Seattle has a thing about crows.

American Crow

As we have flocks of Rock Pigeons in South Africa, here in Seattle it is the American Crow that dominates the skyline and the bird sounds. As winter approaches the crows gather at dusk in huge numbers to move to their resting grounds and this in itself is a Seattle attraction.

I has been watching crows from the kitchen window and the crow-filled sky is certainly Hitchcockian, a 'murder of crows' and all the other associations. This is a clever bird, well adapted to urban life and seemingly very happy in Seattle.
 

Discovery Park, a morning along the shore of the Puget Sound.

Picture perfect weather, a morning walking along rocky and sandy beaches and up flights of stairs into the mixed woodlands of Discovery Park north of Seattle. 

The pleasure of the crisp sea air, the clear views across to the Olympic Mountains and looking for the wintering birds in these diversity of habitats made a wonderful outing today. We even had Mount Rainier in our sight. 

Grebes, mergansers and scoters out the sea, ducks in the fresh water habitat and the excitement of a new bird in the woodland, a Bewick Wren!

Walking along the trail with the Puget Sound in view, almost had to pinch myself appreciating that I am in this beautiful part of the world. 

West Point Lighthouse constructed in 1881, with its stunning setting on the Puget Sound, is still an active aid to navigation on the Sound. 

 

The trail through the mixed coniferous-deciduous forest of the Pacific Northwest.

American Wigeon in the freshwater area of the park.

Detail of the ubiquitous snowberry which is a North American shrub of the honeysuckle family.

Fred managed to get this shot of the Bewick Wren, I was so impressed as it flits and moves rapidly through the scrub.
Another new bird for our USA checklist.