Tweeters,
In preparation for a Birdathon trip, Ray Hamlyn and I managed to get in
a quick sojourn in on Saturday (sorry for the late report) to Ft. Lewis,
with a side-trip to Nisqually refuge to pick up some other species. A
closure of most of the prairie area we wanted to visit, and scattered
rain showers throughout the day didn't put a damper on what was a very
nice outing.

Highlights included CASSIN'S VIREO, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, PURPLE
MARTIN, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK (the first of this latter species that
I've seen at the Fort). In addition, we saw our first flycatcher of the
year: an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER "quick-three-beer"ing from the top of a
pine at the east side of Johnson Marsh.

At Muck Creek, we saw Tree, Violet-green, Barn, Cliff, and Northern
Rough-winged Swallows. This is consistent with what we saw last year at
this area.

We also were treated to a fantastic interaction between a pair of Downy
Woodpeckers and Red-breasted Sapsuckers. One of the sapsuckers was
investigating what apparently was the nesting site for the Downy's, and
the latter were "chittering" and diving on the sapsuckers for at least 5
minutes. The sapsuckers eventually left, and the Downy's quieted down.

Total: 70 species (without some that were expected, but not encountered,
such as Red-breasted Nuthatch, Belted Kingfisher, Bald Eagle,
Double-crested Cormorant, etc.)

Birds seen (or heard) during this trip include the following (with those
seen at Nisqually only marked as "N"; those heard only "H"):
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler (N)
Northern Pintail (N)
Green-winged Teal (N)
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant (H)
California Quail (H)
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron (N)
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Virginia Rail (H)
Sora (H)
American Coot (N)
Killdeer (the only shorebird)
Rock Pigeon
Great Horned Owl (N)
Rufous Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker (H)
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Cassin's Vireo
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet (H)
Western Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler (H; N)
Yellow Warbler (not as many yet at Ft. Lewis; anticipate many more in
the next week or so)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Western Tanager (N)
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow (as with Yellow Warbler, not too many just yet; very
common breeder at Ft. Lewis)
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brown-headed Cowbird (H)
Purple Finch
House Finch
House Sparrow

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Seattle, WA
mailto:denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com