Subject: Nighthawk. Plus Hylebos Bird News
Date: Jun 6 11:49:36 2000
From: Michele - foxglove at jps.net


Hi Chums,

Bird and naturewatching at Hylebos State Park, Federal Way on Sunday,
from 4:30 - 8pm.

Hylebos State Park is a densely wooded and vegetated area so most
birding was done by ear. Lush at this time of year, the boardwalk
becomes almost a tunnel through the foliage in places. Salmonberries
are prolific, fruit of Twinberry is dark and ripe now and that of
Indian Plum is almost ready. False Lily of the Valley and Red
Huckleberry are also starting to form berries. Waterleaf is coming
into bloom, Goldenrod is leafing-out and Nettles are in flower.
There's a delicious evening scent there at this time of year which in
places contains a mixture of warm cedar, rich wetland, a citrusy
berry-leaf scent with a tadge of celeriac mixed-in. Nice : )

There was plenty of bird activity around the parking area to start,
with a Warbling Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, Purple Finch, House Finch,
Song Sparrow, Robins and Swainson's Thrushes singing or calling. A
pair of Bewick's Wrens were foraging in the shrubs.
A Flicker, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers were heard. The drumming of
the Pileated was quite persistent for about 10 minutes before the big
bird took flight with noisy calls.

Cedar Waxwings were calling throughout the park but were initially
elusive by sight. Warblers made up for that with excellent views of
both Black-throated Grey and Wilson's Warblers. Two Western
Tanagers, a Rufous Hummingbird, Black-headed Grosbeak and Pacific
Slope Flycatcher were heard. Accompanied by a Hutton's Vireo,
Spotted Towhee and Winter Wren.

A special treat.

In the woods close to Brook Lake, I had been working to trace the
calls and song of Brown Creepers. While looking upward I was
startled when a Creeper flew and landed on the tree trunk right in
front of my nose less than 2 feet away! It looked over its
"shoulder" before hopping up the truck, collected a huge bug with
dangly legs which it promptly stuffed in the mouth of fledgling
Creeper on the next tree. I was truck with how *new* the fledgling
looked, with flimsy and soft-looking pink legs and feet. Quite a
treat to watch two adults foraging in the immediate vicinity then
returning to feed the youngster, who, for its part did make a valiant
effort to practice foraging in-between feeds. I did not see it
successfully capture anything though.

Overlooking Brook Lake itself, I watched the dragonflies and Mallard
Chicks. Periodically, a female Wood duck would take a break from
sedate amblings on the water to make a repetitive whistling call,
this individual did not appear to have any chicks close by. A Great
Blue Heron also called in this area.

About to leave the spot, I was thrilled to hear the unmistakable call
of a Nighthawk - one of my favorite birds. I watched the Nighthawk
flying above the tree line, making several turns over the lake before
heading south out of sight.

Back along the trail, Twisted Stalk is also blooming and the ferns
are thigh high. At Marlake I sat and watched the ducks. There were 3
female Wood Ducks and one of them was accompanied by 3 chicks, I only
saw one male Wood Duck who appeared to be paired. A female Gadwall
and another Mallard also had chicks on the water.

It was at this point it became clear I had sat on a bench that was
already occupied.

Evidently, there was a nest of baby spiders on the back, (wished I
hadn't been wearing summer clothing...) While gently relocating the
tenacious little blighters from me and the inside edge of my
binocular lenses (tricky) I couldn't help admiring their design.
Bright yellow bodies with a black patch on the end of the abdomen
that extended underneath. They also had tiny black legs - quite
dapper-looking. OK don't tell me, they were Aggressive Widow
Recluses or something ; ) I was hoping they may be young Goldenrod
Spiders?

On the subject of insects, there were several different beetles in
notable numbers. One of them was primarily matt black, no markings
on the elytra but symmetrically opposed orange crescents placed on
the outer edge of the thorax. I don't have a field guide on American
bugs, anyone know what they are? There were several of them on the
floppy white Thimbleberry Blossoms.

Further around Marlake I spotted a young male Garter Snake in the
grass - sneaking up on him for a gentle catch and release I wondered
why he didn't move... The poor thing had not been dead long and was
emaciated. Judging by the very writhed body attitude and open mouth
it looked like he'd gone through snake-death solo as opposed to at
the "hands" of a predator. Elsewhere in the park there were (live)
Garter Snakes of different ages and color designs. The one mentioned
above was the pale turquoise-colored race.

Talking of turquoise.

On the interpretive sign by Marlake there is a scruffy nest. It
doesn't really look like other Robins' nests I've seen, but the
location seems suitable, and underneath on the ground was half a
turquoise eggshell. The nest looked as though it had been rather
"roughed-up" so potentially the egg was a casualty. Do Robins
usually carry their egg shells away from the nest after hatching like
other bird species I wonder?

Other birds at Marlake included Violet-green Swallows, Barn Swallows
and Red-winged Blackbirds. By this time I had apparently become a
walking magnet for mosquitos. So, serenaded by Tree Frogs, I
respectfully took my leave with one last look at Cedar Waxwings
perched amongst waving alder leaves, with the late evening sun
lending a warm glow to their delicate plumage.

Sigh...

Back to work ; )

Michele Herzberg
Kent, WA
foxglove at jps.net
www.jps.net/eurogrfx/michele