Wolfe smashing U-District record: A Barn Owl shows up to help out
It wasn't really necessary to get over the top. Brett Wolfe already had 43 species and was beating the record in the U-District by three with a Common Nighthawk, Western Tanager, Orange-crowned Warbler and Warbling Vireo & Peregrine Falcon. The Barn Owl was late one summer evening about 10:30pm. As Wolfe tells it, "I stepped outside for a few minutes to just enjoy a cool breeze, when I realized that a large white bird was coming my way up the hill. As it flew directly over me by about 30 feet, I could clearly see that it was a Barn Owl. Then, this morning (Aug20), I was having a quick smoke before dawn as I readied for work, and a gull's voice started going off. I looked around the edge of the school next door, and the Red-tailed Hawk came around the corner and flew right over the house with the gull in pursuit!"
That makes 45, which equals the old record + 5, and there's still over four months before this year's race is over.
Yellow Warbler helps put Lawson over the top on S. Queen Anne
Rachel Lawson has hit the 34 mark which is safely in record-territory for South Queen Ann Hill. A Yellow Warbler was a Life-Yard Bird and a Warbling Vireo also helped Lawson guarantee a new YardBirdRace record before the year even reaches the half-way point.
Pendleton + Daniels/Steiner Racing in the 70's--Outer Auburn
Brian Pendleton has put the old outer-Auburn record into the rear-view mirror with 78 species, the most recent being a Bullock's oriole, a bright adult male feeding young. Also seen recently by Pendleton were a singing Cassin's vireo (in addition to the Red-eyed and Warbling vireos also heard this morning, July 4). There's no category for YardDayRacing but Pendleton would be doing well if there were: "The 35 species I saw or heard between 8 and 9 this morning was my highest count from our property this year. Lots of fledged young and several highlights, including a bright male Western tanager (only my second sighting from our property this year), 5 woodpeckers (flicker, pileated, hairy, downy and red-breasted sapsucker), the 3 vireos and of course, the oriole. A Hutton's vireo lives just two blocks away in the woods but I haven't managed to hear one from our property yet."
Also in outlying Auburn, Sandy Daniels and Kevin Steiner are at 73 but aren't resting as they have recently added Osprey, Common Yellowthroat, heard singing from 2 neighbors away, a Red-breasted Nuthatch which was only heard but what else even wants to make that noise?, and 10 Caspian Terns en route to a fishing location which overflew the yard. They also have Great Horned Owl, Greater Yellowlegs (flyover), Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Ringed Turtle Dove (killed by Hawk), Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeak, Northern Shrike, Bullock's Oriole,Fox Sparrow, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Common Yellowthroat, and Lincoln's Sparrow. Daniels/Steiner need four to tie the KingCo A record. Brian Pendleton, who is also working acreage in outlying Auburn, hasn't reported recently.
Hoskin already tied in Ballard, but here's the good news: Nighthawk
With half the year left,Scott Hoskin has tied the Ballard record of 51. Hoskin got off to a good start and by the end of May had Merlin, Tree Swallow, American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Wilson's Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, Caspian Tern and Golden-crowned Sparrow. Another bird Hoskin has is the YardBirdRace logo bird, the Spotted Towhee. That may not seem remarkable, but actually it may be a sign of improving habitat in Ballard--the Towhee has not been seen or heard from that yard in ten years! More recently Hoskin has picked up a Killdeer, a Rufous Hummingbird, the first male he's ever had there, an Osprey and on the morning of June 11 a Common Nighthawk heard (one call at 5 am). (Nighthawks were once common in Seattle in the summer, where they nested on flat rooves, but have been extirpated from urban Puget Sound since the early 80s) Hoskin has one other yard perk going on lately: an Anna's Hummingbird (which has expanded into the Puget Sound area in the last 20 years, btw) is building a nest 5 feet outside his kitchen window.
Tubbs' Redmond "working" yard
is working pretty well!
John Tubbs entry this year is putting a spotlight on the "Working Yard" category of the YardBirdRace wherein the yard is where you work rather than where you live. This is meant to drive home the importance of habitat anywhere it exists, and Tubbs' list this year is implicitly demonstrating how important small green belts near office parks, etc, can be. With 66 as of June 16 in acreage yard/type, Tubbs is well into record territory for Redmond, with fabulous hightlights including a Brewer's Sparrow that even sat still for the camera. (Brewer's Sparrow normally is found in dry shrub-steppe on the eastern side of the Cascades). Tubbs also picked up a Green Heron which returned to a retention pond on the property and not only picked up adult Killdeer, but got to enjoy two young Killdeer YardChicks. Earlier in the year, Tubbs also made headlines on this page with a Northern Shrike. Northern Shrikes aren't too unusual in pastoral flood-plain areas of Western Washington in the winter, but aren't often seen in the vicinity of residential or commercial areas. Tubbs is currently at 66 with his latest bird yet another Western Washington specialty--the Black Swift.
