On 6/13 Burt Guttman mentioned a clearcut area north of I-5 in
Thurston County where Chipping Sparrows, Lazuli Buntings, etc. can be
found. I checked out the clearcut this morning; no buntings, but much
to my surprise, I turned up a singing Clay-colored Sparrow. It took a
while for the insistent "bzzzzz bzzzzz bzzzzz" to register on my hazy
morning mind, finally it sank in: I shouldn't be hearing that here!
Anyway, I'm including the directions I gave Burt to the clearcut,
modified with directions for the sparrow.

>I've found the buntings most often in the two clearcuts located north
>of the Olympia Cheese Factory. To get to the factory, take the
>Marvin Rd. exit from I-5 (exit 111), head north on Marvin, turn right
>immediately on Hogum Bay Rd (by the restaurant), go past the Thurston
>Co. landfill, the road swinging to the left (north). The main road
>(which becomes 31st) turns sharply right at the cheese factory; you
>want to continue straight on Hogum Bay past the factory entrance. I
>normally park where the pavement ends, just past the factory. The
>road continues into the clearcut, but I prefer to walk in.
>
>As you walk north through the first clearcut, watch for low wet areas
>to your left (willows and Spirea plants are good things to watch
>for). The male buntings typically sing from high perches near these
>swampy areas.
>
>If you continue north, you'll cut through a thin "green-belt" of
>standing trees and into another clearcut. Warning: this clearcut
>belongs to the Vicwood Corporation, who have begun to aggressively
>patrol for trespassers. Enter at your own risk! (They'll probably
>just ask you gently but firmly to leave.) In past years I have found
>buntings at the northeast corner of this cut, along the power lines ,
>near what is now the northwest corner of the Meriwood golf course. I
>suspect the birds may have vacated this area, but I haven't been in
>to check this year. This spot can also be reached by walking the
>power lines from the corner of 46th Ave. and Hilton Rd., near the
>golf course entrance (take Meridian north to 46th, turn left).
>
>The southern clearcut is generally better birding anyway, (or so I
>tell myself). This past weekend I poked around the southern edge of
>the cut, looking for new bunting territories. Didn't find any, but
>there were MacGillivray's and Orange-crowned Warblers, Solitary and
>Hutton's Vireos, numerous Chipping Sparrows, Mourning Doves, and
>Western Tanagers, and a pair of harriers that I suspect are nesting.
>
>These clearcuts can also be reached from Marvin Road, which runs
>along their western edge. Park at turnouts and head in. Again, the
>cut north of the power lines belongs to Vicwood.

To get to the sparrow spot, park at the cheese factory, enter the
clearcut, walk north on the dirt road for app. 200 meters to an area
where considerable trash has been dumped. To the left, you will see
several standing thin fir trees out in the open. The sparrow was
singing in this area. It would sing several times from one perch, and
then fly to another, sometimes moving 100-200 meters. Luckily, the
song carries a long distance. Many singing White-crowned and Savannah
Sparrows were in the same area, and a Chipping Sparrow was singing
from the top of one of the spindly firs.

I'll be out of town for a week, starting Thursday night, but if anyone
wants to meet me out there Thursday morning, just holler.


Eric Kraig
Olympia, WA
kraig at wln.com