Hi Folks,

Today's birding was highlighted by two Black-capped Chickadees at Jug
Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.  Other birds of interest:  Pine Siskin, Vesper
Sparrow, Swainson's Thrush, Sora, Greater Yellowlegs and Rusty
Blackbird, all in AA Co.

Hiking up from the end of the Railroad Trail at Jug Bay this
afternoon, about 2/3 of the way from the start of the trail, I
encountered a small group of birds, and almost immediately put my bins
on a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, first noting the bold white cheeks
extending to the nape, then seeing the ragged bib-line, and then the
extensive white in the secondaries.  A second bird looked just like
it.  I had studied about eight different Carolinas earlier in the day,
and these birds immediately stood out as being different.  I had my
scope and camera ready to go, but after some initial good looks, the
little flock (titmice, downy, and some white-throats) moved up and
down the trail a bit, and the chickadees were never still for more
than a few seconds.  I kept pursuing them until the flock disbanded,
and the area grew quiet.  I waited several minutes, but they did not
return.  With my ipod out of commission I had to make my own noise,
and that only kept the birds interested for a short while.

Other birds at Jug Bay were a single SORA responding to my initial
hand claps at the observation blind off the RR Trail, and 16 RUSTY
BLACKBIRDs seen in trees from the first overlook at the beginning of
the RR Trail.  Most of these were brown (in several shades) females,
and they were soon foraging in the path where I found them a couple
weeks ago.   A flyover calling GREATER YELLOWLEGS was my first this
month.

Yesterday (Friday, 11/5) I did a survey at the Swan Creek Wetland,
accompanied for part of the time by Charlie Kucera.  Most interesting
bird was a PINE SISKIN near the outer main gate, and we had an
unusually good variety of waterbirds including Black Duck (9),
Green-winged Teal (8), Ring-necked Duck (1 male), Bufflehead (5),
Ruddy Duck (8), Common Loon (1), PB Grebe (2), and Am Coot (4)

This morning I began my day returning to the powerline area of Swan
Creek for a mini survey, and as I was returning to my car, a large
pale sparrow ran the path in front of me.  Through the bins I
immediately saw a bold eye ring, then the distinct facial pattern of a
VESPER SPARROW, a new property bird.

Back home in the yard, I saw our latest ever SWAINSON'S THRUSH, and
another Bald Eagle flew by, the second this week.

Oh, a reminder to set your clocks tonight.  I say this because I'm
leading a bird walk in the morning, and I don't want anyone to show up
and wonder why no one else is there.

Stan Arnold
Ferndale