Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I checked a few locations from the Weir Prairie in Thurston Co. south to the Centralia Steam Plant in Lewis Co.,then a stop made at the Nisqually NWR on our way home between 2-3:15pm. Despite the rather unstable weather throughout the day we encountered several highlights of which our main highlight of the day was 4 Northern Bobwhites at the Weir Prairie,of which 1 pair spotted by my mother were then well observed briefly at close range and two additional birds heard nearby at separate locations. It was enjoyable to see the pair of Northern Bobwhites briefly before they walked into thick cover along a brushy hillside bordering Military Rd. There may still be a stable population of Northern Bobwhite within the entire Weir Prairie,but some recent disturbances may have caused some of the birds to wander/and or be much more cautious and a portion of the Weir Prairie being notably fenced off to the public. Relatively good numbers of Chipping Sparrows,Purple Finches,White-crowned Sparrows,Common Yellowthroats and Orange-crowned Warblers were most abundant in appropriate habitat. We also observed our first House Wrens of the season at this location with up to 15 birds encountered singing on territory,etc and up to 4 Vesper Sparrows observed in relatively open areas of the lower prairie.During our visit to the Weir Prairie between 8:15am-10:15am we extensively walked a portion of the lower prairie,which produced quite a few additional noteworthy species including the following:

3 Turkey Vultures
1 adult Bald Eagle
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Blue Grouse(heard only)
3 Band-tailed Pigeons
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Hermit Thrush
3 Western Bluebirds
8 Evening Grosbeaks
2 Golden-crowned Sparrows
2 Lincoln's Sparrows
5 Western Meadowlarks
14 Red Crossbills

On our way to the Centralia Steam Plant a short stop along S.R.507 produced 6 Cinnamon Teal,2 calling Sora and single Western Scrub Jay between Tenino and McIntosh Lake with an additional Western Scrub Jay observed along S.R.507 in Tenino followed by a Turkey Vulture and a single Northern Harrier further south just near the town of Bucoda. Next,a fairly extensive check made along Big Hanaford Rd. at the Centralia Steam Plant produced a few shorebird species,as well as good numbers of waterfowl with Green-winged Teal being observed in good numbers at several flooded areas. Highlights encountered at this location included the following:

4 Turkey Vultures
9 Greater Yellowlegs
34 Least Sandpipers
2 Dunlin
8 Wilson's Snipe

A single Sharp-shinned Hawk and Greater Yellowlegs were observed at Centralia followed by an adult Cooper's Hawk and a pair of California Quail noted near Lacey.

On our way home we stopped by the Nisqually NWR with a walk made along the McAllister Creek trail and along the trail south of the Twin Barns with the following highlights:

1 Am.Bittern
4 "Cackling"Canada Geese
6 Blue-winged Teal
24 Cinnamon Teal
1 male Ruddy Duck(still in winter plumage)
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Virginia Rail(heard only)
1 Sora(heard only)
7 Greater Yellowlegs
10 Least Sandpipers
14 Dunlin
2 Band-tailed Pigeons
5 Am.Pipits

Mammal highlights during the day included the following:

2 Coyotes at the Weir Prairie
2 Roosevelt Elk along Big Hanaford Rd. south of the Centralia Steam Plant



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Tacoma(Fircrest),WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net