Giant swirling snowflakes halted for a bit at midday, revealing surprising blue skies and peek-a-boo views of gleaming snowy peaks. I was fortunate to refind the 5 handsome BLACK BRANT busily feeding at the tidelands, accompanied by 4 cautious GADWALL, and a sprinkling of MEW and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS. Each BRANT sported a bright white neck patch that indicated they are all adults.
While
there, I watched a BALD EAGLE snatch yet another hapless COMMON MURRE from the
water by its neck and body, and fly to a driftwood perch. Another eagle invited
itself to lunch and a loud screeching ensued from the indignant diner. The
dispute moved too far away to see the finale, but at any rate, the murre did
not win. COASST beach surveyors tagged 8 dead murres, a small portion of those
that are live-caught, dying at sea, or scavenged from the beaches. This sad seabird
die-off is aptly called a "wreck."
I checked
Clear Creek and finally found the male HOODED MERGANSER with his COMMON
GOLDENEYE sweetie. It seems highly probable that this is the same drake that
was here last year, and possibly the same smitten Goldeneye hen. MALLARDS and
oddball mallard-types preened and bathed by the bridge, enjoying the sunshine.
Back
in town, 14 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES perched in a cottonwood; a flock of PINE
GROSBEAKS commandeered the adjacent cottonwood, warily watching for raptors.
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Sporadic
Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment