Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I enjoyed a rewarding time along the Brady Loop Rd. between 12pm-3pm primarily along the green belt bordering the Chehalis River and the southwest corner of Brady Loop Rd.(accessed from the public fishing access immediately south of the Willis Airfield). We encountered a good assortment of several passerine species including an increase of spring arrivals. The weather remained intermittent rain off and on with 10-15 minute durations,which allowed good periods of songbird movements. Our main efforts as mentioned were made along the greenbelt west of the public fishing access then walking along a muddy edge of a stubble field to the Chehalis River,then walking south of the public fishing access through an opening in the greenbelt to another greenbelt within another associating wet,muddy field closer to the Chehalis River. Due to the extensive muddy areas rubber boots were used,as well as our raingear and umbrellas to help keep dry at times.

It is at this location we encountered good movements of Yellow-rumped Warblers,(being primarily of the "Myrtle" subspecies with smaller numbers of "Audubon's" noted) and Am.Robins. While carefully searching through the songbird flocks we came across a few noteworthy highlights including a Mountain Chickadee that was observed within a tight flock of 12 Black-capped Chickadees and was an unexpected species for this location and contributed as a personal new species for our Brady Loop Rd. list. Other highlights noted within this same location were our first Black-throated Gray Warbler of the season with 1 bird observed amongst a small group of foraging Yellow-rumped Warblers. Thirdly, an adult White-throated Sparrow(white-striped form)was briefly observed amongst a flock of Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows with all but one Golden-crowned Sparrow being adult birds. A group of 19 Sandhill Cranes were observed in a stubble field immediately north of Brady Loop Rd. and bordering the Willis Airfield.,as they loudly called before finally landed as a brief rain shower moved eastward overhead.

Increasing numbers of Savannah Sparrows and Cliff Swallows were the most noted species encountered from our last visit along this route and many of the waterfowl we observed were confined to the more flooded area,although a few immature Bald Eagles kept them scattered. After birding the public fishing access quite heavy we proceeded to check the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd. before heading home. It was at the extreme southeast corner of Brady Loop Rd.,where we encountered a distant,but cooperative immature Northern Goshawk perched high atop a ridgeline just above the Chehalis River,but well viewed in our spotting scope. The bird remained perched on the snag,as it preened,fanned it's banded tail and showed the fine streaking on the breast and appeared the size of a male Red-tailed Hawk. It was a great species to see at this location and slighting unexpected for us too as another personal new species for us along this route. We expect it came from a more heavier forested area immediately south of the ridgeline,but more likely a true migrant. The bird remained perched atop the snag,as we left the bird when a heavy rain shower persisted.

Other noteworthy sightings for the Brady Loop Rd. complex included the following species:

1 Pied-billed Grebe
3 Wood Ducks
2 male Eurasian Wigeon(with Am.Wigeon in a flooded area south of Gillis Rd.)
7 Ring-necked Ducks
7 Turkey Vultures
5 Northern Harriers
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
4 Am.Kestrels
3 Ring-necked Pheasants
1 Sora(heard only from the wetland area at the northwest corner of Brady Loop Rd.)
7 Black-bellied Plovers
28 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
47 Wilson's Snipe(flushed from several muddy areas with often multiple birds at a time)
45+ Band-tailed Pigeons
1 Great Horned Owl
8 Rufous Hummingbirds
1 pair of Hairy Woodpeckers
7 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
8+ Barn Swallows
10 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
3 Hermit Thrushes
13 Varied Thrushes
450+ Am.Pipits(observed in 2 separate flocks along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.)
3 Hutton's Vireos
12 Orange-crowned Warblers
5 Townsend's Warblers
4 Lincoln's Sparrows
1 "Slate-colored"Junco(with Oregon Juncos)
7 Purple Finches


Prior to birding along Brady Loop Rd. we briefly checked the Schouweiler Rd. wetland,where a few additional species were noted to begin our trip list including the following:

1 Am.Bittern
1 pair of Cinnamon Teal
1 Osprey(observed atop a distant nestsite)
1 Virginia Rail(heard only)
4 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
1 Barn Swallow


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net