Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I spent a few hours along Big Hanaford Rd. near the Centralia Steam Plant in Lewis Co. in search of shorebirds. We were very successful in locating up to 10 species of shorebird primarily east of the main Centralia Plant operations along Big Hanaford Rd. within the private property of the plant facility/operations,which normally are full of water. The exact location is accessible and well viewed from the road from two main vantage points,BUT a note to birders NOT to go over the fenceline boundaries and please be aware of grounds security,especially during the weekdays. You can scope the remaining mudflats that are drying up from the main road outside the private property boundary from two vantage points,which were very productive during our visit today between 12pm-2pm. The remaining partially flooded area west of the actual Centralia Steam Plant is drying up quickly,so the shorebird area east of the plant operations may be the best potential area for shorebirds,which shouldn't completely dry up. Upon our arrival we immediately located fairly good numbers of "peeps" foraging on the exposed muddy areas surrounded by minor areas of vegetation with some rocky areas and "islands" of mud,as well. Of the 10 species of shorebirds encountered our main highlight were 2 juvenile Semipalmated Sandpipers amongst both Western and Least Sandpipers. This may possibly be a first Lewis Co. record for Semipalmated Sandpiper,but nevertheless this location was and should be a very good shorebird spot through the fall,if water levels remain the same. Notable highlights for this location included the following:

6 Green-winged Teal
1 Turkey Vulture
2 female Northern Harriers
1 Am.Kestrel
7 Killdeer
1 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Lesser Yellowlegs
6 Spotted Sandpipers
2 Semipalmated Sandpipers
22 Western Sandpipers
47 Least Sandpipers
1 Baird's Sandpiper
10 Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Wilson's Snipe
1 Purple Martin(heard calling over Big Hanaford Rd. west of the Centralia Steam Plant)
4 Northern Rough-winged Swallows


We also observed several species of dragonflies during our visit along Big Hanaford Rd. east of the Centralia Steam Plant,before we headed to Black Lake in Thurston Co on our way home,where we searched for dragonflies at the north end of the lake. Our main effort paid off with locating our target dragonfly species,being a male Pacific Clubtail among other dragonfly species. This species is quite rare in WA with past records in only three counties currently and it was at this same location than today this species was documented by my mother on the 6th of August,1998,so it seems there may be a very local established population at this location. An old King Co. record exist from the year 1918. A few bird highlights noted at Black Lake included the following:

1 Pied-billed Grebe
3 Caspian Terns
1 Purple Martin
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows


Good birding,

Patrick and Ruth Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net





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