Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I checked a few birding locations in the Kent-Auburn area than previously reported by us and other birders recently including the Thomas "pond", the "old" Kent Ponds, and the Boeing Plant detention ponds north of S 212th Street in Auburn. Shorebird numbers seemed slightly down than previous visits although we checked the Thomas "pond" two separate times during the day that hosted different shorebird numbers during each visit,specifically Western and Least Sandpiper numbers.We did not encounter any exceptional highlights,but enjoyed what species were present. We ran into Charlie Wright and Carol Schultz among other birders at the larger Boeing Plant detention pond area,as well as during our evening visit to the Thomas "pond" on our way home,who encountered some of the same species as us,but may have additional numbers or species to mention during their route(s). On our way home we observed a single Peregrine Falcon circling directly over I-5 at the Hwy.18 interchange(Exit 142A),which was noteworthy. A list of notable species observed at selected locations follows below:

Thomas"pond"

5 Lesser Yellowlegs
13 Western Sandpipers(with 7 there at 4:30pm)
28 Least Sandpipers
1 adult Pectoral Sandpiper

Boeing Plant area "ponds"(accessed from two locations including along 66th Ave. and 59th Ave. S near Kent)

4 Hooded Mergansers
1 Osprey
1 male Am.Kestrel
4 Greater Yellowlegs
6 Lesser Yellowlegs
4 Spotted Sandpipers
3 Least Sandpipers
2 Mourning Doves
1 Belted Kingfisher
18+ Bushtits

"old" Kent Ponds(GRNRA)

18 Pied-billed Grebes
2 adult Green Herons
1 Green-winged Teal
1 Northern Pintail
3 Cinnamon Teal
8 Northern Shovelers
1 Am.Wigeon
5 Ruddy Ducks(1 adult male,1 adult female, 1 immature,2 juveniles, which represent successful breeding at this location)
1 Osprey
1 Virginia Rail(heard only)
22 Am.Coots
3 Lesser Yellowlegs
3 Spotted Sandpipers
5 Long-billed Dowitchers
5 Belted Kingfishers
1 Willow Flycatcher
12 Bushtits



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net