On Saturday, Jim Pruske and I birded various locations along the west
side of Hood Canal. We started at the George Adams Salmon Hatchery where
we were treated to a family of American Dippers feeding in the shallows
of the creek. A worker at the hatchery, who was very friendly, told us
about the marsh and stream that goes through a riparian area in the
back. We had 27 species at this first stop alone including,
Band Tailed Pigeon - 2
Northern Roughed Winged Swallow - 4
American Dipper - 6
Warbling Vireo - several
Willow and Pacific Slope Flycatchers
Yellow Rumped (1 only), Wilson's, and Yellow Warblers
Turkey Vulture - 8

Next, we worked our way up the Skokomish Valley to the trout hatchery.
Once again, we met another friendly worker who told us about the Green
Herons coming in to the holding ponds every morning and evening. We were
able to flush up 2 Green Herons during our quick walk around the
complex. We also had,
Black Throated Gray Warbler - several
Brown Creeper
Band Tailed Pigeon - 9
Northern Roughed Winged Swallow - 1

Next, we walked up Forest Road 24 at Jorgsted Creek. We came to a small
view of Hood Canal and birded the old clear cut next to the forest. We
had,
Orange Crowned Warbler - 1
MacGillivray's Warbler - 2
Hutton's Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1
Western Tanager - 4
Common Nighthawks - 7

Next, we hit the lower areas of the Hamma Hamma Recreational Area. We
had,
American Dipper - 2
Western Wood Pewee - 1
Wilson Warbler's - lots

Our final stop was the lowers areas of the Dukabush Recreational Area.
We had,
Common Nighthawk - 1
Band Tailed Pigeon - 4
Western Tanager - 2
Turkey Vulture - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Blue Grouse - 2
MacGillivray's Warbler - 1
Black Throated Gray Warbler - several
Varied Thrush - many
Brown Creeper - several

Dave Hayden
Lakewood, WA
dtvhm at nwrain.com