Subject: Sat 3/27 Mason Co
Date: Mar 28 19:52:30 2004
From: Matt Bartels - mattxyz at earthlink.net


Hi all -
Yesterday, I headed over to Mason County to catch a few more glimpses
of Spring.
I started out south of Belfair, off the Belfair-Tahuya road [Delorme
pg. 61 A-8] in hopes of seeing a Mountain Quail -- no luck with that,
but down near Tahuya I stopped roadside and had a
3-thrush-in-one-view look at a HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH &
AM.ROBIN all sitting near each other.

At the Theler Wetlands just south of Belfair [Delorme p62 A-2], many
signs of Spring popped up between the wind gusts:
MARSH WRENS singing everywhere, and one busily building a nest.
SAVANNAH SPARROW - one singing away from a tree, of all places...
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT - yay! I heard the wichity-wichity-wichity first,
and thought I was probably imagining things. But after looking for a
while, there he was, bright in his yellows&blacks. [Anyone looking
soon, this was at the end of the long path - right in the field where
the last bit of the trail splits into 2 parts.]

Next, I went down to the mouth of the Skokomish, near Union [as Terry
Sisson mentioned earlier this week, the Summer 03 Washington
Birderarticle on this area is very helpful] (Delorme p.61 B-7).
TURKEY VULTURES - 6-7 floating overhead
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS - several, pretty much at each stop along the way.
WOOD DUCK - one female hanging out in the marsh along Purdy Cut-off road.
TREE SWALLOWS, VG SWALLOWS - overhead in large numbers
AMERICAN DIPPER - Just across the road from the Purdy Cut-off/101 intersection.

Potlatch State Park (Del. p61 B-7):
COMMON LOON - breeding plumage almost all there
PACIFIC LOON
HARLEQUIN DUCKS - 2 there and another pair up at Hoodsport later

Staircase Rapids, Olympic NP, just west of Lake Cushman: [Delorme 77 D-6]
AMERICAN DIPPERS - several along the river at regular intervals
BLUE GROUSE - one popped up as I walked the trail.

Just north of Shelton on SR3 along Oakland Bay [p. 61B/C-8]:
EURASIAN WIGEONS - 2 drakes among some AMERICAN WIGEONS hanging out.

Today's birds coming next -

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA
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