Hi Tweets,

With great pleasure, I viewed a Townsend's Solitaire today. It was flying from one low perch
to the ground and on to the next low perch in an open grassland and scrub oak patch on
the slopes of Bald Hill in Thurston County, Washington. Bald Hill is the domain of Turkey
Vultures and they were soaring over me all afternoon. At two different widely separated
localities in the Bald Hills, I had 10 Turkey Vultures soaring around me at the same time.

The grassland area with the Solitaire was exquisite, with areas of dense fescue, scattered
shooting stars, Camas, violets, Lomatium, strawberry, and many flowers I can't put a name
to. I think it's noteworthy that there was a Chipping Sparrow in the area as well.

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