon.org Pilchuck Audubon Society 1429 Avenue D, PMB 198, Snohomish, WA 98290 [image: Facebook icon] [image: Twitter icon] [image: Instagram icon] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 16:19:38 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michelle Landis via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 16:19:53 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] RTHA v. BAEA in nest Message-ID: Really interesting behavior today. I've been watching an eagle nest on March Point this Spring. There is a RTHA nest in the same meadow, less than 1/4 mile from the BAEA nest. Last week there were two eaglets, I haven't been able to confirm chicks for the RTHA. Today, both eagle adults were in the nest, slightly unusual. They were VERY vocal, somewhat unusual, so I'm watching to see what they're yelling at. Turns out, it's an adult RTHA who is savagely harassing them. He would kite above the nest, eagles yelling at him (I say "he" without any evidence....my apologies), blow past the nest at high velocity, and finally absolutely dove on the nest, within a wingspan of the adult eagles. This went on for at least 45 minutes and then I had to leave. If I were a less scientific and more anthropomorphic person, I would say this RTHA was PISSED. He was sending some kind of message and I wish I knew what it was. My guess, and it's a good guess, is that the eagles grabbed a chick out of the RTHA nest. Who needs soap operas. -- *Michelle Landis* *Coupeville, WA* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 16:31:12 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dan Reiff via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 16:31:17 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] How hunting harriers home in on their prey | ScienceDaily Message-ID: ?Summary: Owls, well adapted to hearing the exact location of prey, have something in common with an unrelated group of raptors -- harriers. A new study has found that harriers across the world are able to keep a much better ear out for their next meal than previously thought.? https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250506105359.htm Sent from my iPhone -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 18:34:57 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jane Hadley via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 18:35:00 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Some new birding resources Message-ID: <4bf8e5c3-22b3-4732-9782-29c709793a0f@gmail.com> Dear Tweetsters - The Birding Resources page on the WOS website has a couple of changes or additions you may be interested in. First is a new addition. A tool created by Mason Maron shows a list of rare bird species in Washington state along with the number of accepted sightings for each species. It also has a search function. The information comes from Washington Bird Records Committee records. You can see this new tool at: https://visorbearer.github.io/WABirdRecords/ Second, the program that allows you to get a checklist for any county in the U.S. has been updated with bug fixes and other improvements. You now have a choice between two formats for viewing or printing out the checklists. The checklists are derived from eBird sightings. With this update, the species included on the checklists have been screened against the ABA Checklist of United States birds to eliminate extinct birds, escapees, non-wild birds, and birds that are not expected or regular in the U.S. (Examples of species removed from the checklists are Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Northern Red Bishop, and Cockatiel.) This screening also reflects some lumps and splits and name changes, for example, Western Flycatcher and Short-billed Gull. You can find this tool at: https://wos.org/documents/USA-county-checklists/usa-county-checklist.html Also to be found on the Birding Resources page is a link to Marv Breece's Seasonal Occurrence tables, which are especially helpful this time of year. https://wos.org/documents/Occurrence/ Other links are to maps, to a list of resources for adding native plants to your garden, a list of the four-letter Alpha codes for birds, and the Birder's Dashboard for Washington. Also, the Sound to Sage breeding bird atlas which provides accurate data about which bird species are breeding in specific locations within four contiguous counties. https://wos.org/birding-resources/ Jane Hadley WOS Webmaster Seattle, WA hadleyj1725@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 18:42:04 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 18:42:18 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Potholes Moses Lake CBC (proposed) Message-ID: <1746668524.my466uui8sw8s8s8@webmail.sitestar.net> Hi Everyone, I am in the process of developing a new CBC in the Moses Lake area. We hope to do a pilot count for this season and then modify things as needed in the future. For those familiar with the old CBC the count circle has been redrawn. The new circle will cover all of Potholes Reservoir and some of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. The norther portion will still contain almost all of Moses Lake, but the barren wastelands of the north will be gone. Consideration has been given to reduce the miles driven during the count. New areas have been drawn and written directions concerning boundaries are already done. I am wondering how many people would find this an interesting count to participate in. l don't have dates yet but my hope is to have it as early as possible without conflicting with other eastern Washington counts. The other choice is to have it late in the season but that can mean terrible roads (a possibility no matter the timing of the count). I realize it's early to start talking about CBC but all of the paperwork has to go into Washington and National Audubon for review and approval. That takes quite a bit of time, both mine and theirs. Doug Schonewald -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed May 7 18:52:35 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Rob Faucett via Tweeters) Date: Wed May 7 18:52:52 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Cle Elum - Saw whet or Boreal? Message-ID: <3E2CB6CC-E6C4-4D0F-A1F2-7BE7067F71DE@mac.com> I?m trying to get a visiting friend on Saw whet and/or Boreal Owls while he?s in Cle Elum. Any advice or recent hearings? Thanks Rob ? Rob Faucett +1(206) 619-5569 robfaucett@mac.com Seattle, WA 98105 From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 07:01:16 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (AMK17 via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 07:01:19 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Wilson=E2=80=99s_warbler?= Message-ID: <9d34eeca-3750-61fc-8d35-4e85bd4b9018@earthlink.net> Seems like a late migration, at least in my yard. This morning a first of season Wilson's warbler was singing in the yard. Trip to Cle Elum this past weekend seemed absent of warblers but for a common yellowthroat and yellow rumped warblers. Not the best day for observations - cold and windy. Stampede Pass American dipper was present along with singing Yellow rumped warblers. Also observed a barred owl roadside. Cheers AKopitov Seattle AMK17 From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 07:48:50 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shelf Life Community Story Project via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 07:49:29 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Wilson=E2=80=99s_warbler?