Subject: Eastern Phoebe and Northern Parula still remain
Date: Jun 10 17:06:12 2001
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded this weekend in search of two recent rarities, along
with attempting photographes of these two species, being the EASTERN PHOEBE
in Leavenworth in southwestern Chelan Co., and the NORTHERN PARULA at Lake
Ozette in western Clallam Co., as we came up with great success with both
species, despite 700 miles of driving, and weather conditions, being the
worst on the 10th(today), with locally heavy rain showers at Lake Ozette,
being fairly constant at times, but minor clearing occured, although very
briefly during our stay until 9:30am, where the weather consisted of only
isolated showers at times to Tacoma.

We started our two day excursion at Blackbird Island in Leavenworth on the
9th of June at 6:30am, where the EASTERN PHOEBE was immediately heard upon
arrival, then later viewed and photographed until 8:30am, along with the
presence of Ryan Shaw and Tim Perkins, as we all watched and heard the bird
singing repeatedly from the tall Black Cottonwood trees at the base of
Blackbird Island, as well as watching the bird fly and perch lower along the
dense vegetation, and guard rail of the drainage canal at the base of the
foot bridge to the actual island. The weather condition were quite
appropriate at this location, making our stay worthwhile, along with
photographing the phoebe, as well as taking a brief walk along part of the
extensive trails on Blackbird Island. The phoebe never was observed flying
onto the actual island, but the bird could, if it's stay continues, but the
bird seemes to favor its surroundings on the mainland. Other species of note
at this location included:

33 BLACK SWIFTS(flying over the tall Black Cottonwood trees,with several
quite high over the surrounding area)
1 Am.Dipper
14 Veeries
10 Gray Catbirds
2 RED-EYED VIREOS

On our way back home on the 9th, we made a short stop by Liberty in Kittitas
County, as the weather permitted, where we encountered a few additional
species, before heading west, including:

2 Black-chinned Hummingbirds
4 Willow Flycatchers
3 Am.Dippers
7 PURPLE FINCHES

An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was observed along I-90 at MP 80, just west of Easton,
being out of normal habitat and range, eventhough this species does wander
widely.

We arrived in Clallam Co. at 4:30pm, after making a brief stop at home, the
proceeded west on our way to Lake Ozette, with additional sightings of BLACK
SWIFTS along S.R113 between MP 30 and 31, east of the town of Pysht, with a
flock of 35 birds, then a lone bird over Clallam Bay, before arriving at
Lake Ozette at 6:45pm, with minor rainshowers. We immediately set up for our
overnight stay here, then at 7pm a short walk at the nearby Ozette Ranger
Station revealed the rising, buzzy song of the NORTHERN PARULA, which was
briefly seen as conditions decreased, as it began to get darker, and wetter,
with minor wind. A few notable species during the evening at this location
included:

2 Osprey
3 calling Blue Grouse
7 Common Nighthawks
1 Hairy Woodpecker
13 Swainson's Thrushes
6 Warbling Vireos
2 Orange-crowned Warblers
4 Yellow Warblers
8 Wilson's Warblers
3 Western Tanagers

The next morning(today), we noted the NORTHERN PARULA singing at 5:45am,
then later watched, and photographed the bird from 6:30am-9:30am, along with
the presence of Kraig and Kathy Kemper, and a few other birders on site, as
we were able to get quality looks at the bird in our spotting scopes on
serveral occasions within the time period, as the bird consistantly sang
from the tops of Red Alders trees, and observed in a tall Sitka Spruce only
once during our visit, as we endured locally heavy rainshowers at times,
then as mentioned before minor partial clearing. We were able to observe all
the field marks upon scoping the bird, as it continued singing from the tree
tops, including the notably small size of this warbler, blue-gray
upperparts, with greenish back, broken white eye ring(being white on top and
bottom), yellow throat and upperbreast, orange-red center spot topped by
black band,(amongst the yellow upperparts) on upperbreast, with a partial
orange-red spot on upper flanks, white wing bars, pale lower mandible, and
pale white underparts and belly. The bird seemed to often throw its voice,
as it often appeared farther away, or at a different location than it really
was, but this bird, unlike other nearby warbler continued persistantly
singing, despite the variable weather, and would often be the only bird
singing at a given time in the general woodlot around the restrooms/ranger
station vicinity, and near the end of our stay was noted in the overnight
parking lot, just west of the ranger station, as it foraged and continued to
sing, but the bird did come to lower levels within several alder trees at
times, but tended to sing near the canopy of most trees.

A pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were noted just west of Swan Bay Rd., along
Hoko-Ozette Rd. on telephone wires bordering an extensive clearing on the
south side of the road, then on our way home we checked Diamond Pt. in
eastern Clallam Co., where a single TUFTED PUFFIN was observed flying away
from Protection Island, and continuing into Discovery Bay, as it headed
south.

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net