Subject: Field Trip, Auburn area June 21(long)
Date: Jun 24 12:11:35 2003
From: Lynn Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Tweeters:
Sorry this is so late, but all the species we saw should still be
around (breeding). Rainier Audubon did an intro to Bird Song class,
and we had our field trip last Saturday, June 21 near Auburn in S King
Cnty, WA. Wow, all the birds were singing, and we had quality views
of many of them. It was a day with showers all around us, but we
managed to avoid them until the very end of the day. While we were at
Flaming Geyser State Park, a small shower came through. The Vaux's
Swifts swooped in about then and gave us a great show. On the road
out to Flaming Geyser there is a small park along the Green River at a
bridge crossing. We saw two Bank Swallows there. They are uncommon
in this area. And up on the Muckleshoot Plateau, we had two singing
Lazuli Buntings, and had a great view of one of them, as the rains
really started. Here is the trip report. Kinda detailed and long.
So you can skip it if you wish.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines, WA
linusq at att.net
-----------------------------
We had a very-nice trip for the Rainier Audubon Society Bird Song
class on Sat, June, 21, 03.
After meeting at the Auburn Denny's next to hwy 18, we made the
following stops. (All of these areas are SE of Auburn, and can be
seen in the book of maps called the Thomas Guide, Metropolitan King
County.)
1. Started birding approx. 7:40am. Walked along Green Valley Rd near
the Meat Mkt. Green Valley Rd is east of Auburn, and leads to Flaming
Geyser State Park. Take first exit east of Auburn on hwy 18.
Good views of singing Common Yellowthroats. Heard Willow Flycatchers
singing Fitz Bew.
2. Started up Academy Rd-trail from Green Valley Rd. This road is
now closed, and it's a trail. It's about 1/2 mile long, and gains
about 150 feet in elevation. It starts at the bottom from Green
Valley Rd, about a mile past the Meat Mkt, just past Harmony Farms.
It has a nice microcosm of various breeding birds as you gain
elevation. At the bottom,
we heard the wonderful Swainson's Thrush song. Nice walk up the trail
with lots of birds singing, and good sightings of an Orange-crowned
Warbler in low bushes. Saw Cedar Waxwing, and Western Wood-Pewee.
Saw a pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers, and later had short glimpse of
juv R-b Sapsucker. A Wilson's Warbler sang, but didn't show itself.
We heard some Pacific-slope Flycatchers singing, but they
stayed out of sight. Bill Bush got us a brief look in his scope at an
Olive-sided Flycatcher perched on top of a fir. It sang Quick 3
Beers, just once or twice.
3. Meat Market snack break on Green Valley Rd. Watched birds from
deck of store, and listened to birds across Green Valley Rd. Yellow
Warbler occasionally singing across the road. Views of swallows.
4. Flaming Geyser Park-primitive side. To reach this road, continue
about a mile past the Flaming Geyser turnoff on Green Valley Road.
Past the fancy yard w/ the stone fence. Turn right at a sign for dog
boarding. Lots of dog signs in that area. At the bottom past the dog
boarding place, is another entrance to Flaming Geyser Park. No fee
in this area. Can walk out to barn for views, or down road that goes
left from near the barn. Good views of a perched,
singing Willow Flycatcher. Heard singing Swainson's Thrushes.
5. Lunch and hikes, Flaming Geyser St Park-developed side of park.
Good sightings of 3 American Dippers, and of up-close Brown Creepers,
and Cedar Waxwings. Good views of Vaux's Swifts. Common Merganser
female on river. Swainson's Thrushes occasionally flying across the
river. We observed the flame at the flaming geyser, which is almost a
foot tall now. Very cool. Lee Kantar lit the escaping methane to
create the flame before we walked up the trail to the bubbling spring.
6. Whitney Bridge Park at 2:30pm. This park is on 212th Way SE, at
the Green River, just before driving farther out to Flaming Geyser.
It is close to Green Valley Rd.
There is a barn there which you can see across the river, and it is a
good spot for Swallows. We saw two Bank Swallows there (uncommon
here). A view of a
singing Yellow Warbler.
7. Muckleshoot Plateau. Starting to rain. Good view of singing
Lazuli Bunting at corner of 368th Pl and S 372. Access this corner
from hwy
164, onto 368th Pl. Continue south about 1 mile to where road takes a
sharp left turn. (It is south of the Adventist Academy on the
plateau.) Stand by the barn and wait for the bird to come in. We
heard at least two singing there.
8. 3:50pm. Stuck near a flood under the hwy 18 overpass in Auburn.
Raining hard! Fire dept. directed traffic around intersection, and up
onto hwy 18. One car abandoned in intersection in deep water (not one
of ours).
It was a wonderful group of enthusiastic birders. We had a great day
(except maybe for that last part). ;-)
Yours, Carol Schulz
Here is a trip list of birds seen and/or heard on the trip.
-------------------------------------------
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture 1 Flam Geyser St Pk
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle-1 flying, viewed from Fl Geyser primitive
Northern Harrier 1 Muckleshoot Plateau
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer - 1 heard from Academy Rd
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Vaux?s Swift 8
Rufous Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 Acad. Rd.
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Steller?s Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
N Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow 2 These are uncommon in King County
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Blk-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-bk?d Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick?s Wren
Winter Wren
American Dipper 3 Flam Geyser developed
Swainson?s Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crown?d Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson?s Warbler
Western Tanager heard on Acad Rd
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Wht-crowned Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak various areas
Lazuli Bunting 2 Muckleshoot Plateau
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer?s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

57 species total