Consult local wildlife before "improving" yard!
"Improving" a yard can be in the mind of the beholder, as this story from John Tubbs attests: " Last year when we moved into our new work building on Willows Road in Redmond, there was a young Green Heron that would hunt almost daily from two perches in a small retention pond by our building. His hunting location was no more than 25 feet from our parking lot, but he was so well camouflaged that I doubt anyone else who worked there even knew he was there as a regular.
"Then the landlord "improved" the pond by cutting down a lot of sheltering brush that had grown up around the edges - part of the bird's hiding screen - and I saw the bird only a handful of times the rest of the season. I doubted he would be back this year. Although the pond edges still are not regrown as they were, the reeds in the pond and some edge grasses have started to hide his favorite hunting perches again. And...a week ago a very handsome Green Heron started showing up regularly and hasn't missed a day yet. He hunts in the same two locations where I could always find him last year. I have no way of knowing if this is the same bird, of course, but I would wager that there is a good chance it is the same bird back hanging out at his old haunt. It's nice to see a shy species like this successfully hunting in a business park."
Nighthawk helps as Wolfe bears down on U-District record.
It wouldn't have been news once, but Brett Wolfe had Common Nighthawk over his yard three nights in a row in the U-District, perhaps evoking the days back in the 40s in Seattle when a resident could sit out on a front porch on a summer's evening and watch a Nighthawk/Vaux's Swift airshow. But I reminisce... Anyway, Wolfe is only one away from tying the U-District record of 40 and also has Western Tanager, Warbling Vireo and Peregrine Falcon.
Danzenbaker pushes past ClarkCo by the end of May: 99
Jim Danzenbaker of Battleground was already at 99 by the end of May, which assures a new record for Clark Co and Battleground. Danzenbaker is also in contention in R-overall. Some of the birds that worked with Jim to achieve this early success include Tundra Swan(s), Red-naped Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hooded Merganser, Peregrine Falcon, California & Thayer's Gull, American Bittern, Red-naped Sapsucker, Green Heron, Black Swift, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinch, and White-breasted Nuthatch.
Bainbridge posts a mark to beat in A-Whidbey: 61
Greenbank is suddenly guaranteed a lofty YBR record and Whidbey Island could even conceivably be in the race for A overall as Linda Bainbridge has lodged a new entry on May 19. Highlights include many Western Washington birds that are are not on the taken-for-granted list (Not that any bird should every be taken for granted): Calliope Hummingbird, House Wren, Cassin's Vireo, Hammond's Flycatcher, Chipping Sparrow, Red Crossbill,Hairy Woodpecker, Barn & Great Horned Owls, Rufous Hummingbird, and Purple Finch.
Hofman/Marrazzo
pick up Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting, painting by Ed Newbold
JEANNE MARRAZZO/JO HOFFMANN of Upper Rainier Beach, Seattle have picked up a Lazuli Bunting, a male which stopped in their yard in mid May. Marrazzo/Hofmann are twice winners in Seattle Residential.
Eagan has a whole half-year to get 17 --Bletch needs 18
Getting 17 new species in the last half of the year might be be a non-starter from a Seattle yard. But CAROLYN EAGAN is working Port Ludlow and already has 80 species counted, with her most recent additions being Yellow Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak and Cinammon Teal. Meanwhile, in Skagit County between Lyle and Hamilton, Gary Bletch is posting very similar numbers with 78 chasing a record of 95. Bletch has Golden Eagle, always a head-turner in Western Washington where Bald Eagles vastly predominate, a Virginia Rail, Bank Swallow and Bullock's Oriole.
Tayler Brook stalking SnoCo Record
Tayler Brook of Brier is at 59 as of May 18, 2007, with Red Crossbill, Fox Sparrrow, Varied Thrush, American Kestrel, Western Screech-Owl, Western Tanager, Wilson's Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Red-breasted Sapsucker. Brook only needs 8 to tie the record in Brier and Snohomish County Residential.
After a fast start on Vashon Island, Huggins in no mood to slow down
Alan Huggins had perhaps the quickest start in this year's YardBirdRace with a Barred Owl just 20 minutes into new year. Huggins then picked up both Townsend's & Orange-crowned Warblers before the end of January. The speed is continuing through the middle months as Huggins has Warbling, Hutton's & Cassin's Vireo, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Evening Grosbeak, Fox Sparrow, Red Crossbill, Purple Finch, White-throated Sparrow (3/7) Pileated woodpecker, American Kestrel and Pacific-slope Flycatcher and at 71 needs only six to make history out of the Vashon record of 76.
Flynn/Benevente making history in Seattle, Seattle-R & W. Seattle!
