Subject: Kitsap County
Date: May 9 13:36:10 2001
From: Ryan Shaw - rtshaw80 at home.com


All,
Spent a good 4 hours this morning birding portions of Kitsap County with
Bill Tweit between 6:30 and 10:30AM with periods of FOG in the morning, but
clearing after about 8:00AM.

We started the morning at the North side of the Port Orchard Airport, where
we heard a few MOUNTAIN QUAIL calling from the opposite side of the road
from the airport. We parked near a gate and scanned the Scotchbroom lined
trails where we located a pair OF MOUNTAIN QUAIL feeding in the gravel.
Soon after, Jim Flynn and his friend Barbara arrive, but the quail are no
where to be seen.

We walk the trail that Bill and I were viewing them on 10 minutes prior, and
at the end, We flush the male and female pair, as they walked alongside the
road before flying off into the Shore Pine and Douglas Fir grove bordering
the clearings. We walk to another area of the clearing and heard at least 3
additional males serenading us with their high pitched QWERP!, TE-WERP!
calls. We couldn't get a visual on any others but it was still great to
hear the morning chorus of SPOTTED TOWHEES, HUTTON'S VIREOS, KINGLETS AND
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES with the lead vocalists, the Quail.

Bill and I parted ways with Jim and Barbara and headed to Gorst Creek where
upon arrival observed about 40 roosting gulls on an exposing mudflat. I say
exposing because the tide was slowly receeding as we birded. Highlights
included:
1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
2 ADULT WESTERN GULLS
10+ GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS
usual Hybrids...
4 THAYER'S GULLS - 3 1st winter, 1 adult
2 HERRING GULLS - 1 2nd winter, 1 adult
10 MEW GULLS
(gull numbers from memory, I'm sure I'm off on some of them...)
2 EURASIAN WIGEON

Our next stop on the hit list was the Port Orchard waterfront. Highlights
along the 4-5 mile stretch of Beach Drive:
1 RED-THROATED LOON
4 PACIFIC LOONS
MANY: HORNED AND WESTERN GREBES
8 RED-NECKED GREBES
All 3 species of Cormorants, each in breeding plumage, most sitting on
pilings/buoys.
2 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS
1 EURASIAN WIGEON in with about 500 AMERICAN WIGEON
ALL 3 SCOTERS, including 4 BLACKS.
12 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, including a group of 3 drakes attempting to court a
single hen.
15 GREATER SCAUP
Both Goldeneyes, several pairs of BARROW'S
a few more THAYER'S GULLS
10 BLACK TURNSTONES
1 SURFBIRD

our last stop of the day before heading back home was a return visit to
Gorst Creek
The tide had fully receded and there was quite an expansive mudflat which
kept alot of the birds farther away. But we were able to locate the COMMON
TEAL in with a tight knit group of GREEN-WINGS. And as the MARSH WRENS
began to sing, we took off, very satisfied with our half-day of birding.

*********Ryan Shaw************
****7108 Blue Jay Court SE****
****Lacey Washington 98503****
******Home (360) 491-1804*****
******Cell (360) 789-6750*****
******rtshaw80 at home.com*******

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