The Washington BirdBox is a voice mailbox sponsored by the Washington
Ornithological Society. To leave a report about a notable sighting or to
listen to the most recent reports from other birders, call (425)454-2662 and
follow the prompts.

Birdbox previously checked about 10 AM, May 4th.

Monday, May 4, 10:00 PM: This is Gary Bletsch (360) 853-7203. Today on the
Francis Road where it intersects with Lindergren Road near Mount Vernon we saw
a TRUMPETER SWAN in a small pond. This was at dusk and the bird flew up to the
east and then appeared to drop down. It was capable of flight but it didn't
fly very high.

Tuesday, May 5, 11:26 AM: Hi, this is Stephen Mlodinow. Today at the Stanwood
Sewage Ponds there were 20 plus BLUE-WINGED TEAL and a female WILSON'S
PHALAROPE. On 28th Street north of Norman Road between Silvana and Stanwood
there were several good shorebirds. To get to this place, take Norman Road
from Stanwood to the east, at 28th turn north, go over the railroad tracks,
the first big pond on your left had a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Continuing north
another half mile or so there's a small pond on the left, this had a PECTORAL
SANDPIPER and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER. That's it. Good luck and good birding.

May 5, 2:14 PM; Hello, this is Scott Atkinson and a slightly belated report
for last weekend. I had a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, my first for the season, on
Sunday morning up at our place at Lake Stevens and the day before, Saturday, I
had my first BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK also at Lake Stevens. On the 3rd, Sunday at
the small pond across from the La Connor Sewage Treatment Plant, I had a
singele BLUE-WINGED TEAL and then about 3 miles east of the turnoff off I-5
for Cook Road not too far from Green Pond, there's a small pond right along
Cook Road and in with LEAST AND WESTERN PEEP I had 2 breeding SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS. That's all.

Wednesday, May 6, 6:09 AM: This is Bill Shelmerdine in Olympia, 866-9106.
There were 2 WHITE-TAILED KITES southwest of Littlerock and they have been
there since about the last week in April. First reported by James Stewart,
they are in the Mima Prairie region and they are in an area of restricted
access but they can be seen from the Mima Road. This road is called the Gate
Mima Road on DeLorme Atlas page 45. To reach the site, go west from Littlerock
to Mima Road and turn south. Go south until you reach the Bordeaux Road
junction and then continue south for 1.1 to 1.2 miles and you can pull over on
the left onto the head of a small gravel road. From this point you can scan
the low fir trees of the Mima Prairie to the east. Good luck and good birding.

May 6, 10:17 PM: Hi, Scott Downes 361-7073. Today Jason Starfire and I went
down to Ocean Shores birding. Among notable birds were: at Bowerman the 2
WHITE PELICANS remain, good numbers of shorebirds remain with approximately
350 RED KNOTS present, 11 RUDDY TURNSTONES on the beach as well as thousands
of DUNLIN, WESTERN SANDPIPER and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. In Ocean Shores
itself, there were 3 BROWN PELICANS seen off the Westport Jetty, some 30 to 40
COMMON TERNS off the Point Brown Jetty and, apparently, a large migration of
PACIFIC LOONS is taking our way with approximately a thousand breeding
plumaged birds making their way up along the coast. That's it. Good luck and
good birding.

Thursday, May 7, 8:12 AM: Hi, this is Tom Aversa (206) 782-7342. An addendum
to Scott Downes' report. I was also birding at Ocean Shores. A few additional
things: probably at least 5 SOOTY SHEARWATERS heading north off of the jetty,
a male CANVASBACK in a pond at Damon Point and also an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
there; 3 HORNED LARKS in that area. Unusual for the jetty, a BLACK
OYSTERCATCHER, a ROCK SANDPIPER still there, about 200 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in
the area and also I had on the way back east, 17 SANDHILL CRANES at Wendell
Slough Road just south of Elma; about 64 WHIMBREL in those fields also (all in
ploughed fields in that area). Also a very late female COMMON GOLDENEYE just
south of Elma.

May 7, 9:05 AM: Hello, this is Scott Atkinson. This morning I was down at
Discovery Park birding with Ann Winski(?) and among the various songbird
migrants that you'd expect at this time of the year, we had good numbers of
WILSON'S WARBLERS also a single DUSKY FLYCATCHER and (heard only) a LINCOLN'S
SPARROW. That's all.

May 7, 5:38 PM: A report from Patrick Sullivan, phone, (253) 564-7419. All
sightings are from today May 7 in Thurston County. At Nisqually National
Wildlife Refuge: 2 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS; 10 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE; 14
BLUE- WINGED TEAL; 3 WHIMBREL; 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS; one WILSON'S PHALAROPE;
one WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE; 6 PURPLE MARTINS and two HOUSE WRENS. At Black Lake
Meadow: a pair of REDHEAD; 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and a HOUSE WREN. At East
Bay near Olympia, (the south end of Budd Inlet), 8 BRANDT'S CORMORANTS and 2
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE. Thank you.

Transcribed by Bob Norton, Joyce (near Port Angeles), Washington,
norton360 at aol.com, (360) 928-3053. Please notify me of any mangling of names
etc. Birdbox last accessed 12:40 AM, May 8th.