= In-Reply-To: <9d34eeca-3750-61fc-8d35-4e85bd4b9018@earthlink.net> References: <9d34eeca-3750-61fc-8d35-4e85bd4b9018@earthlink.net> Message-ID: I was just wondering out loud yesterday - where are the Wilson's and Yellow Warblers that appear in our Maple trees every spring? I'm in Seattle's Central District. We had some early Orange Crowned pass through, and tons of Yellow Rumped, but no one else. Last weekend I was up on Matia Island, in the San Juans (an absolute treasure), and Merlin heard Townsend's, Wilson's, and Orange Crowned. If I was a warbler, I'd pick Matia Island over Seattle too. Jill Freidberg On Thu, May 8, 2025, 7:02?AM AMK17 via Tweeters wrote: > Seems like a late migration, at least in my yard. This morning a first of > season Wilson's warbler was singing in the yard. Trip to Cle Elum this > past weekend seemed absent of warblers but for a common yellowthroat and > yellow rumped warblers. Not the best day for observations - cold and windy. > > Stampede Pass American dipper was present along with singing Yellow rumped > warblers. Also observed a barred owl roadside. > > Cheers > AKopitov > Seattle > > AMK17 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 08:06:30 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shelf Life Community Story Project via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 08:06:44 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Wilson=E2=80=99s_warbler?= In-Reply-To: <9d34eeca-3750-61fc-8d35-4e85bd4b9018@earthlink.net> References: <9d34eeca-3750-61fc-8d35-4e85bd4b9018@earthlink.net> Message-ID: Ha! Immediately after sending my earlier reply, I walked outside and heard a Wilson's and Orange Crowned! They're warbling up a storm in my yard. So thank you! This exchange seems to have lifted the spell. Jill On Thu, May 8, 2025 at 7:02?AM AMK17 via Tweeters wrote: > Seems like a late migration, at least in my yard. This morning a first of > season Wilson's warbler was singing in the yard. Trip to Cle Elum this > past weekend seemed absent of warblers but for a common yellowthroat and > yellow rumped warblers. Not the best day for observations - cold and windy. > > Stampede Pass American dipper was present along with singing Yellow rumped > warblers. Also observed a barred owl roadside. > > Cheers > AKopitov > Seattle > > AMK17 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 10:16:15 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 10:16:29 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Gull ID Question Message-ID: Does anybody know the gull species getting smoked out at the Vatican? Yellow-legged? Good Birding! Hans *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA thefedderns@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 12:22:00 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 12:22:07 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Just responding to AKopitov's post... I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... Brad Liljequist Phinney Ridge Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 13:01:46 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Anna via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 13:02:00 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <9205635C-4C25-483D-BBBC-28D7E11C2528@earthlink.net> Reports in CA suggested a 2 week delay there? flycatchers just arriving in Monterey Bay Area? AKopitov Seattle Sent from my iPhone with all the auto correct quirks. On May 8, 2025, at 12:23?PM, BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters wrote: ? Just responding to AKopitov's post... I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... Brad Liljequist Phinney Ridge Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 13:27:01 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 13:27:07 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Wiley Slough - Bald Eagle Nest In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <10060f94-344f-4a28-80e7-ad9b36e57c9a@jimbetz.com> Hi all, ? The chick hatch is probably imminent.? Both parents are staying 'near' the nest essentially full time and they are more "active" than they were even a week ago. I have not seen evidence that the hatch has already occurred - but they are not sitting continuously and will both go off to a nearby roost for as much as a half hour or more (don't need to sit on warm days?).? They are switching off which one is staying closest/on the nest - maybe two or three times a day. ? One of the parents (the male?) has very "creaky" wings and flies in the vicinity once or twice a half hour - mostly moving from one tall tree to another.? It also calls out when sitting.? "Proud Papa Bragging" ... ? *G*? It flew quite close to my head one time when I walked under the nest in order to get past - the best viewing is usually from the 'far side' of the nest.? (Do you remember "Far Side"?) ? I am getting out there about every other day.? Hoping to see a "fuzzy head"! What I've seen so far is "a head sticking up over the edge of the nest". https://eamon.smugmug.com/Family-pics-from-jim/Birds-and-Stuff-from-Jim/n-4Cw3NF/Birds-Web/i-23ZcCzT/A ? This nest is about a mile's walk - one way - from the parking lots at Wiley.? Depending upon the tide you will see ducks (mostly mallards and green-winged teal), yellowlegs (both), great blue herons, tree swallows and maybe the occasional barn swallow, Downy Woodpeckers, a cormorant, and perhaps even a TUVU.? It is interesting to me how few gulls there are. ? It takes me about an hour one way from the parking lot to the nest - because I stop and bird along the way both ways.? I've been spending about 1/2 to a full hour near the BAEA nest.? It is on the right side of the walking path (dike top) and only about 20-25 feet up in a tree ... pretty hard to miss it.? When you get to where the sitting bench is you are 'about 2/3rds of the way'. ? There have been reports of a Great-horned Owl family near the boat ramp at Wiley - I saw the adult one time about 2 weeks ago but have been 'blanked' since. ????? - go Birding!?? ... Jim in Skagit County From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 13:50:58 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 13:51:05 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued In-Reply-To: <9205635C-4C25-483D-BBBC-28D7E11C2528@earthlink.net> References: <9205635C-4C25-483D-BBBC-28D7E11C2528@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <2017764570.1573183.1746737458581@mail.yahoo.com> My sense from Eastern Washington trip this week is late and/or light. On Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 01:14:18 PM PDT, Anna via Tweeters wrote: Reports in CA suggested a 2 week delay there? flycatchers just arriving in Monterey Bay Area? AKopitov?Seattle Sent from my iPhone with all the auto correct quirks. On May 8, 2025, at 12:23?PM, BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters