Hi all, Steve Nord and I went birding in some areas in southern Thurston and
northern Lewis Cos. yesterday. The morning started real slow due to heavy
fog until about 09:30-10:00. Highlights were few:

7 Eurasian Wigeon (males) at Centralia Steam Plant (Big Hanaford RD)

2 Bald Eagles (adults) same location

2 White-tailed Kites, one at Case RD near Scatter Creek and one at C. Steam
Plant

1 singing Western Meadowlark along Prather RD

2 Brown Creepers at Scatter Creek, one singing (they've started singing in
the area since at least last Monday)

2 D/E Juncos singing at Scatter Creek our first singing birds of the
"spring."

1 flyby calling Evening Grosbeak at S. Creek.

One other notable bird was a very strange Northern Pintail at the large
waterfowl congregation along Big Hanaford RD near the steam plant. This
bird was picked out among other pintails because of some heavy dark vertical
streaks (vermiculation) along the sides of the breast, ending before
reaching the flanks. Also the bird lacked a neat white line along the neck,
rather it was dulled at the edges and cream colored. The head color was
light brown like a hen pintail, and the blue line along the upper mandible
was thinner than on a normal individual. The leg color also seemed duller
than the nearby drake pintails, but we were unable to determine if the bill
was as long as the others (it seemed shorter though). We were guessing that
it was a cross between a Gadwall and Northern Pintail, Steve seemed to think
that when the bird's head was tucked in that it more closely resembled
Gadwall than Pintail.

Mammals: Steve spotted one swimming Mink.

Jason Paulios
JPaulios at hotmail.com
Olympia, WA


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