Hello all, Keith Brady and I got out today, hoping for a Thurston County
Mountain Chickadee (seems to be the only county north of Lewis that hasn't
reported one on the west side). No luck, though we tried at Weir Prairie in
the rain.

On the way home we passed by Capitol Lake to see what was about. The south
end had a growing number of Gadwall, Wigeon and R/N Duck. There was a
massive flock of PINE SISKIN here, amounting to probably 500 birds. Also
present were Bald Eagle, Common Merganser and both Scaup.

The north end of the lake had a few small rafts of A. Wigeon and Scaup.
Bufflehead and Ruddy Duck were also around. The best bird here was a single
Western/Clark's-type Grebe across the lake (east end by the parking lot).
We drove over to investigate and noted: bright white lores, dark cap coming
down to above the eye (not behind the eye), thin dark stripe from eye to
base of bill (several books mention this as an exposed bare part that is
dark), orange-tinge to bill though not as bright as in breeding plumage,
some white mottling along the flanks (guides are iffy on this mark). The
only mark that went against it being CLARK'S GREBE was that the dark
hindneck stripe was wider than pictured in Sibley (though it is not drawn so
extreme in other guides). So we decided that it was a CLARK'S GREBE with
arguments possible that some Western could be involved in the genes.

When we went back for the camera it had moved to the middle of the north
lobe so it was too far for any shots. See page 213 of Birder's Guide to WA
for directions. Park at the Simmons Street lot on the north end of the
lake. Also check North Point (N. Washington ST in the book's map) for the
BROWN PELICANS as I saw the two on the evening of the 16th.

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA