Hi Tweets:
I had an interested day today, June 28 at Kent Ponds and Boeing
Ponds. (I'll send another msg w/
directions to both of these sites in Kent, WA down in the Green River
Valley.)
At Kent Ponds (Green River Natural
Resources Area), I went to the Grassy Knoll on 64th Ave to try to see
the female LAZULI BUNTING that had been bringing food to a nest in the
tall grass at the knoll. She appeared briefly there, and did some
calling. It sounded like a short "tib" sound to me, over and over.
She flew in the grass and bushes there, and after an initial view of
her in the top of a large bush by the water, I was unable to see her
as she moved around. It doesn't look like she is nesting there any
more,
but she is still in the area, and I hope she will try to nest again.
She flew away, and while I was waiting for her to come back, I saw a
MERLIN in a snag out to the west in the lagoon. It appeared to be a
female or juvenile black Merlin. There also were both a male and
female American Kestrel perched and flying. A Green Heron flew by.
Some Ruddy Ducks in the water are males in bright breeding plumage.
Most of the other ducks are going into eclipse plumage. There are a
lot of Common Yellowthroats, male, female, and possible juveniles to
study.
Over at Boeing Ponds north of Kent Ponds, there were some new birds to
see in the little back pond near the fence. You have to walk in about
two blocks past the traffic barrier on 62nd Ave S to see into the
pond. As you walk in, look down in the ditch on the right, as
shorebirds have been known to be there. There is still some water
left in the small back pond (probably for just a few more days if this
warm weather lasts). In that pond there was a GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 1,
and LEAST SANDPIPERS - 3. Some SPOTTED SANDPIPERS - 2 have been there
all spring. Killdeer - 10.
I'll send directions to these two sites in another msg.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines, WA
mailto:linusq at att.net