Hello Tweets,

Today we enjoyed a calm,balmy day birding from the Nisqually NWR to Brady Loop Rd. and encountered a few noteworthy sightings to mention,specifically in regards to recent sightings. Our most significant sightings of the day continued with RED PHALAROPES observed from 3 locations beginning with 3-4 bird approximately 60 yards off Luhr Beach in Thurston Co. amongst a large,scattered flock of Bonaparte's Gulls. The Red Phalaropes at this location were observed actively feeding within the current line,but often separated themselves from the main Bonaparte's Gull flock,but conditions were calm enough to get good views of the birds. Our other Red phalarope sightings of the day came from the Elma-Brady area with 1 cooperative bird that allowed extremely close approach along the northern portion of Foster Rd.(accessed of Brady Loop Rd.),where the bird was noted in a heavily flooded field along the immediate road. Additionally,we located 5 Red Phalaropes at the same exact location in a heavily flooded area along Dunlap Rd.,as noted during our route yesterday during the Satsop CBC.

Our morning visit to the Nisqually NWR yielded just a few highlights upon a walk made out to McAllister Creek beginning with 2 SNOWY OWLS easily observed along the northern edge of the refuge perched atop 2 separate treetops viewed from the McAllister Creek trail. Other notable species encountered during a walk at this location included the following:

1 Am.Bittern
14 Snow Geese
1 adult dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk
1 Am.Kestrel
2 Merlins(with one bird perched atop a tall tree behind the visitor center consuming it's catch of a Wilson's Snipe)
1 adult Peregrine Falcon
1 Wilson's Snipe


Next,our visit to Luhr Beach began with 2 Snowy Owls viewed along the northern edge trail of the Nisqually NWR with one bird perched atop a treetop followed by 1 bird perched lower near the ground within the same area. A good scoping of the Nisqually Reach produced fairly good numbers of waterbirds during incoming tide with our main highlight being 3-4 Red Phalaropes. These bird may likely remain in the area,but may follow current lines by themselves or with Bonaparte's Gulls,which was our largest concentrations of the latter species we have noted at this location during this season. Additional highlights from this location included 2 Red-throated Loons,1 Pacific Loon, 42+ Eared Grebes and a single Merlin.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon in the Elma-Brady area of eastern Grays Harbor Co. beginning along 3rd Street north of Elma. We scoped the flooded areas just north of Hwy.12,where a nice gathering of gulls continued from previous days. Our main highlight along this road included a single Western Grebe noted alone in a flooded area,which seemed noteworthy for the location. We birded Vance Creek Co. Park by checking all the main pond areas,where the RED-NECKED GREBE and LONG-TAILED DUCK continued from yesterday by counters during the Satsop CBC. Other species of note at these locations included a single Greater Scaup and the lingering 3 Canvasbacks amongst a scattered flock of Lesser Scaups and Ring-necked Ducks.

Continuing westward we enjoyed a nice time along portions of the Brady loop Rd. complex,despite areas of the road that were completely flooded over along the western portion of that route and as a result impassable to vehicle traffic. Highlights that were encountered along this route included the following:

27 Tundra Swans
60 Trumpeter Swans
5 Am.Kestrels(including one bird pursuing then catching a lone Am.Pipit)
1 Merlin
1 RED PHALAROPE
4 Mourning Doves
3 Western Scrub Jays
1 adult White-throated Sparrow

Our last stop of the day was made along Dunlap Rd.,which lies southeast of Elma accessed off of Hwy.12. This area continues to be highly flooded,but we did manage to locate at least 5 Red Phalaropes,which could be of the same flock than noted at this location yesterday. At this same location we noted a single adult Greater White-fronted Goose amongst a large flock of Canada/Cackling Geese including 47 birds of the "Dusky"subspecies.


Good birding,

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