Tweeters,
Camped at American Lake for the weekend and had an invigorating time birding on Ft. Lewis, especially near Brandenburg Marsh, which is just to the southwest of Chambers Lake. We found out that although July 4th is a holiday for most of the country, the Army wasn't taking a break: artillery and automatic-weapons exercises were plentiful. (There's nothing like birding along the edge of the prairie while large-caliber artillery rounds pass high overhead!)

Highlights for me included confirmation of PURPLE MARTINS nesting in three different snags to the north and west of Brandenburg Marsh. Pairs of martins were bringing food to their respective nest-sites. (On May 2nd, I reported that I thought that two pair were nest-building in that area. Ft. Lewis may be one of the few places in western Washington that Purple Martins nest in naturally occurring sites.) In addition, I found WESTERN MEADOWLARK (singing!), and PURPLE FINCH for the first time. Large groups of CALIFORNIA QUAIL were found in two different areas, with one flock having young that still had down sticking out from their juvenal plumage. My route for each day is below the species list.

Expected birds I missed seeing or hearing included Black-headed Grosbeak, Pied-billed Grebe, any vireo, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Glaucous-winged Gull, Hairy Woodpecker, and Evening Grosbeak. Tried for Vesper Sparrow and Hermit Warbler, but to no avail.

For Diann M: Saw a single TURKEY VULTURE on July 3 on the west side of I-5 immediately south of American Lake and another (possibly the same bird) on July 4 near Chambers Lake.

Total species seen: 64

July 3-4 - 91st Div Prairie (91), including the small bridge across Muck Creek and the oak woodlands to the north; Brandenburg Marsh (B); and Chambers Lake (CL)

Canada Goose (CL)
Wood Duck (CL)
Mallard (CL; 91)
Ring-necked Duck (CL; two males and one female)
California Quail (91; B)
Great Blue Heron (91; CL)
Turkey Vulture (CL; American Lake)
Bald Eagle (CL)
Red-tailed Hawk (91; CL)
Virginia Rail (CL; B - heard)
Killdeer (CL)
Rock Pigeon (B; and possibly a homing pigeon flock)
Mourning Dove (CL)
Rufous Hummingbird (91; B; CL)
Belted Kingfisher (B)
Red-breasted Sapsucker (91)
Downy Woodpecker (CL)
Northern Flicker (B)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (B)
Western Wood Peewee (91; B; CL)
Willow Flycatcher (B)
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher (B)
Steller's Jay (91)
American Crow (91; CL)
Common Raven (CL; 91)
Purple Martin (B; CL)
Tree Swallow (91; CL)
Violet-green Swallow (91; B; CL)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (91)
Cliff Swallow (91)
Barn Swallow (91; B; CL)
Black-capped Chickadee (91; CL)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (91)
Bushtit (CL)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (91; B)
Brown Creeper (American Lake)
Bewick's Wren (B)
House Wren (91; B - nest sites found in several locations)
Marsh Wren (B; CL)
Western Bluebird (91)
Swainson's Thrush (91; B; CL)
Hermit Thrush (B)
American Robin (91; B; CL)
European Starling (91)
Cedar Waxwing (91; B; CL)
Orange-crowned Warbler (B)
Yellow Warbler (91; B; CL)
Common Yellowthroat (91; B; CL)
Western Tanager (B; CL)
Spotted Towhee (B)
Chipping Sparrow (91; B - lots of these)
Savannah Sparrow (91; B; CL - these, too!)
Song Sparrow (B; CL)
White-crowned Sparrow (91; B; CL - everywhere)
Dark-eyed Junco (91; B)
Red-winged Blackbird (91; B; CL)
Western Meadowlark (91)
Brewer's Blackbird (91)
Brown-headed Cowbird (91)
Purple Finch (B)
House Finch (91)
Pine Siskin (91)
American Goldfinch (91)
House Sparrow (91; on the way past Gray Army Airfield)

My significant other heard what could have been a Barred Owl at American Lake.

On July 3, my route was out the South Gate, and around the north side of what I believe to be the 91st Div range impact area, back north to the East Gate Rd, and north/west out 41st Div Rd. July 4th, I started out east on the East Gate Road, turning south on the road just past the C-5 mock-up, to the bridge across Muck Creek; Lewis Lake; back north and east to Brandenburg Marsh (hiked along the gravel roads there); north to the East Gate Road and then east to the Chambers Lake road (birded the west side of the lake); then back to I-5 via East Gate Road and 41 Div Rd.

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Seattle, WA
mailto:denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com