JIM FLYNN and MARISSA BENAVENTE are in previously uncharted waters in Seattle with 76 species as of July 8. This puts them two species over the overall Seattle YardBirdRace record as well as two over the Seattle residential and West Seattle marks. Most recent additions include an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in a neighbor's tree and not one but two sightings of COMMON NIGHTHAWK. WESTERN SCREECH OWL, HUTTON'S VIREO, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, HUTTON'S & WARBLING VIREOS, RED CROSSBILL, PURPLE FINCH, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE & HERMIT THRUSH are some of the highlight birds Flynn & Benevente have already racked up, who also have the good luck to pick up quite a few waterbirds although their yard falls squarely into Residential by the rulebook.
Sandy Daniels & Kevin Steiner w/ Turtle Dove...
There's Racing in Auburn!
Auburn has an entry in the 2007 YardBirdRace and it's drawing attention. Sandy Daniels and Kevin Steiner are racing an acreage yard-type and have possibly the first ever Ringed Turtle Dove on a YardBirdRace. It's also the last time this particular Ringed Dove makes a Yard list, as it was killed by a hawk. The Ringed Turtle Dove hails from Eurasia and is rapidly expanding its range in North America. Another first for this yard is a "gray-headed" form of the Dark-eyed Junco. This birds doesn't count as a species separate from Dark-eyed, but it is a southwestern bird and very rare in the Northwest. It spent much of the winter at the Daniels/Steiner yard was already at 46 by the end of March. Some highlights include Great Horned Owl, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeak, Northern Shrike, Fox Sparrow and Red-breasted Sapsucker.
photo by Cathie Connolly
"Conolly's Oriole" is back!
Cathie Conolly logs Hooded Oriole in Magnolia for the 3rd year in a row: this time w/ photos
Cathie Conolly has done it three times in a row: gotten a Hooded Oriole on her yard list in Magnolia, a bird that normally can't be found anywhere in the state. No doubt it's the same bird, and this time she has photos of the male Oriole as he is taking a bath. Notice the superb habitat surrounding this bird, making it obvious why he'd want to help her with her YardBirdRacing!
photo by Cathie Connolly
These Hooded Oriole shots are dated April 12, 2007
Red-naped Sapsucker
Danzenbaker blazing at 61 with Red-naped Sapsucker
Jim Danzenbaker of Battleground, Clark Co. has been traveling for quite a bit of the year, but you wouldn't be able to tell that from his YardBirdRace results. Already at 61, which suggests that the ClarkCo record of 97 he holds may be in danger, Danzenbaker has a Red-naped Sapsucker on his list, (the Sapsucker species that's most often found to the east of the Cascade crest). Danzenbaker also has Tundra Swan, Pileated Woodpecker, Hooded Merganser, Peregrine Falcon, White-breasted Nuthatch, California & Thayer's Gulls.
Migration Underway!
Rufous Hummers March 8 , Violet Green Swallows March 15: Mulholland, Port Hadlock
The first male Rufous Hummingbird got to Diane Mulholland's yard in Port Hadlock on Mar. 8, and a couple of Violet-green Swallows toured her yard on March 15, so the migration is underway. In Anacortes, KRISTI HEIN & CASEY BAZEWICK picked up their first Rufous Hummingbird on 3-19.
Sullivan's 43 includes Redpoll
Last year the Sullivans, Patrick & Ruth, working out of a Residential yard in Fircrest, Pierce Co broke all sorts of records with 103 by the end of the year. This year they are already at 43, and that includes two they didn't get last year, a Common Redpoll and a Western Gull. Both of these were flyover birds.
Tayler Brooks has Kestrel
A YardBirdRacer who is on a torrid pace this year is Tayler Brooks of Brier, who is over halfway to her record score last year of 68. Tayler's 36 include American Kestrel, Red Crossbill, Varied Thrush & Fox Sparrow.
Olivers on fire in Redmond
With 39, the Olivers are at a fantastic 72% of their last year's winning total of 53. This year's list includes Hairy Woodpecker, California Quail, Tonwsend's Warbler and Lincoln's Sparrow. "Ollie saw a Merlin," so that puts him at 39" says Grace, but in YardBirdRacing it's strictly pairs listing so 39 it is!
B'vue's Christy Anderson w/ 1st-ever Bobcat in YardBirdRace
Not only is CHRISTY ANDERSON leading Bellevue at this moment, but she has the first BOBCAT ever reported to the YardBirdRace. (Bobcats don't count but do carry official bragging rights in the YBR). No question about it, as Anderson went out to have another look and in typical Bobcat fashion, the big kitty stopped to get a look at her. No, there was no time to pick up a camera, so I'm including a Bobcat from a completely different biotope--eastern WA shrub-steppe-- as a graphic for this story. Try to imagine the same kitty with Blackberry or sword fern in the background, rather than sage brush. Anderson also already has HAIRY & PILEATED WOODPECKER.