wrote: ?Just responding to AKopitov's post... I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... Brad LiljequistPhinney RidgeSeattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 15:06:33 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 15:06:54 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued In-Reply-To: <9205635C-4C25-483D-BBBC-28D7E11C2528@earthlink.net> References: <9205635C-4C25-483D-BBBC-28D7E11C2528@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <6291F9B9-9A0A-458C-BA7D-D487D957EC90@me.com> Count Vaux?s Swifts as also being late in their northbound migration this year. All of our roosts north of Oregon have been having a lot less than their expected numbers. But last night the San Diego YWCA reported 7600, their second highest number ever. The wee birds are usually gone here come May. So if migration is 2 weeks late, why? Larry Schwitters Issaquah > On May 8, 2025, at 1:01?PM, Anna via Tweeters wrote: > > Reports in CA suggested a 2 week delay there? flycatchers just arriving in Monterey Bay Area? > > AKopitov > Seattle > > > Sent from my iPhone with all the auto correct quirks. > > On May 8, 2025, at 12:23?PM, BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters wrote: > > ? > Just responding to AKopitov's post... > > I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... > > Brad Liljequist > Phinney Ridge > Seattle > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 15:43:59 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 15:44:25 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Swifts late Message-ID: Count Vaux?s Swifts as also being late in their northbound migration this year. All of our roosts north of Oregon have been having a lot less than their expected numbers. But last night the San Diego YWCA reported 7600, their second highest number ever. The wee birds are usually gone from there come May. So if migration is 2 weeks late, why? Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 16:39:01 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Matt Bartels via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 16:39:15 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2025-05-08 Message-ID: Hi Tweets - Another pretty great spring day at Marymoor Park in King County. A dozen of us enjoyed spring temps and lots of birds today - Michael was out of town, so the rest of us did our best to fill in. The best overall bit of the day was actually having several spots with many warblers present. The spring birds might be slow-ish arriving, but they are getting here. Highlights: Evening Grosbeak [FOY] - 4 fly-bys , a species we get about every year, but only a couple times a year, generally Swainson?s Thrush [FOY] - finally back - several ?whitting? mostly pre-dawn, one even gave a full song. One glimpsed later in the day. Black-throated Gray Warbler - [FOY] - one heard singing across from the windmill. Western Tanager - one male seen mid-walk, one more heard at the Rowing Club Black-headed Grosbeak - after only hearing them pre-dawn last week, this week we got nice looks at a couple, and had several singing Warbling Vireo - a few singing, including sightings of a couple Purple Martins have taken over the gourds at the lake viewing platform, but for the 2nd week a Tree Swallow pair continues to perch nearby w/ nesting material, trying in vain to enter one of the gourds where they presumably had tried to set up shop before the martins returned. 6 Warbler species including: Orange-crowned, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Gray and Wilson?s. Many misses today, including Vaux?s Swift, Caspian Tern, Red-tailed Hawk, any pigeons For the day, 58 species. Our walk year list increased by 3 to 110. Matt Bartels Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 22:37:39 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Greg via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 22:37:55 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Gull ID Question In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <918FFBC2-7453-4B3D-813F-75474A40B1DD@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu May 8 22:41:19 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Kenneth Brown via Tweeters) Date: Thu May 8 22:41:23 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually Wednesday walk. Message-ID: <675998707.108974.1746769279561@connect.xfinity.com> The day started with Vultures. Five Turkey Vultures circled the sky over the parking lot and adjacent fields as we arrived. Finding no dead body, we didn't take their presence as an omen. It was overcast and cooler in comparison to the warm days that preceded. Barn and Cliff Swallows swooped around us in their crisp spring plumage. Yellow Warblers sang in the nearby foliage, an American Goldfinch perched briefly in the Alder to the north. We heard and saw more Yellow Warblers as we walked south through the south parking lot. A male Rufous Hummingbird stood guard, as he is want to do, at the entrance to the Children's Play Area. A Band-tailed Pigeon passed overhead and a Mourning Dove perched in an Alder near the maintenance facility. American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Purple Finch, and more Goldfinch sang from the trees in the orchard. The peek-a-boo pond is getting more difficult to see as the grass grows taller and the pond is drying up, but it still yielded a couple Killdeer. The number of ducks has dropped dramatically but there were still Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, and Northern Pintail to be seen in the flooded field west of the service road, along with a few Canada Geese with their goslings. A couple of Least Sandpipers and a few Long-billed Dowitchers shared the wet mud with the remaining waterfowl. Three Golden-crowned Sparrows foraged along the road. A Sora, unseen, sounded off to torment some of the searching birders. An Osprey flew south over the field. >From the brush along the west side of the loop trail we heard and saw more Yellow Warblers, an Orange-crowned Warbler, Marsh and Bewick's Wrens, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Pine Siskins, European Starlings, a Northern Flicker, Swainson's Thrush and American Robins, and Black-headed Grosbeak. At the junction of the loop trail and the trail to the Twin Barnes was a beautiful Bullock's Oriole. >From the platform at the Twin Barnes we saw Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Cliff Swallow and a Violet-Green Swallow on the interior road apparently gathering nest material. Tree and Barn Swallows dominated the air space. A Wood Duck hung out in the remaining water with a few other duck friends. >From the dike, the Eagle's nest in the tall Cottonwood near the Nisqually River has become less visible as the leaves have now nearly fully emerged, but we thought we could discern the movement of a young chick in the nest when the wind pushed the leaves aside for a fraction of a second. Was it observation or imagination? Common Yellow-throat, Savannah, Song, and Lincoln's Sparrows, were seen along the portion of the dike sheltered by the Willow thicket. Distant Least Sandpipers foraged on the mud out on the surge plain. Past the Willows, the freshwater side held Canada Geese shepherding more Goslings, Greater White-fronted Geese, a few Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Shovelers and Pintails. A pair of Cinnamon Teal flew in to join another pair already on the water. A couple of American Coots navigated the near shore along with two pairs of Hooded Mergansers. Virginia Rail and Sora were vocal but again unseen. A solo bright male Yellow-headed Blackbird held a steady post in a clump of rushes, while his Red-winged Blackbird cousins were scattered around, moving from Cattail stalk to stalk. Barn and Tree Swallows abounded, perched and flying, with a few Northern Rough-winged mixed in. Out on the boardwalk along McAllister Creek, the low tide had exposed a lot of mud. A trio of male Common Mergansers stood out in the creek with their dark heads and bright white bodies. A Belted Kingfisher flew up the creek. A Steller's Jay could be heard calling from the conifers on the far side . Anthony's sharp eyes spotted a Whimbrel, nearly the same color of the mud it was foraging on. A gull tried to steal the prize the Whimbrel's long bill had pulled up. A single female Common Goldeneye and a few Bufflehead were the only other waterfowl in the water. A small group of Double-crested Cormorants huddled together on the near shore. On the exposed tide flat east of the boardwalk scattered clumps of Gulls foraged or roosted. A cluster of 20 Caspian Terns mixed with Ring-billed Gulls and Glaucous-winged/Western Gull hybrids and fewer California and Short-billed Gulls. From the covered platform at the end, Purple Martins could be seen using the gourd houses at Luhr Beach. A single Brant's Cormorant sat on a piling far off shore. An adult Bald Eagle could be seen in the nest on the ridge above the beach. A flock of American Wigeon were to the east and to the south a small mixed flock of Western Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers explored the mud. At the Nisqually River overlook were several Common Goldeneye and a single Common Merganser. As we travelled south along the east side of the loop trail we were accompanied part way by a young boy of 8-9 (?) with his mother. We showed them a Red-eared Slider turtle, a Muskrat in the slough, and scope views of two Rufous Hummingbird nests, each with two young occupants. The excitement of the boy and his Mom added to our enjoyment. A side trip to the riparian zone added a Song Sparrow, American Robin and a Common Raven to our tally before we returned to the Visitor's Center to end the walk. The Checklist follows: Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US May 7, 2025 8:00 AM - 2:36 PM Protocol: Traveling 5.49 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. The walk began with overcast skies at 53? F and a light south breeze at 5 knots; through the day, the clouds eventually burned off partly and the wind increased to over 15 knots on a 65? afternoon. There was a low +3.34-foot tide at 10:11 a.m., flooding to a +9.57-foot high water at 3:41 p.m. Non-birds seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Muskrat, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Townsend?s Chipmunk, Pacific Chorus Frog and American Bullfrog. Refuge volunteer Jim Pruske pointed out a growth of Neolentinus lepideus, the ?train wrecker? mushroom along the boardwalk loop. 80 species (+4 other taxa) Greater White-fronted Goose 9 Cackling Goose (minima) 32 Canada Goose 95 Several broods of goslings Wood Duck 3 Blue-winged Teal 2 Cinnamon Teal 4 Northern Shoveler 45 Gadwall 2 American Wigeon 45 Mallard 115 Northern Pintail 55 Green-winged Teal 28 dabbling duck sp. 40 Ring-necked Duck 2 Bufflehead 8 Common Goldeneye 9 Hooded Merganser 9 Common Merganser 4 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3 Band-tailed Pigeon 2 Mourning Dove 3 Vaux's Swift 1 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 7 The two nests along the east side of the boardwalk loop each had 2 large nestlings Virginia Rail 2 Vocalizing from cattail marsh Sora 3 Vocalizing from flooded fields west of the boardwalk loop and south of the north dike American Coot 2 Killdeer 2 Semipalmated Plover 3 Whimbrel 1 Long-billed Dowitcher 17 Least Sandpiper 22 Western Sandpiper 6 Short-billed Gull 2 Ring-billed Gull 30 California Gull 3 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 9 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 42 gull sp. 50 Caspian Tern 20 Brandt's Cormorant 1 Double-crested Cormorant 9 Great Blue Heron 12 Turkey Vulture 5 Osprey 1 Bald Eagle 16 Nest in large cottonwood along Nisqually River appeared to have young bird Belted Kingfisher 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Vocalizing along east boardwalk loop Northern Flicker 2 Steller's Jay 1 Vocalizing from timber west of McAllister Creek American Crow 4 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 5 Tree Swallow 70 Violet-green Swallow 1 Purple Martin 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 Barn Swallow 50 Cliff Swallow 6 Brown Creeper 1 Marsh Wren 9 Bewick's Wren 4 European Starling 28 Swainson's Thrush 1 American Robin 40 Cedar Waxwing 1 Purple Finch (Western) 7 Pine Siskin 6 American Goldfinch 8 Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 Savannah Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 30 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 1 Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 Male in Flooded field east of cattail marsh Bullock's Oriole 1 Male seen vocalizing at northwest 'corner' of the boardwalk loop. Red-winged Blackbird 48 Brown-headed Cowbird 9 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 10 Yellow Warbler 14 Black-headed Grosbeak 3 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S234786059 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 9 10:44:52 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mary Metz via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 9 10:44:56 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act References: <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256@mail.yahoo.com> I'm not sure if this is too political for Tweeters, but I'm hoping that we're all in agreement that the ESA is a good thing and that it's important to protect birds' habitats. The following is from the Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue people--and the deadline for commenting on the proposed change is May 19: Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a change to the Endangered Species Act. The proposal involves replacing the word ?harm? with ?take,? which could significantly weaken protections for the habitats of endangered species. This change is currently open for public comment, and we encourage everyone to consider speaking out and taking action to protect wildlife and their ecosystems. Some background: For more information https://www.barclaydamon.com/.../proposed-endangered...To make your voice heard https://www.regulations.gov/docu.../FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034-0001 Thanks!Mary -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 9 10:53:43 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Faye McAdams Hands via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 9 10:53:50 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act In-Reply-To: <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Thank You Mary! Protecting our planet, and the birds that we all come together here to enjoy, is above ALL politics. Thank you for alerting us! Happy Birding, Faye zest4parus@hotmail.com Faye McAdams Hands Life is Simple -- Eat, Sleep, Bird. ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Mary Metz via Tweeters Sent: Friday, May 9, 2025 10:44 AM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act I'm not sure if this is too political for Tweeters, but I'm hoping that we're all in agreement that the ESA is a good thing and that it's important to protect birds' habitats. The following is from the Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue people--and the deadline for commenting on the proposed change is May 19: Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a change to the Endangered Species Act. The proposal involves replacing the word ?harm? with ?take,? which could significantly weaken protections for the habitats of endangered species. This change is currently open for public comment, and we encourage everyone to consider speaking out and taking action to protect wildlife and their ecosystems. Some background: For more information https://www.barclaydamon.com/.../proposed-endangered... To make your voice heard https://www.regulations.gov/docu.../FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034-0001 Thanks! Mary -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 9 12:00:05 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Louise via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 9 12:00:21 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act In-Reply-To: References: <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1510973835.1758067.1746812692256@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Unfortunately this is not something that is coming from the agencies, or even the current administration. This is coming out of a couple of terrible 2024 Supreme Court rulings, such as the overturning of Chevron. https://www.barclaydamon.com/alerts/end-of-an-era-scotus-overturns-chevron-after-40-years-of-deference-to-administrative-agencies When it was first drafted, the Endangered Species Act intended 'harm' to apply directly to individuals. As understanding of ecology grew and how impossible it is to protect a species without also protecting its habitat, the interpretation of 'harm' by the government and its various agencies was broadened to include indirect harm by disturbing habitat. Last year's Supreme Court rulings have decided that this interpretation is too broad and the government had no right to do it. ?courts need not and under the [Administrative Procedure Act] may not defer to an agency interpretation of the law simply because a statute is ambiguous.? The Biden administration had already begun the process of adjusting the policies and wording of its agencies' directives in order to comply with the Supreme Court rulings, and the current administration has continued that process. This proposed rewording is not a direct result of the administration's policies (although I doubt they disagree with it) - it is intended to make the wording of the law more closely reflect its application as directed by the Supreme Court. Sadly, no amount of people commenting on the proposed change saying that it's terrible will over-ride the Supreme Court ruling. There are two solutions to the problem - one is for the government to draft a new endangered species act from scratch that specifically protects habitat. The other is to wait until we have a more progressive Supreme Court that may revisit the ruling, since this is apparently a thing that happens now. Louise Rutter Kirkland On Fri, May 9, 2025 at 10:54?AM Faye McAdams Hands via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Thank You Mary! > > Protecting our planet, and the birds that we all come together here to > enjoy, is above ALL politics. > Thank you for alerting us! > > Happy Birding, > Faye > zest4parus@hotmail.com > > Faye McAdams Hands > > Life is Simple -- Eat, Sleep, Bird. > ------------------------------ > *From:* Tweeters on behalf > of Mary Metz via Tweeters > *Sent:* Friday, May 9, 2025 10:44 AM > *To:* tweeters@u.washington.edu > *Subject:* [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act > > I'm not sure if this is too political for Tweeters, but I'm hoping that > we're all in agreement that the ESA is a good thing and that it's important > to protect birds' habitats. The following is from the Discovery Bay Wild > Bird Rescue people--and the deadline for commenting on the proposed change > is May 19: > > Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine > Fisheries Service proposed a change to the Endangered Species Act. The > proposal involves replacing the word ?harm? with ?take,? which could > significantly weaken protections for the habitats of endangered species. > This change is currently open for public comment, and we encourage everyone > to consider speaking out and taking action to protect wildlife and their > ecosystems. Some background: > For more information > https://www.barclaydamon.com/.../proposed-endangered... > > To make your voice heard > https://www.regulations.gov/docu.../FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034-0001 > > > Thanks! > Mary > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 9 13:02:51 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ted Ryan via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 9 13:03:15 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <06869e7d-345e-4838-9f3d-8bafbd2d096d@app.fastmail.com> I think politics is precisely the problem. The ESA process is itself political. Biologists (federal and state) and fish and game departments are often well down the list of influencers in the process despite them knowing the most about particular species. You don't need to look further than grizzly bear recovery in the Mountain West states. Montana and Wyoming were denied their petition to reclassify grizzlies in their state. The bears had met recovery objectives under the ESA listing. Very vocal and influential groups have made it impossible for the ESA process to work as it should out of fear they will be hunted. There a many other species that have met recovering objectives but remain listed. The amount of money and resources that is spent fighting to keep recovered species on the list is a shame. There are species in real trouble that could use those resources. The charismatic mega fauna that have met objectives get all the attention and meanwhile the Vaquita (porpoise) is about to disappear from the face of the earth. The process is broken. Ted Ryan Port Orchard On Fri, May 9, 2025, at 12:00 PM, via Tweeters wrote: > > > *From:* Tweeters on behalf > > of Mary Metz via Tweeters > > *Sent:* Friday, May 9, 2025 10:44 AM > > *To:* tweeters@u.washington.edu > > *Subject:* [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act > > > > I'm not sure if this is too political for Tweeters, but I'm hoping that > > we're all in agreement that the ESA is a good thing and that it's important > > to protect birds' habitats. The following is from the Discovery Bay Wild > > Bird Rescue people--and the deadline for commenting on the proposed change > > is May 19: > > > > Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine > > Fisheries Service proposed a change to the Endangered Species Act. The > > proposal involves replacing the word ?harm? with ?take,? which could > > significantly weaken protections for the habitats of endangered species. > > This change is currently open for public comment, and we encourage everyone > > to consider speaking out and taking action to protect wildlife and their > > ecosystems. Some background: > > For more information > > https://www.barclaydamon.com/.../proposed-endangered... > > > > To make your voice heard > > https://www.regulations.gov/docu.../FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034-0001 > > > > > > Thanks! > > Mary > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri May 9 13:47:40 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Thomas M Leschine via Tweeters) Date: Fri May 9 13:47:45 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Pretty big migration day Message-ID: <0A315377-B103-470A-9EC2-31AF5BE5BF49@uw.edu> Hello, Tweets, This morning early I was treated to a small burst of migrants passing through the treetops just outside my West Queen Anne windows, in Seattle. Roughly between the hours of 6:30 - 8:30 am I saw at least a dozen Warbling Vireos, 1 or 2 Black-throated Gray Warblers, 1-2 Orange-crowned Warblers and a Western Flycatcher that spent a little time actually fly catching. This after several successive mornings with no migrants spotted at all. I live on the 4th floor so this was largely a mid-level to treetops display in maples that have just about fully leafed out. A few weeks back there were several days with many Yellow-rumped Warblers, all Audubon?s, with mostly males pushing through a few days before the birds passing through seemed mostly female. Some Orange-crowned and an earlier Black-throated Gray then as well and on May 1 I had a Nashville Warbler sitting on a branch just off the edge of the roofline. Still awaiting Wilson?s Warblers which in some years have been fairly numerous. And if really lucky there might be a few days with Western Tanagers passing through. I haven?t been counting but feel like this has been the most ever springtime YRWAs moving past my windows. Tom Leschine Seattle tee em ell @ you w dot ee dee you From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 06:57:08 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (AMK17 via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 06:57:11 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued Message-ID: <8e254bcf-6f62-d7c4-b9b1-2a9d95b3d51e@earthlink.net> Warbling vireos to day in Phinney! Akopitov Seattle AMK17 -----Original Message----- From: Anna Sent: May 8, 2025 1:02 PM To: BRAD Liljequist Cc: , Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued Reports in CA suggested a 2 week delay there… flycatchers just arriving in Monterey Bay Area… AKopitov Seattle Sent from my iPhone with all the auto correct quirks. On May 8, 2025, at 12:23?PM, BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters wrote: Just responding to AKopitov's post... I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... Brad Liljequist Phinney Ridge Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 13:04:30 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Kersti Muul via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 13:04:40 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Parasitic Jaegers Message-ID: Parasitic Jaegers getting run off by Caspian terns off Blakely rocks ~ SE from the rocks now 12:55 PM Kersti E. Muul ED - SALISH WILDLIFE WATCH Urban Conservation Specialist - Response and Rescue Washington Animal Response Team, BCS, Osprey Solutions and MMSN referral Wildlife Field Biologist IV Marbled murrelet forest certified and USFWS marine certified Animal Care Specialist/Animal & Off the Grid First Aid Certified -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 14:32:39 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 14:33:08 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Recent sightings Message-ID: Late morning on Thursday there was a pair of Osprey circling over the rail yards between Hwy 99 and First Ave just south of the Lumen Field. We've had two newly fledged Dark-eyed Juncos waiting on our deck railing, while a parent does the shuttle back and forth between the feeder and the young ones. Just in time for Mother's Day. Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 16:02:59 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (John and Claudia M via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 16:03:03 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] migration this year In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Greetings from west Kitsap County! I've had zero Violet-green swallows this year, which is disturbing. Last year I had 3 pair successfully nest in my boxes attached to my home on 2 & ? acres. Every year for decades I've always had at least one pair use one of my next boxes. I put up four nest boxes on each side of my house that are far apart from each other. Is anyone else missing "their" swallows this year? I keep hoping that at least one pair will show up, but I'm beginning to give up hope. I love ALL of the swallows, but especially the Violet-greens!! Thanks! John McDonald, Bremerton, WA Lake Symington area ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of via Tweeters Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2025 12:00 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Tweeters Digest, Vol 249, Issue 10 Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to tweeters@u.washington.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu You can reach the person managing the list at tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act (Ted Ryan via Tweeters) 2. Pretty big migration day (Thomas M Leschine via Tweeters) 3. Re: Very low migration continued (AMK17 via Tweeters) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 09 May 2025 13:02:51 -0700 From: Ted Ryan via Tweeters To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act Message-ID: <06869e7d-345e-4838-9f3d-8bafbd2d096d@app.fastmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I think politics is precisely the problem. The ESA process is itself political. Biologists (federal and state) and fish and game departments are often well down the list of influencers in the process despite them knowing the most about particular species. You don't need to look further than grizzly bear recovery in the Mountain West states. Montana and Wyoming were denied their petition to reclassify grizzlies in their state. The bears had met recovery objectives under the ESA listing. Very vocal and influential groups have made it impossible for the ESA process to work as it should out of fear they will be hunted. There a many other species that have met recovering objectives but remain listed. The amount of money and resources that is spent fighting