Subject: Black Tern at the Centralia Steam Plant
Date: May 31 20:29:44 2003
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I birded at a few local locations beginning at the Nisqually NWR headquarters area at 11am then continuing south to the Centralia Steam Plant in northern Lewis Co. then continuing onto Hwy.12 to Elma then traveling on our way home with a few additional stops made in Thurston Co. at the "old" Lacey Clear-cut and a short stop made again at the Nisqually NWR at 5:45pm. Our main highlight of the day was locating two separate Black Terns observed from two locations with the first Black Tern observed at the Nisqually NWR north of the McAllister Creek trail "hawking" insects with many swallows immediately north of the flooded area,which is probably a different bird than the bird reported earlier in the week at the same location by Keith Brady. The bird was observed by several other observers during our visit as we informed them of this very rare sighting,as well as the bird being heard calling at a distance. Upon a return visit to the Nisqually NWR at 5:45pm we were unable to relocate the Black Tern,but it still could be around with enough effort searching or perhaps moved on. The second Black Tern of the day was well observed and photographed along Big Hanaford Rd. at 1pm immediately east of the Centralia Steam Plant,as it actively foraged and called over a drying settling pond east of main steam plant operations,then it was observed flying higher up in the air and circled around with several swallow species before dropping back to lower elevations and continued "hawking" insects over the settling pond. This sighting was the best of the two sighting we had during the day due to this probably being a first county record of Black Tern in Lewis County. It seems that this is the best time of year to encounter Black Terns in western WA during late May-June with the exception of the small population of Black Terns that successfully bred in 2001 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR in Clark Co. with small numbers that have been recently observed there again as of recently. Three other highlights of the day were Wilson's Phalaropes observed at two locations including 4 adult birds at the Nisqually NWR during our late morning visit with two birds observed during our short visit at 5:45pm. The other location that we observed Wilson's Phalarope was east of the Centralia Steam Plant in Lewis Co. with a single adult bird noted north of Big Hanaford Rd. A single Bank Swallow was at the Nisqually NWR during our late morning visit and a pair of Lazuli Buntings observed along Blockhouse Rd.(accessed off of Hwy.12 north of Elma-Gate Rd. E and east of Oakville)in extreme southeastern Grays Harbor Co. We initially observed a singing adult male Lazuli Bunting perched atop a telephone wire before dropping into a thick patch of Scotch Broom,where the female was located until both birds soon became quite. This was our first personal record of this species in Grays Harbor Co. and is probably a first county record for Grays Harbor Co. and it is possible this pair may possibly breed at or near this location. The exact area is along the westside of Blockhouse Rd. south of Hwy.12 immediately north of Elma-Gate Rd. E along a "fenced" area bordered by extensive brushy areas including Scotch Broom and extensive stands of oak and other trees nearby. We also observed a single singing adult male Lazuli Bunting during our late morning visit to the Nisqually NWR immediately southwest of the west parking lot in a thick vegetated area.

During the day we checked several areas to and from our main destinations including the Grand Mound area and the general Brady Loop Rd. complex, of which produced few species,but seemed worth checking. Our late afternoon visit to the "old" Lacey Clear-cut was quite productive with a good assortment of species including 4 species of flycatchers,including our only Olive-sided Flycatcher and Western Wood Pewee of the day, along with several additional species noteworthy for the location. Increasing numbers of Willow Flycatchers were the most noteworthy returning nesting bird during the day at three main locations. Our last noteworthy sighting of the day was a Western Scrub Jay observed at the intersection of 100th Street and Lakeview Ave. SW in Lakewood,Pierce Co.

Western Grebe
1 remaining bird at Vance Creek Co. Park(observed along Hwy.12 at Elma)

Green-winged Teal
3 along Big Hanaford Rd. near the Centralia Steam Plant

Blue-winged Teal
2 males at the Nisqually NWR
1 male east of the Centralia Steam Plant

Cinnamon Teal
3 males at the Nisqually NWR
7(6 males,1 female)east of the Centralia Steam Plant

Northern Shoveler
1 pair east of the Centralia Steam Plant

Hooded Merganser
1 female along Goodrich Rd. near Grand Mound,Lewis Co.
1 female with 9 young at the Nisqually NWR

Common Merganser
3(1 male,2 females)near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Ruddy Duck
1 male east of the Centralia Steam Plant

Osprey
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Northern Harrier
2 at the Nisqually NWR
4 along Goodrich Rd.,Lewis Co.
3 along Big Hanaford Rd. near the Centralia Steam Plant

Am.Kestrel
1 pair along Big Hanaford Rd. east of the Centralia Steam Plant

California Quail(heard only)
1 near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Greater Yellowlegs
2 at the Nisqually NWR
1 along Big Hanaford Rd. east of the Centralia Steam Plant

Spotted Sandpiper
8 along Big Hanaford Rd. near the Centralia Steam Plant
4 near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Purple Martin
1 bird heard and observed along Big Hanaford Rd. west of the Centralia Steam Plant

Cassin's Vireo
1 along Blockhouse Rd.,Grays Harbor Co.
1 near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Hutton's Vireo
1 near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Chipping Sparrow
7+ near the "old" Lacey Clear-cut

Yellow-headed Blackbird
1 female at the Nisqually NWR

Bullock's Oriole
1 at the Nisqually NWR
1 along Big Hanaford Rd. west of the Centralia Steam Plant

In addition to birding we located several dragonfly species during the day with the River Jewelwing(Calopteryx aequabilis)that was observed along the Black River along Hwy.12 east of Oakville in eastern Grays Harbor Co.,being the most noteworthy species followed by California Darner noted at several locations.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net










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