Update: Anderson adds another rare one, this time a bird even, the Western Screech Owl--on March 20
Northern Shrike on John Tubb's Redmond working-yardlist
A fairly unusual yardbird, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, made it onto the yardlist of JOHN TUBBS in Renton, but the bird wasn't much of a hit with his other yardbirds, as he explains: "I was in my office with a big number of birds outside working the feeders when they all exploded off in different directions. That usually means a Cooper's or Sharpie, but when I looked out to see what happened, I saw the shrike hopping around my ground feeder checking things out." (The Northern Shrike, though phylo-genetically a songbird, has many of the attributes of a hawk and does hunt birds).
John Tubb whose list is currently at 47, is racing a "working yard," i.e., the yard where he works. His high list attests to the value of natural ravines and edges on publicly owned land, as his yard includes a park greenbelt edge.
Acceleration can be helpful when you're BirdRacing!
There have been some fast starts in the 4 th Annual 2007 YardBirdRace!
Consider DENIS DE SILVIS'S “acceleration percentage” after one week on a 10 acre yard in Roy, WA : With 45 species he's at 50.5 % of his last year's total list (89) after just one week.
JIM DANZENBAKER is at 44% in Battleground (43, 97) with TUNDRA SWANS in six days.
ALAN HUGGINS is at 55% (42, 76) in three weeks & here is a quick start: Alan picked up a yard-BARRED OWL with 20 minutes into the New Year.
BOBBY & CURT PEARSON are also at 55% after three weeks (27-49) with PEREGRINE & BALD EAGLE flyovers already.
OLLIE & GRACE OLIVER in G in Redmond have an Acceleration Percentage of 43 with 23 species including PURPLE FINCH, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH & VARIED THRUSH after 12 days of the new year.
KATHY & MERVYN FLOYD of Freeland, Whidbey Island, are putting the Whidbey record in danger: by February 2, they already had 39 species including a GREAT HORNED OWL. That's over half of the record of 79.
Andrew Emlen with best January ever in Skamokawa
With 30 species at the end, this was the best yardbirding January ever for ANDREW EMLEN, who has WILD TURKEY & NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL one for each acre on his tree farm in Wahkiakum county near Skamokawa. Emlen has had Januarys as low as 16. Acreage class was begun when Emlen complained to YBR headquarters: why not recognize larger landowners who maintain good habitat?
2006 YardBirdRace
the Greatest Ever!
If it were a little dryer here right now the dust would finally be settling on the 3RD ANNUAL Western Washington YardBirdRace. Massive amazing new records were made in cities, towns, counties & neighborhoods throughout the region. Here is some of the news:
Nelson's 2006 Point No Point list is one for the History Books
VIC NELSON again tossed his list into the ring at the last minute and for the third year is the winner overall and in Waterfront Yard/type from Point No Point in Kitsap County. Nelson's 148 tops the old record in all the categories by 10, and is reminiscent of Yardlists from places like Louisiana. Best birds were a GYRFALCON seen in March chasing a female NORTHERN HARRIER, a WHITE WAGTAIL (an Asian bird that breeds in NW Alaska) seen in May, and a LONG-BILLED MURRELET(another Asian breeder) (must be reviewed by Washington's Bird Records Committee) seen on 9 Dec.
Flynn/Benavente in Stratosphere, Rose has W. Meadowlark.
R West Seattle Race breaks ground!
Going into 2006 the record for West Seattle residential was 53. But JIM FLYNN and MARISSA BENAVENTE must have thought that was too low, as they raised it by 19 to 72, a new record for West Seattle, possibly also a new record for Seattle residential and possibly even for Seattle overall. Flynn & Benavente had a visit from a NORTHERN GOSHAWK--rare in Seattle--in December and also have EVENING GROSBEAK, PINE SISKIN, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, & COMMON NIGHTHAWK. Though over a mile from water, Flynn/Benevente are also able to identify commuting & distant waterbirds, always a help in the fiercely competitive YardBirdRace!
In mid November PENNY ROSE entered the fray in a house she's been in since early spring, and one she decided on (in part) because a RED-TAILED HAWK was perching above the yard when she went to look at the house. Rose got 52 species in 2006, including a bird rarely reported from anywhere in Seattle: a WESTERN MEADOWLARK: as the song goes, "Can you see a lark in any other part of town?" OK, hear a lark, and they meant Skylark, but anyway, Rose also has a TREE SWALLOW & a WILLOW FLYCATCHER.
