[Hiker Mama]

The habitat of our green belt is aging and decaying red alder with conifers taking over, lots of undergrowth (more and more invasives coming in) brushy, narrow park several blocks long. There is a stream running through. I have tried to make our yard more of a wildlife habitat area, and we have wild roses, oregon grape, wild huckleberries, ferns, plus we have some feeders and water. Lots of unmaintained scraggly wild spots. We get lots of good birds: the normal chickadees, bushtits, robins, towhees, varied thrushes in winter, flickers, jays, bewick's wrens, pine siskins, ruby-crowned kinglets, Wilson's warblers, fox sparrows and song sparrows, house finches. Red-breasted sapsuckers are nesting in a big snag this year. We occasionally get pileated woodpeckers, but they have been around less now than when we moved in, as most of the old rotten alders have fallen in the 14 years since we've lived here. I've heard them this year, but haven't seen any. We've had one evening grosbeak for a few minutes this year, we were pretty excited about that. About a mile away from here is the Scriber Creek/Scriber Lake area, and there are a lot of other birds there. Here's a poor dead bird my psycho cat caught (please no judging about letting our cat out, it's a long and sad story, I feel guilty about it already.)

Mystery bird

This was last September. We thought it was a Swainson's thrush. Perhaps someone else knows different. I kept thinking I was hearing Swainson's thrushes, so I had that in my head, but their song didn't seem quite right from what I am used to. They didn't have the complete upward spiraling trill, it seemed truncated. But still had that fluty quality. I haven't heard any for a month or two now, so I guess they've moved on.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

This wasn't in my yard, but since we're talking about thrushes... I heard a trifecta of thrushes hiking up Surprise Creek today--varied, Swainson's and hermit. I also saw the darnedest thing. A gray jay did a Tarzan swing from one limb to another by grabbing some drooping lichen or moss with it's beak. It was hilarious. It easily could've hopped between the limbs with one or two flaps of its wings, but I liked this guy's style.

[DIYSteve]

[Hiker Mama]

Ah, great, thank you! We do see those (normally alive) but it looked so much lighter up close than in the bushes.

[DIYSteve]

The individual in your pic is representative of Fox Sparrow plumage in the Seattle area, but Fox Sparrow plumage does vary greatly, hence the 4 subspecies sorted by plumage. And some further divide the Sooty (Pacific) subspecies into sub-subpecies.

[Malachai Constant]

Currently under siege by owls at least 5 around our house with little birds going crazy

[olderthanIusedtobe]

I got buzzed by hummingbirds at least half-a-dozen times yesterday while out hiking. I was wearing a red shirt. My buddy was wearing a different color and didn't get buzzed once. I think they were hoping I was a huge flower.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Finally confirmed quail at Richmond Beach Park today. Been hearing them there probably for several years. Visual confirmation today. Weird that it took this long. They scurry around out in the open at my parents' house all the time. I guess these are more shy or something.

[Toni]

This morning I noticed a Hummingbird on the feeder longer than usual and it dawned on me the nectar was frozen, dah! So I made fresh, but then the little guy just perched on this stick like he was guarding it so the others weren't going to get any before he did or something. Fun to watch.

[DIYSteve]

That's an Anna's Hummingbird, AFAIK the only hummer species that winters over in western WA.

[Toni]

[Kascadia]

We've got lots of Annas this year, as many as 10 (or is it 10,000!) mobbing the feeder in the morning when I bring out warm juice. We have 2 feeders hung up about 15 feet apart, the king of the hill can't manage both of them. . . .

[Nancyann]

With the wind chill it's been about 10-12 degrees in the morning at my place, so am zip tying a hand warmer to the base of my hummingbird feeder to keep the base where they drink from from freezing solid. Also using 1/3 cup sugar to 1 cup water.

[IanB]

Seem to be more Anna's every year. Had to hang a fourth feeder to be certain that they wouldn't run out in the evenings while I was at work! Doesn't look like there are any other species close to wintering here, at least not until the climate changes some more.

[DIYSteve]

Anna's Hummingbirds seem to be doing just fine in the Puget trough. Fun settling in to the new home E o' the crest. I've seen more Rough-legged Hawks in the past 6 weeks than in the prior 20 years. 5 Goshawks in 2016, a personal record!