Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I enjoyed a rewarding Sunday birding from Luhr Beach in Thurston Co. to the Brady Loop Rd. area,despite rather constant rain showers with some clearing. We began our day at Luhr Beach overlooking the Nisqually Delta with a good start with several key highlights between 10am-10:45am,including 4(2 pair)of Purple Martins occupying nestboxes at the Audubon Center,which were previously reported by Ryan Shaw on the 11th of April. Due to calm birding conditions and the tidal conditions with exposed mudflats good numbers of waterbirds were encountered including the following along with a few other species noted:

7 Red-throated Loons
1 Red-necked Grebe
12 Eared Grebes(high count for location)
700+ "Black"Brant(with large numbers of foraging Am.Wigeon,Gadwall,Green-winged Teal,Nothern Pintail and other waterfowl noted on the exposed mudflats and offshore waters off the Nisqually Delta)
1 male Eurasian Wigeon
1 male Harlequin Duck
1 male Black Scoter
1 Osprey
11 Black-bellied Plovers
16 Greater Yellowlegs
3 Least Sandpipers
800+ Dunlin
48+ Bonaparte's Gulls
9 Caspian Terns
4 Common Murres
42+ Rhino.Auklets
1 Purple Finch(heard only)

Hwy.101 near West Olympia(Black Lake area)

1 Red-breasted Sapsucker(flying over)

Hwy.8 at MP 12(east of McCleary),Thurston Co.

1 Turkey Vulture
1 Cooper's Hawk

Hwy.8 at Elma

4 Turkey Vultures

Hwy.12 at Elma

1 Western Scrub Jay

Hwy.12 at Satsop

4 Turkey Vultures
1 Western Scrub Jay

We arrived along the north end of Foster Rd.(accessed from the north end of Brady Loop Rd. complex off of Hwy.12),where the RUFF was again easily located in our spotting scopes foraging in the same fashion and manner than in previous visits and remained in the very wet,grassy cow field throughout the day amongst good lingering numbers of Wilson's Snipes and very vocal Greater Yellowlegs. Up to 8 parties of birders were encountered during our visit until 2:45pm,(as we help locate the Ruff for many observers)and we managed to locate a few additional highlights for the day with a drive along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd. and the south end of Foster Rd. A single Coyote was observed east of Foster Rd. in a large grassy field while we were watching the Ruff,but it seemed more interested in the large numbers of waterfowl in the general area. Most noteworthy along Foster Rd. were increased numbers of Long-billed Dowitchers compared to previous visits along with other shorebirds species,as we scoped the large flooded corn stubble fields with up to 32 birds present in two separate flocks along the with 3 lingering birds observed at the north end of Foster Rd.,where the Ruff has been lingering. Notable highlights that we encountered during our entire visit to the general Brady Loop Rd. complex include the following:

1 Am.Bittern(observed at the same location as yesterday and observed by a few other birders)
7 Turkey Vultures
1 Merlin
1 male Eurasian Wigeon
17 Black-bellied Plovers
9 Western Sandpipers
90+ Dunlin
35 Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Barn Owl
4 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
5+ Cliff Swallows
3 Western Scrub Jays
12 Am.Pipits

On our way home we stopped by and thoroughly spent time checking the wet,weedy field along Wakefield Rd. south of Elma in search of sparrows between 3pm-4:45pm,but the first hour was very slow and spent walking back and forth in the field. At 4pm with some patience we heard Golden-crowned Sparrows singing from across a canal to the north of the field and soon the birds flew across to our side of the field and came into view along with other noted species including 2 White-throated Sparrows(1 adult white-striped form and 1 immature white-striped form)of which the latter bird was photographed. Within 15 minutes of waiting and watching there were good numbers of singing Golden-crowned Sparrows and other sparrows foraging loosely along the vegetated edge of the field bordering the canal to the north and we were soon able to locate the Spizella sparrow,which first was observed fairly high in a Red Alder tree then flew to lower trees along the edge of field into lower bushes. The bird was pursued then photographed until an adult Swamp Sparrow flew up from the wet edges of the canal and chased the bird out of the bush into view for additional photos that were obtained. The reason for further photos to be made are for changes in plumage from past and present sightings of the bird,mainly the entire back pattern and rump area. We kept up with the bird as it flew back in the direction towards our vehicle,then we came across the partial albino Am.Robin foraging on the grassy trail. As we continued walking back to our vehicle we weren't able to relocate the Spizella sparrow,but the sparrow numbers remained very active and seemed to increase as we continued back,even more so as it began to rain fairly heavily. It was good way to end the day with enough patience needed at this location. Other species noted at this location included:

8 Hooded Mergansers(flying over)
1 Turkey Vulture
1 pair of Ospreys(with one bird at a nestsite noted as in previous visits)
2 Greater Yellowlegs
45+ Am.Pipits(flying over into an associating field)
13 Savannah Sparrows


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net