Danzenbaker Battles to 2nd overall in Res. in Battleground
JIM DANZENBAKER, who is equally at home birding Pipeline Road in Panama as he is birding in temperate Southwest WA has smashed the Clark County record with 97 including LONG-BILLED CURLEW, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, BARN OWL, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, RED CROSSBILL,PURPLE MARTIN & COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. 97 is 2nd overall to the Sullivans 103 in Fircrest, Pierce Co.who are also working a residential yard that has an angle on a few waterbirds now and then. Danzenbaker recently reported also that his regular winter American Goldfinch feeding flock of 27 is trying to elbow into his feeding station that also hosts Purple Finch, 2 sp. of Chickadee, 15 Dark-eyed Junco, Song & Golden-crowned sparrows and others.
photo by Tom Eckert
American Redstart makes the Sullivans' Fircrest R-topping list of 103
An AMERICAN REDSTART (like the one shown above photographed by Tom Eckert) has visited the yard of RUTH & PATRICK SULLIVAN of Fircrest, WA on several occasions this fall. So have 93 other species of birds, including COMMON LOON & SPOTTED SANDPIPER. The total of 103 may be a new record for Residential yard-type record, & of course is a new record for Pierce Co overall and Fircrest..
Cole obliterates Madrona record, ties Seattle Greenbelt mark
Working in Greenbelt category, AMY COLE ended with a cool 61 in Madrona, 16 species above the old record of 45, and tying the Greenbelt record for Seattle. Cole has TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER & TREE SWALLOW (shown) , YELLOW WARBLER & WESTERN TANAGER and is one of a few Seattle racers to have COMMON NIGHTHAWK.
photo by Dianna Moore
If your YardBirdRacing it helps to have your own "personal" Barred Owl. This is Dianna Moore's in Ocean Shores.
It’s Moore & McMillan in Ocean Shores, Westport
DIANNA MOORE of Ocean Shores who may well be holding the Ocean Shores & Grays Harbor County YardBirdRace record as of Jan 1 2007. Moore has 53 including SANDHILL CRANE, BARRED OWL, & MARBLED GODWIT. Not far away as a Godwit flies is JAN MCMILLAN of Westport, looking for a Westport record with 21 including TOWNSEND’S WARBLER & FOX SPARROW.
Frank Brown's record in Greenwood has Barn Owl, Patriotic Eagles
Working out of a small yard in Greenwood, FRANK BROWN has set a new record of 47 for Greenwood R. Highlights for Brown, who entered just as the year ended, were a Barn Owl and some outstandingly patriotic Bald Eagles. The two overflights of Bald Eagles were on 4th of July and Memorial Day.
photo by Dawn Bailey
Spotted Towhee: YardBirdRace logo-bird
The Spotted Towhee is in the logo of the YardBirdRace in part because it tends to reward yards that contain good wildlife habitat-including brush & shrubs, with its presence. This photo is by YardBirdRacer DAWN BAILEY of Eatonville.
Auburn Winners Sandy Daniels & Kevin Steiner also have a spectacular asterisk: 9 YARDBREEDERS!
Auburn winners Sandy Daniels & Kevin Steiner, slipping into the race on December 30, 2006, not only own a brand-new YBR record for Auburn, they bring a spectacular number: Nine species of birds nested in their yard in 2006: KILLDEER, VAUX'S SWIFT, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, AMERICAN ROBIN, SONG SPARROW, SPOTTED TOWHEE, & HOUSE SPARROW. Daniels & Steiner also had BARN OWL, NORTHERN PYGMY OWL, & GREAT HORNED OWL, among others on their YardBirdCount.
YardBirdRace Prizes will Help Cerulean Warbler
The American Bird Conservancy has called the Cerulean Warbler the fastest declining Neotropical migrant bird. While the Cerulean is not a Washington state bird, the recent appearance of Bay Breasted Warbler and Yellow Throated Warbler underlines the fact that as long as populations of Cerulean Warblers are healthy, one could show up in Washington State any given spring. The Cerulean Warbler, which is a relatively large warbler and sports a cerulean blue and white plumage with black trim, is having problems because of deforestation on its wintering grounds and fragmentation of forests on its breeding grounds. YardBirdRace is donating $100 in the name of 10 YardBirdRace participants for a total of $1000 to ABC's Save the Cerulean Warbler campaign, which will help local conservationists secure wintering habitat in Colombia and elsewhere..
Norman amasses huge tally in Shoreline
With an astonishing 94 species by the end of October, DON NORMAN is establishing a record that will be hard to beat in Shoreline and will be in the hunt for 1st in R yard-type overall. Norman has PURPLE MARTIN, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT & COMMON RAVEN among others.
WATCH OUT:
Hass & Hunn both doing 60 or more in residential Lake Forest Park!
No they aren't driving recklessly, they're guaranteeing that a new record will be set for Lake Forest Park! TODD HASS, recordholder in the U-District, has moved to Lake Forest Park and was at 68 when last heard from. Hass has BLACK SWIFT, GREEN HERON & PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER. Famed author & birder GENE HUNN has 60 species as of early December. New birds including a RED CROSSBILL and a HERRING GULL put Hass at 72 for a final score, a new record for Lake Forest Park. Is it a new record for KingCo R? We'll be checking final updates to see.
