I birded Brady Loop Rd. and Shouweiler Loop Rd this morning, arriving on the
west end of Brady Loop about 9:30am. About 3/10 mile south of where Brady
Loop heads south there were 17 Sandhill Cranes on the east side of the road
just south of the main wet grassland area south of the farmstead. The
cranes were not calling but several were jumping and stretching their wings,
maybe warming up before heading elsewhere to eat. They seemed to be very
wary of my car's presence and wandered further east from the road but were
still easily visible.

All the usual birds, mentioned in Ruth and Patrick's post from Sunday 4/3,
were present around Brady Loop as well as along Shouweiler Loop. In
addition a turkey vulture was snacking on a dead calf in the muddy ditch on
the corner south of where the cranes were. Common yellowthroats (3) were
singing at the rest area under the bridge on Keys Rd. at the Chehalis River.
A drake hooded merganser was paddling about on the slough just south of
the house midway down Foster Rd.

On Shouweiler Rd. a magnificant golden eagle came up from somewhere and
slowly circled in the sunlight gaining altitude before wandering eastward.
The sunlight on its golden head shone like burnished gold and the sunlight
through its tail highlighted the banding nicelly. The snow in the Olympics
may have pushed it down to this area for food.

While having lunch and waiting out a short rain shower at Vance Co. Park two
green herons chased each other up and down the creek next to the toilet
building parking lot.

In all it was a great day for birding, 49 species for the morning.

Mary Hrudkaj
hrudkajm/hotmail.com
Belfair/North Mason County