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Bird of the Month As this column catches up with the new birds sighted this spring, this month's column will review Swainson's Thrush. Swainson's Thrushes are brown songbirds with pale underparts, spotted chests, and buffy eye rings. They are best known for their distinctive, fluting song, the upward-spiraling melody that breeding males use to defend their territories and attract mates. Swainson's Thrushes eat insects and arthropods during the breeding season; they also eat fruits, particularly in fall and winter. They are very similar to Hermit Thrushes, which are present in small numbers at Four Seasons in winter. Swainson's Thrushes breed mainly in coniferous forests across most of Alaska, Canada, and the northern Rocky Mountains of the US, and in mixed woodlands along most of the U.S. west coast. They migrate across the entire U.S. and Mexico to their winter quarters in Central and South America. The Swainson's Thrush that was heard in a landscaped greenspace off of Clark Creek on May 13 was a migrating individual and was Four Seasons bird species #121! This is the last of our spring first records and hopefully there will be more when fall migration starts. ~ Steve Edelman Birding CLUB The only hint of unusual activity this summer has been two species that have not previously summered at Four Seasons: Pacific-slope Flycatcher and Mountain Chickadee. The single Pacific-slope Flycatcher was seen and heard in the dense riparian growth along Potrero Creek from May until July 12 and has not been detected since. The calling male was definitely defending a territory, but whether it bred is unknown. Mountain Chickadees breed in our local mountains and several are present during winter at Four Seasons. They were seen at Four Seasons throughout last winter and continued at least through Aug. 6. Whether Mountain Chickadees bred at Four Seasons this summer is unknown. Our morning group bird walk on Aug. 6 produced a modest 16 species; the highlight was a flock of at least five Mountain Chickadees, the most we've ever seen at Four Seasons at one time, even in winter when they should be here! Later in the day, Tina Canon, Gerrie Karczynski, Barbara Wasco and I spotted six additional species, bringing the day's species total to 22. ~ Steve Edelman, steve.h.edelman@gmail.com FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | SEPTEMBER 2022 39 On Sept. 2 at 6 pm, we are bringing you a summer picnic in collaboration with the Bistro. This event will be held outside at The Lodge with fresh vegetable recipes, entertainment, and great raffle prizes. Tickets will go on sale on Aug. 8 in the lobby. Look for more details in the Activities Report as we get closer. For info or suggestions for future topics, please contact pwayne1@outlook.com. ~ Pat Wayne Community Garden Club Swainson's Thrush like the one heard in a landscaped greenspace off of Clark Creek on May 13. Photo by Bill McDonald Nanette Scott got a series of photos of a female Anna's Hummingbird raising its young - from eggs to chicks - in her backyard, including this photo of the newly-hatched chicks. The nest is "precariously placed on a hanging garden spinner," says Nanette During our Aug. 6 bird walk, Gerrie Karczynski captured this photo of two immature and/or female House Finches. Adult males are red

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