Subject: Kent Ponds Field Trip Report
Date: Oct 19 20:25:06 2002
From: Lynn & Carol Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Tweeters:
We had a very good day at Kent Ponds and vicinity today during the Tweeters
Field Trip. It was cool and cloudy, but we never had rain. Eight of us met
at the main Green River Natural Resources Area (Kent Ponds) parking lot. We
watched a Peregrine Falcon on a snag, and then a Merlin landed on a very
close snag.
We drove around and walked into the main ponds area at the Animal Shelter.
This gate is usually closed to the public. In the ponds area we had many
species of ducks, including N. Pintail, Bufflehead, and Lesser Scaup. There
were 2 adult Cooper's Hawks on a snag on the island. A Wilson's Snipe flew
overhead calling. Two pair of courting Gadwalls were observed as the males
made a quiet sound, then threw back their heads and made a single loud
squeek. A juv Pied-billed Grebe w/ streaks still on its face, pecked at his
mom's bill as he followed her around. There were hardly any sparrows, and
for quite awhile we only saw Song Sparrows. But as we walked out
around the east side of one of the dry ponds, we stopped at a small willow
which was behind some blackberry vines. In the willow there were Bushtits,
Black-capped Chickadees, a single Golden-crowned Sparrow, and a beautiful
Tan-striped adult WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. A number of us got good looks at
this bird, as it was about 20 feet away. But it only sat up in the bush a
short time, and then it disappeared.
After lunch we decided to check out the footbridge over the Green River
which is down by the SW corner of GRNRA. We were looking for more sparrows.
There were NO sparrows (I couldn't believe it after the sparrow show of last
week), so we walked across the bridge and over into Riverview Marsh. We
looked at the pond. There were ducks on the pond as expected, but there was
also some exposed mud. On the mud and in the water were 13 Long-billed
Dowitchers. This is the first time I have seen shorebirds at Riverview
Marsh.
Then we headed back north to S 212th St, turning north from there onto 59th
Ave. This goes past the Boeing Kent Space Center. Just north of the plant
is a series of muddy ponds that we call Boeing Ponds. We had a flock of 50
American Pipits flying around, foraging on the shore, and bathing in the
water. We were looking down on them and the light was perfect. They called
a lot. A flock of 250 Cackling Canada Geese flew by. A small flock of
large Canada Geese flew by and w/ them was 1 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
An American Kestrel flew nearby. This caused a second beautiful male
American Kestrel to fly near us calling. The first bird left. We stayed
until 2:45, getting ready to leave. Then, the best sighting of all
happened. A SANDHILL CRANE flew south down the valley. One of us got it in
the scope for quite awhile. I had put my scope away, of course... I wonder
if this bird will roost in the south part of the valley where all the corn
stalks are.
It was a great day in the Kent Valley. Here is a list of our species today.
----------------
KENT PONDS & VICINITY
Pied-billed Grebe
Dbl-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Gr Wht-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Cooper?s Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel 2
Merlin 1
Peregrine 1
American Coot
Sandhill Crane 1
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs-heard at Kent Ponds
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson?s Snipe (formerly Common Snipe)
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller?s Jay
American Crow
Blk-capped Chickadee
Bushtit
Bewick?s Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
American Pipit 50
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Total - 54 species
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines