Subject: Great Egret continues at Kent
Date: Sep 8 18:01:40 2003
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I spent a few hours between 1:30pm-4pm checking a few birding locations in the Kent-Auburn area of south King Co. Most noteworthy observations included the Great Egret observed at the "old" Kent Ponds,which is presumably the same individual noted by Marc Breuninger,as he reported onto Tweeters on the 7th of September. Nevertheless a noteworthy species for King Co. and our personal second record for this particular location. We checked a few of the main shorebird locations than we had previously reported onto Tweeters in August such as the Thomas"pond" near Auburn and both of the Boeing Plant area mitigation ponds accessed from 66th Ave SE and 59th Ave SE near Kent,as well as the most time spent at the "old"Kent Ponds location. Overall shorebird numbers were seemingly much lower than our previous visits,probably most due to changing conditions and seasonal changes. Most notable were increased numbers of waterfowl noted specifically at the "old" Kent Ponds with relatively good numbers of Green-winged Teal,Northern Pintail, Am.Wigeon,Gadwall,and Northern Shovelers noted among other waterfowl species.The "old"Kent Ponds hosted the most diverse of species with the other locations just producing a few shorebird species of which were quite few in numbers. Good numbers of Barn Swallows persisted at many locations with smaller numbers of remaining Violet-green Swallows noted,being the only two swallows species observed.A list of noteworthy sightings during the afternoon at the following locations follow below:

Pied-billed Grebe
12 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Green Heron
2 adults at the "old"Kent Ponds

Blue-winged Teal
2 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Cinnamon Teal
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Ring-necked Duck
7 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Hooded Merganser
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Osprey
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds
1 observed along West Valley Hwy. near the Boeing Plant at a previous nestsite

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 adult at the "old"Kent Ponds

Am.Coot
34 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Greater Yellowlegs
8 at the mitigation ponds north of the Boeing Plant(accessed along 59th Ave.SE)

Lesser Yellowlegs
1 at the mitigation ponds north of the Boeing Plant(accessed from 59th Ave. SE)
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Western Sandpiper
2 at the Thomas"pond"
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Least Sandpiper
9 at the Thomas"pond"
5 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Short-billed Dowitcher
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds(with 6 Long-billed Dowitchers)

Wilson's Snipe
1 at the mitigation ponds southeast of the Boeing Plant(accessed from 66th Ave.SE)

Willow Flycatcher
1 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Common Yellowthroat
17 at the "old"Kent Ponds

Lincoln's Sparrow
15 at the "old"Kent Ponds



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net