Hi Tweets, I ventured out on an early morning walk around the Schouweiler
Rd. wetland today. It was a little foggy when I started out, but the fog
quickly burned off. The biggest change I noticed today was the dramatic
increase in Red-winged Blackbird numbers. Fledglings have just about
doubled the usual number of adults in the wetland. It was difficult to
count them all since they were quite active, but I would guess their numbers
were close to 50 birds. Also, the rising sun provided some good light on
the western Osprey nest in which I've seen just one young before today.
Today, I saw two little heads popping up above the top of the nest. The
eastern nest had one adult on it but I haven't been able to detect any young
in it yet. I also tracked down a singing Pacific-slope Flycatcher in the
woods adjacent to the parking area today.

This afternoon I took a quick drive around the Elma area. At Vance Creek
Park, I spotted the Western Grebe on the first pond. Also, I relocated the
single male Greater Scaup that is on the pond closest to the airport. Along
Wenzel Slough Rd., I had two Northern Flickers on an utility pole and
further down the road one Red-breasted Sapsucker on another utility pole.
The rest of the drive was pretty slow.

Good birding,

Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at centurytel.net