Southwick up by 7 in Shoreline
Bathing HUTTON’S VIREOS have helped CHRISTINE SOUTHWICK to 58, already edging out the old mark for SHORELINE by six species. A nearby nesting pair of BARRED OWLS has brought a fledling to the yard and a pair of COMMON RAVENS, (which in Shoreline are at the current edge of the Raven's southern expansion) have spent about two weeks in the area and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES & DARK-EYED JUNCOS nested successfully.
Hoskin brings Ballard into Seattle contention with 51
With a BLACK SWIFT and a BARN OWL, Scott Hoskin has put BALLARD into a current tie for third among Seattle neighborhoods in the residential yard/type. Hoskin didn't enter the yard race until the 11th month, which just goes to show how important it is to HOLD ONTO YOUR HAT when watching YardBirdRace results unfold in the final straightaway to the finish at midnight on December 31, 2006..
Tayler Brook adds a baker's dozen in Brier
Up a cool 13 species already from the previous Brier record, TAYLER BROOK is having her "best year every" for yardbirding. With a December 3 flock of 6 VARIED THRUSH, she's at 68. BROOK also has CASPIAN TERN, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, CALIFORNIA GULL (How many of us had one of those fly over our house and missed it anyway? I have no idea!) WESTERN TANAGER, COMMON RAVEN SNOW GEESE, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER & PACIFIC-SLOPE & OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER.
The rather large Common Nighthawk is a showy, spectacular presence on Denis DeSilvis's list from Roy, and a number of other YardBirdLists in the Race.
DeSilvis with 85 on Acreage in Roy
Another 11th month entry is DENIS DESILVIS, the first Seattle waterfront record holder from 2004, with a list of 85 species from Roy in Pierce Co. south of Ft. Lewis. DeSilvis has both Rails, SORA & VIRGINIA, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, BARN & GREAT HORNED OWLS, & COMMON NIGHTHAWK. DeSilvis has got off to a 2007 start with 45 species by January 7, 2007. This is remarkable: over 50% of the way to the record in 2% of the time--and although yardbirds trickle in according to a a declining-rate quadratic equation modified by migration, it still makes the odds of a new record in 2007 look awfully good.
Huggins: 76 on Vashon
A CASSIN’s VIREO is one of 76 on ALAN HUGGINS pace-setting list from Vashon Island. With a SNOW GOOSE & AMERICAN KESTREL, Huggins seems safely on course toward a new Vashon mark, which is now a done deal (1/7/07) Last yardbird for Huggins was TUNDRA SWAN, with a flock of 20 flying south over the yard in October.
Woodcock with 81 in Ferndale
PAUL WOODCOCK blasted into the YardBirdRace in November with 81 in yard/type Residential in Ferndale, which would put him in an inside position for a new record in Whatcom. Woodcock has BITTERN, not a bird that appears on too many yardlists, as well as COMMON NIGHTHAWK and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.
Hooded Oriole back on Conolly’s Magnolia list
Last year Cathy Conolly had one of the year's most glamorous YardBirds in the form of a male Hooded Oriole, a black & orange fruit & insect-eater from the Southwest. No doubt the same Hooded Oriole (although not the one shown in the photo) has made the long trip to Magnolia again this year and is on Cathy Conolly’s Magnolia-leading YardBirdList of 41 species. Conally also has a Purple Martin & a Vaux's Swift.
Lewis’s Woodpecker helps as Gene Stagner creates daunting Tacoma record
With just over an acre, GENE STAGNER is working in Acreage yard-type inside the city limits of Tacoma. There he’s heading for a new Tacoma record with 72 including a few species that are easier to see on the eastern side of the Cascades: LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE & CASSIN'S FINCH. The handsome, red & green Lewis’s Woodpecker is a close relative of the Red-headed Woodpecker and unlike other woodpeckers will hunt insects in the air. It used to occur more commonly on the West-side, but is now a very unusual sight anywhere this side of the crest, and is not all that easy to find on the eastern slope, either.
The Yellow-rumped is the Warbler species most likely to make it onto Northwest Yardlists
Racing in Redmond
There’s racing action in Redmond, WA where the old mark of 55 is being chased by ERIN & BILL WOODS with 53 as of 6/1/2006 and GRACE OLIVER with 53 as of 11/15/2006. Erin & Bill have a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW & 2 Owls, Oliver has a PINE SISKIN, BLACK SWIFT & COMMON NIGHTHAWK.
Ditto for Bellevue, but the record was safe
Ditto for Bellevue, WA, where CHRISTY ANDERSON & LOU ANN HARRIS, as of last report, were both at 42. Harris has snagged a TRUMPETER SWAN flyover & a CASSIN’S VIREO and Anderson reports a WESTERN WOOD PEWEE & HAIRY WOODPECKER. BRIAN PENDLETON, last year’s Bellevue winner, is also in the race.