to keep recovered species on the list is a shame. There are species in real trouble that could use those resources. The charismatic mega fauna that have met objectives get all the attention and meanwhile the Vaquita (porpoise) is about to disappear from the face of the earth. The process is broken. Ted Ryan Port Orchard On Fri, May 9, 2025, at 12:00 PM, via Tweeters wrote: > > > *From:* Tweeters on behalf > > of Mary Metz via Tweeters > > *Sent:* Friday, May 9, 2025 10:44 AM > > *To:* tweeters@u.washington.edu > > *Subject:* [Tweeters] Proposed weakening of Endangered Species Act > > > > I'm not sure if this is too political for Tweeters, but I'm hoping that > > we're all in agreement that the ESA is a good thing and that it's important > > to protect birds' habitats. The following is from the Discovery Bay Wild > > Bird Rescue people--and the deadline for commenting on the proposed change > > is May 19: > > > > Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine > > Fisheries Service proposed a change to the Endangered Species Act. The > > proposal involves replacing the word ?harm? with ?take,? which could > > significantly weaken protections for the habitats of endangered species. > > This change is currently open for public comment, and we encourage everyone > > to consider speaking out and taking action to protect wildlife and their > > ecosystems. Some background: > > For more information > > https://www.barclaydamon.com/.../proposed-endangered... > > > > To make your voice heard > > https://www.regulations.gov/docu.../FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034-0001 > > > > > > Thanks! > > Mary > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 9 May 2025 13:47:40 -0700 From: Thomas M Leschine via Tweeters To: Tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Pretty big migration day Message-ID: <0A315377-B103-470A-9EC2-31AF5BE5BF49@uw.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Hello, Tweets, This morning early I was treated to a small burst of migrants passing through the treetops just outside my West Queen Anne windows, in Seattle. Roughly between the hours of 6:30 - 8:30 am I saw at least a dozen Warbling Vireos, 1 or 2 Black-throated Gray Warblers, 1-2 Orange-crowned Warblers and a Western Flycatcher that spent a little time actually fly catching. This after several successive mornings with no migrants spotted at all. I live on the 4th floor so this was largely a mid-level to treetops display in maples that have just about fully leafed out. A few weeks back there were several days with many Yellow-rumped Warblers, all Audubon?s, with mostly males pushing through a few days before the birds passing through seemed mostly female. Some Orange-crowned and an earlier Black-throated Gray then as well and on May 1 I had a Nashville Warbler sitting on a branch just off the edge of the roofline. Still awaiting Wilson?s Warblers which in some years have been fairly numerous. And if really lucky there might be a few days with Western Tanagers passing through. I haven?t been counting but feel like this has been the most ever springtime YRWAs moving past my windows. Tom Leschine Seattle tee em ell @ you w dot ee dee you ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Sat, 10 May 2025 13:57:08 +0000 From: AMK17 via Tweeters To: BRAD Liljequist Cc: tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu, tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued Message-ID: <8e254bcf-6f62-d7c4-b9b1-2a9d95b3d51e@earthlink.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Warbling vireos to day in Phinney! Akopitov Seattle AMK17 -----Original Message----- From: Anna Sent: May 8, 2025 1:02 PM To: BRAD Liljequist Cc: , Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Very low migration continued Reports in CA suggested a 2 week delay there… flycatchers just arriving in Monterey Bay Area… AKopitov Seattle Sent from my iPhone with all the auto correct quirks. On May 8, 2025, at 12:23?PM, BRAD Liljequist via Tweeters wrote: Just responding to AKopitov's post... I have had a very similar experience...one Wilson's next door, Chipping Sparrows in Woodland Park, a nice mix of Audubon's Yellow Rumped around Green Lake, a bunch of Purple Finches in Discovery Park...but so far a very light migration... Brad Liljequist Phinney Ridge Seattle _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters ------------------------------ End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 249, Issue 10 ***************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 19:58:29 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carol Riddell via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 19:58:45 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - April 2025 Message-ID: ? Hi Tweets, As of the end of April, the Edmonds 2025 year list is at 144 species. New species for the month are listed chronologically rather than taxonomically so you can see how migration began unfolding in Edmonds. Osprey (code 2), 1 at Hwy 99 cell tower nest site, 4-5-25. Chipping Sparrow (code 4), 1 at Edmonds marsh (field marks described), 4-5-25. Early. American Pipit (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh, 4-9-25. Western Meadowlark (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh, 4-11-25. Marbled Murrelet (code 2), 2 at waterfront (photos), 4-12-25. Black-throated Gray Warbler (code 2), at Southwest County Park (recording), 4-14-25. Early arrival. Least Sandpiper (code 1), 3 in Edmonds marsh, 4-16-25. Dunlin (code 3), 1 in Edmonds marsh (black breeding patch visible), 4-18-25. Western Sandpiper (code 1), 3 in Edmonds marsh, 4-18-25. Turkey Vulture (code 3), 1 in Pine Ridge neighborhood (ID photos), 4-18-25. Red-naped Sapsucker (code 5), 1 in the Edmonds Lake Ballinger neighborhood (ID photos), 4-18-25. Wilson?s Warbler (code 1), 1 at Yost Park (recording, visual), 4-19-25. Early arrival. Townsend?s Solitaire (code 4), 1 at Yost Park (ID photo), 4-19-25. Common Yellowthroat (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh, 4-20-25. Peregrine Falcon (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh (field marks described), 4-22-25. Warbling Vireo (code 2), 1 at Hickman Park, 4-22-25. Evening Grosbeak (code 3), 1 at Yost Park, 4-22-25. Purple Martin (code 3), 2 at the Olympic Beach nest box pilings, 4-24-25. California Quail (code 3), 1 heard in a Southwest County Park neighborhood, 4-25-25. Long-billed Dowitcher (code 3), 2 at Edmonds marsh (ID photos), 4-26-25. Hammond?s Flycatcher (code 2), 2 at Yost Park, 4-30-25. Western Flycatcher (code 2), 1 each at Yost and Southwest County Parks, 4-30-25. Western Tanager (code 2), 1 at Yost Park, 4-30-25. The Lesser Goldfinch. The first known Lesser Goldfinch, a male, appeared at Puget Drive feeders in late November 2024. He continued to appear intermittently each month through March 5, 2025. His appearances were so brief that only the homeowner was able to see him and photo document his presence. We continue to decline to add American Herring Gull (code 4) to this year?s list. eBird reports from the waterfront omit descriptions of field marks or photos. Given how many mistakes are made with gulls, and how infrequently American Herring Gull appears here, we will wait for an evidence-based report. There was a report of a Northern House Wren (code 4) at Yost Park. The bird was not seen and the recording was only four seconds. It was not sufficient to confirm that species. We also do not add birds to the year list when they are reported by anonymous eBirders and are not documented in the checklists. A word of caution about using Merlin?s Sound ID to support low land Chipping Sparrows. Sound ID is a great tool and is improving with each upgrade. Nevertheless, at this time of year it continues to offer both Dark-eyed Junco and Chipping Sparrow as possibilities when juncos are being seen and heard. The better practice, when completing an eBird checklist, is not to list Chipping Sparrow without having seen the species. And an even better practice is to note the visual in the details window and include the field marks seen. As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or audio. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2025 city checklist, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. (It reflects a species total of 283) If eBirders will use the details field for unusual Edmonds birds (code 3 or rarer), it will help us build the city year list. Photographs or recordings are also helpful. The 2025 checklist is posted in the bird information box at the Visitor Station at the base of the public pier and is up to date through April. Good birding, Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA cariddellwa at gmail dot com Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat May 10 22:01:55 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Sat May 10 22:02:11 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Fwd: [obol] Better than a Front Row Seat In-Reply-To: References: <000d01dbc05f$862bdfd0$92839f70$@net> Message-ID: Dear Tweeters. Well, I also posed the same Vatican Gull question down here and got a different answer. European Herring and Yellow-legged Gulls are quite similar. AI Google came up with this comparison: Click on 'Show More' https://www.google.com/search?q=european+herring+gull+vs.+yellow+legged+gull&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS985US985&oq=european+herring+gull+vs.+yellow+legged+gull&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRirAjIHCAcQIRiPAjIsHCAgQIRiPAtIBCTE0NTg3ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Sharpening the photo and enlarging shows pretty clearly that the legs are yellow. Note also the weakly marked primaries. Now that we've gotten that weighty issue out of the way, we can worry about the upcoming relationship between the current US administration and the beginning Vatican administration........................................................... Bob OBrien Portland PS If you wish to see the sharpened/enlarged photo, let me know. On Thu, May 8, 2025 at 2:24?PM Tim Janzen wrote: > The legs of the adults appear to be yellow. The only breeding gull in > Italy with yellow legs is the Yellow-legged Gull. > > Sincerely, > > Tim Janzen > > > > *From:* obol-bounce@freelists.org [mailto:obol-bounce@freelists.org] *On > Behalf Of *Robert O'Brien > *Sent:* Thursday, May 8, 2025 10:37 AM > *To:* obol > *Subject:* [obol] Better than a Front Row Seat > > > > But, what is their species? > > Bob OBrien Carver OR > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 12:45:39 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 12:45:56 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Bad year for Violet-Green Message-ID: Any or you tweeters spent a morning at Bear Divide? Tell us about it. Or maybe Ryan Terrell could. Violet-Green Swallows coming across Bear Divide in March, April and May. 2021 - 402 2022 - 744 2023 - 819 2024 - 763 2025 - 213 May isn?t over but 2025 has only been good for 4 so far this month. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 12:58:14 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Edward Pullen via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 12:58:31 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] BBQ Flats Horse Camp Message-ID: Ken Brown and I have signed up to lead a trip for the WOS/WFO conference, and the itinerary states we will visit the BBQ Flats Horse Camp off Malloy Road. Does anyone know if the road is open to access that area? In the past I think it has been blocked prior to there. Reply offline. Thanks. edwardpullen@gmail.com -- Ed Pullen Listen to my podcast at The Bird Banter Podcast available on iTunes podcast store and other feeds. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 14:15:19 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diann MacRae via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 14:15:23 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] cancel report! Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 14:56:30 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Loitz via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 14:56:44 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Bad year for Violet-Green In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Although I have not done any counts (thus this is purely anecdotal), the numbers of Violet-Green Swallows at White Pass and Snoqualmie Pass seem normal for this time of year. I have noticed a trend of late arrivals, e.g., we saw no Clark's Nutcrackers at, or on the S side of, Ingalls Pass on a ski tour there on Wednesday, May 7. Steve Loitz Ellensburg On Sun, May 11, 2025 at 12:46?PM Larry Schwitters via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Any or you tweeters spent a morning at Bear Divide? Tell us about it. Or > maybe Ryan Terrell could. > > Violet-Green Swallows coming across Bear Divide in March, April and May. > 2021 - 402 > 2022 - 744 > 2023 - 819 > 2024 - 763 > 2025 - 213 May isn?t over but 2025 has only been good for 4 so far > this month. > > Larry Schwitters > Issaquah > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 15:28:54 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (jimullrich via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 15:29:16 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival 5-15-18 Message-ID: <6C0D59B1-6395-4229-85C0-BA22A17EB27B@gmail.com> Howdy Tweets: Time to plan your trip to Leavenworth for this coming weekends Wenatchee River Institute Spring Bird Fest: visit for programs, trips, talks, art classes etal: 5/15-18 https://wenatcheeriverinstitute.org Yours for the Birds n? the Bees Jim Ullrich Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun May 11 17:20:35 2025 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (MARVIN BREECE via Tweeters) Date: Sun May 11 17:20:38 2025 Subject: [Tweeters] Skagit & Snohomish Counties Message-ID: <1V419XKU4QU4.YZWL6FTHNJVX1@luweb01oc> Today at Hayton Reserve on Fir Island in Skagit County there were 3 RED KNOTS and a pair of YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS. Also BLACK-BELLIED & SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LEAST & WESTERN SANDPIPERS and DUNLIN. Along Valde Rd off of Norman Rd in Snohomish County were 450 WHIMBREL. videos: https://flic.kr/ps/376fhN Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: