Tweeters,

On Sunday, May 12, found a Hairy Woodpecker delivering food to young in a cavity in a dead
alder along an unnamed tributary to Mima Creek in the Capitol Forest, not far from the Mima
Mounds Natural Area Preserve.

Last Tuesday, May 14, found me on the hillside above Bald Hill Lake in south Thurston County.
A pied-billed grebe called from the lake much of the day. Toward evening, a Sora began calling.
A Townsend's Solitaire was observed in the oaks bordering one of the balds. This is the second
Townsend's Solitaire I've seen in the Bald Hill area this spring, about one and a half miles
from the first one.

On Thursday, May 16, I visited Weir Prairie and spent some time in the fire-killed Douglas Fir
trees. A pair of Purple Martins was present and, at one point, I watched as the female peered
out of a cavity in one of the firs. The dead firs have quite a few Starlings nesting in them
and the area must be very attractive to House Wrens as there must have been at least 6 or 7
males singing in the area. Earlier in the day, a male Western Bluebird was seen near the
intersection of Military Road and Waldrick Road which is Deschutes River/McIntosh Lake vicinity.

On Friday, May 17, a White-tailed Kite was present at Glacial Heritage County Park (Preserve?)
off of Mima-Gate Road. Also, Western Meadowlarks which are getting rare as hen's teeth during
the breeding season in western Washington.

Western Tanagers have arrived in force and I've seen and heard a few Swainson's Thrushes too.

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