Acreage-Champ Bletch at "only" 90; 5 short of record in upper Skagit Valley
Gary Bletch, who holds the all-time record in Acreage of 95 in the upper Skagit Valley (2005) has 83 as of Nov. 11. SHORT-EARED OWL, BANK SWALLOW & TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE are three on this year's list that one doesn't normally find on yard lists, and one that is very rarely on a YardBirdRace lists is PINE GROSBEAK. Still, Bletch needs 5 to tie his own record, and he's got little more than a week. What do they think down in Vegas?
photo by Dawn Bailey
Swainson's Thrush appears on some yardlists. It is a summer resident that likes riparian woodland.
Woodcock w/ 20-something lead in Ferndale, Page & Birsner in hunt
YardBirdRace officials don't know PAUL WOODCOCK's age, but he has a 20-something lead in Ferndale with 75. Working in residential yard-type, Woodcock has picked up BITTERN, NIGHTHAWK, BOTH SWANS (TRUMPETER & TUNDRA) & RED CROSSBILL & WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Leading in Ferndale in Acreage yard-type is NICK PAGE with 53, one short of the Ferndale G record with two Swan species, BARN OWL, & BULLOCK’S ORIOLE. Also in Whatcom, DIANE BIRSNER is cruising in the direction of an all-new YBR mark in Bellingham with 40 including COMMON NIGHTHAWK.
Conway's Amazing Newcastle list: Will it ever be beat?
Yardbirdracing isn’t like track & field. Records won’t inevitably fall as time goes by. Rob Conway has moved to Preston, but his Newcastle mark of 111 which will likely set a new record in yard-type greenbelt, KingCo, and Newcastle, WA may never be beaten. Conway’s list has so many highlights, I’ll have to refer the reader to the leaderboard, although BLACK BEAR stands out mainly because it doesn’t count.
Turkey ties it up for Emlen in Skamokawa
In Wahkiakum County, ANDREW EMLEN, the originater of the Acreage yard-type category, has been in a spirited attack on his WahCo. Record of 84. Emlen’s list includes WESTERN BLUEBIRD, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, 4 OWLS, 2 VIREOS, 7 WARBLERS, & 5 FLYCATCHERS, but it looked as if it might fall one short until a wild TURKEY ran in front of his car up the driveway. Some ids are easier than others..
Seattle Greenbelt Champ Sam Terry moves to Central District
And it looks like the Central District is about to get its first YBR record. TERRY's at 29 right now in Residential Y/T with a list that includes HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, & WESTERN SCRUB JAY.
Anacortes will have a new record
Meanwhile KRISTI HEIN & CASEY BAZEWICK have jumped into the fray and seem very likely to give Anacortes a brand new YardBirdRace record. Hein & Bazewick have 48 species so far including 2 owls, a HAIRY WOODPECKER & OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. Recent additions include snow-driven RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER & VARIED THRUSH. The newest bird this December has been a WINTER WREN
Green Lake: Bill Morris adds Townsend's Warbler on 12/30 for 50
Green Lake never had a YardBirdRace entrance until 2006, but this year BILL MORRIS is making up for all that. With A list of 47 heading into Nov, including the not-often-found-on-Seattle-yardlists ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, Morris has added WINTER WREN & LINCLOLN'S SPARROW in November to hit 49. MORRIS also has MEW GULL, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER & TURKEY VULTURE. And a very considerate Townsend's Warbler arrived with just one day to spare to give Morris a very round number and a new record for Green Lake.
In Urban Dufort is up by 13 over old Wallingford record
The Wallingford neighborhood record is going to be at least 13 species longer as MATT DUFORT is entering the final week with 44 species, the most notable recent being an overflying SNOW GOOSE flock. Dufort expressed mild frustration that he has heard Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush & Winter Wren in Wallingford on numerous occasions, but they never seemed to pay him a visit at the yard.
Brett Wolfe with likely new record in urban U-District
BRETT WOLFE has 39 as of September in the U-District, which has no YBR record yet. Wolfe has a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, HERMIT THRUSH CALIFORNIA GULL, TREE SWALLOW, DOWNY WOODPECKER, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD & BALD EAGLE.
2-time champs Seattle R champs Hofman/Marazzo may have to settle for second overall: Have Sandhill Crane & Mockingbird
Speaking of glamour birds a SANDHILL CRANE obligingly flew over & a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD hopped onto the yard of JEANNE MARRAZZO/JO HOFFMANN in Upper Rainier Beach, Seattle. Marrazzo/Hofmann are currently at 60, in a position to repeat their win in Seattle residential and within two of tying the record (this was before West Seattle's final reports but is before Jeanne & Jo's final report, although they've been looking at more Penguins & Skuas than yardbirds lately). Their list also includes COMMON NIGHTHAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, WESTERN SCRUB JAY, HAIRY WOODPECKER, TURKEY VULTURE & WARBLING VIREO. Marrazzo and Hofmann are going to have to get more help from their Italian Grayhound
photo by Dawn Bailey
Bailey Smashing Eatonville mark with 63
DAWN BAILEY’S 63 from Eatonville is destroying the old mark of 55. Bailey has MACGILLIVRAY’S, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, TOWNSEND’S WARBLERS & WILSON'S WARBLER (shown) among others.
Faubion needs one to tie in Mt Baker
With 42 species, CYNTHIA FAUBION needs one to tie the record of 43 in Mt. Baker set in 2004 by SAM WOODS. Faubion has BLACK SWIFT, TREE SWALLOW, WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, WESTERN TANAGER & WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.
photo by Dawn Bailey
Dark-Eyed Junco, a summer breeder in some NW yards and common winter resident in many.
Mullholland, Eagan, Jones, racking 'em up in Jeffco!
DIANE MULHOLLAND of Port Hadlock picked up a LONG-TAILED WEASEL which is very impressive although it doesn't actually count in the YardBirdRace, plus 98 species of birds to currently lead Jefferson County. Mullholland is also doing her part to make sure BARN SWALLOW remains an easy species to pick up on yard lists in the county: her yard produced 11 fledglings. (Hooray!) And close behind is CAROLYN EAGAN of Port Ludlow with a cool 96 species as of Dec. 19 including LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER & GREATER YELLOWLEGS. KAREN JONES is also in the race and by with 68 including a GREEN HERON, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, HUTTON'S VIREO, & CALIFORNIA QUAIL and a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.
It's Chris Rhoads on Key Peninsula w/78
As reported earlier on tweeters, CHRIS RHOADS has a very likely safe bead on a new Key Peninsula record with 78 . Rhoads has a bird you don’t see all the time on YBR lists: MOUNTAIN QUAIL, with 2 chicks no less, & also a WESTERN SCRUB JAY.
ditto for Patty Kennedy in Gig Harbor
PATTY KENNEDY appears to be authoring a new YBR record, this one out of Gig Harbor. Kennedy’s 36 as of early August includes RED CROSSBILL, EVENING GROSBEAK, & TOWNSEND’S WARBLER.
Baker/Droker set new mark in Seattle/Waterfront with 70
SHARON BAKER/RICK DROKER with 70 in Seattle, including BAND-TAILED PIGEON & PILEATED WOODPECKER, maintains an overall lead in Seattle and is into record-setting territory working in Y/T Waterfront from West Seattle. Baker & Droker have been picking up a few in through the fall and still have expectations of more including the Wigeon, one their lowest hanging birds left to pick off.
Pearsons take the Hillman City record & raise it by one, then a recount adds two
The migration was pretty much over this fall and the CURT & BOBBY PEARSON still needed two species to tie the record. But a PEREGRINE flew over, a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER came by to forage in a now-downed Ponderosa Pine, and then a life-yard bird, a VARIED THRUSH stopped in to see them go over the top in Hillman City with 47 including an earlier flyover by a TRUMPETER SWAN. Then a simple recount of the list discovered that Black-capped Chickadee and European Starling had never been counted, so the grand total new record for Hillman City is 49.
It's Don McVay Upper Queen Anne; Rachel Lawson on Lower Q A
DON MCVAY, 2004 winner with 55, is currently at 38 on Upper Queen Anne, with an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER & a HERMIT THRUSH. NORMA LARSON, KingCo. R champion from another residence in 2004 is a close second in this neighborhood with 36 including a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. RACHEL LAWSON is leading with 31 as Dec 19 on Lower Queen Anne.
Lott in Greenwood; Galloway in Licton Springs
REBECCA GALLOWAY has 35 including TOWNSEND'S WARBLER in Licton Springs, beating by 13 the record thereicton Springs. PATRICIA LOTT, record-holder in urban yardtype, is leading in Greenwood.
Ranta with 50 in Mt. Vernon: Nashville Warbler & Whimbrel!
KURT RANTA has 50 for the year in residential Mt. Vernon, a full10 behind his record-setting pace of last year but including two, NASHVILLE WARBLER & WHIMBREL, that rarely volunteer easily for yardlists.
McWethy wins big with 66 in Renton
GUY MCWETHY ended his 06 run on the KingCo R record a bit short of his goal of a new record, but still wins in Renton. McWethy in November picked up a COMMON RAVEN, which shows how close the Raven is getting to metropolitan Seattle. Here's a prediction: Raven will be common on Seattle YardBirdLists in 6 to 8 years, and Crow/Raven dogfights will be fact of life in the spring in Seattle. Just a prediction.