Subject: Collared Cackler, White Fronts, Mtn Blubrd
Date: Dec 12 20:48:03 2001
From: Kelly Mcallister - mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov


Tweeters,

Today, Wednesday December 12, I encountered a Mountain Bluebird along 332nd Street on
the east side of Hwy 7 in Pierce County, Washington (about 10 miles south of Tacoma).
It was flying from fence post to fence post, occasionally to the ground, in an area
with extensive pastureland.

Last Monday, December 10, I spent some time scoping a flock of about 150 Canada Geese
that had 9 Greater White-fronted Geese mixed in. They were in a pasture north of
Evergreen Valley Road between Olympia and Yelm. There was a neck-collared Cackling
Canada Goose in the bunch (vertical 6, horizontal 7J) that I recognized as the same
goose I had seen on November 27 in a pasture just south of the Centalia Mine at Tono,
Lewis County, Washington. This goose was only 15 straight line miles from where I
saw it initially but I was surprised because I haven't been scoping that many Canada
Goose flocks so it seemed an amazing coincidence to see this same goose again (I think
it's following me).

A month or two ago I encountered at least 5 Western Bluebirds at Vail in south Thurston
County. Good to be seeing bluebirds more frequently than usual.



Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov